Rattan is a type of climbing palm plant from tropical regions of Asia and Africa, known for its long, flexible, and incredibly strong stems. Unlike regular trees that grow straight up with rigid trunks, rattan vines climb through jungle canopies, sometimes reaching lengths of 600 feet.

What makes rattan special is what happens after it's harvested: the stems can be steamed, bent into curves, and woven into furniture without breaking. This flexibility and strength made rattan perfect for chairs, baskets, and tables long before plastic or metal furniture existed. If you've ever sat in a wicker chair with a woven seat, you were probably sitting on rattan.

Rattan played an important role in trade for centuries. Craftspeople discovered they could create lightweight furniture that was both durable and elegant. The material became so popular that “rattan furniture” became a whole category of design, especially for outdoor or tropical-style spaces.

Today, rattan appears in everything from baskets to walking canes. It's also used to make rattan canes, thin flexible sticks once commonly used for corporal punishment in schools (though that practice is now largely discontinued in most countries). The word can describe both the plant itself and the furniture or objects made from it.