Cane Weaving – the
history:
The process of Cane Weaving originated many centuries ago in
East Asia. It is a practice of weaving, using the outer skin of rattan plants
available in abundance in these regions. In the 17th century, cane weaving was
introduced to Britain, where it was evolved and developed to derive the famous
six-way pattern, which is used till date. During the British rule in India,
cane weaving was adapted in our country using the raw materials from Uttar
Pradesh. At the time, rosewood
and teak wood were mostly preferred to make the frames of the chairs and artisans
weaved chairs seats with cane.
The sole rattan cane weaver
in the city:
Mr. Thomas has an
experience of almost 60 years in the field of cane weaving. Mr. Thomas was born
in Kerala to a traditional cane weaving family. He learnt the art from his
father at a very young age. At the age of 17, he moved to Coimbatore to try for
a regular wage job. Things did not work as planned and so in 1962, he set up a small
cane weaving shop in Variety Hall Road here. Being a specialist in his field,
he became quite popular among his customers in the 80’s and 90’s. In the late
90’s, the demand for cane weaved products dropped owing to people’s preference
for plastic wired products. Today, people are realizing the importance of
healthy environment and are looking forward to use and buy products that are
eco-friendly. Mr. Thomas is the only person in his family to know the art of
cane weaving. Unfortunately, he is also the sole cane weaver in the city who
can weave the six-way pattern.
The product range:
Mr. Thomas makes cane
chairs, tables etc. apart from reworking vintage cane products like baskets and
chairs.
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