Knots That Bind: The Warmth of Grapevine Weaving
A Craft That Lives Alongside Human Life
Rattan weaving is a craft that has coexisted with human life for millennia. Organic materials such as rattan, cane, and willow are highly perishable, which is why direct archaeological evidence of early rattan weaving is rare. Instead, scholars often rely on impressions of woven patterns found on pottery. These traces, discovered in Neolithic sites across China, show that woven containers were already in use some 7,000 years ago. This indicates that plant-based weaving techniques have deep and ancient roots in the material culture of China.
Mat-Impressed Pottery Bowl, Yangshao Culture (Neolithic Age)
（image source:National Museum of China.）
The bamboo mat, Warring States period (image source: CCTV News)
The Systematization of Craft
From the Ming dynasty onward, technical compendiums such as Tiangong Kaiwu (The Exploitation of the Works of Nature, 1637) documented in detail the processes of making bamboo, rattan, and basketry. These records provide first-hand evidence of how early crafts were practiced. Beyond textiles, papermaking, and salt production, the book also describes techniques for weaving with bamboo and rattan, showing that by the Ming era, plant-weaving had already become a systematic and normalized craft.In the Qing dynasty, Guangdong Xinyu (“New Discourses of Guangdong”) went further, directly recording the prosperity of the rattan-weaving industry in the Lingnan region of southern China, painting a vivid picture of how the craft had developed into a thriving local trade.
The Geography of Plants
China’s vast geography fostered a wide diversity of weaving traditions, with artisans making use of local materials. In the south, yellow rattan was often used to craft chairs, baskets, boxes, and daily utensils. In the southwest, ethnic minority groups preserved traditional bamboo weaving styles. In our own home region in Southeast China, wild grapevine weaving has been recognized as an item of local Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Why Choose Wild Grapevine?
Wild grapevine is prized for its toughness and elasticity, making it particularly suitable for delicate weaving into everyday items. When properly treated, grapevine becomes smooth to the touch and naturally develops a patina over time, enhancing both its beauty and its charm.
Our Wish
We hope to bring back this material—one that has accompanied humanity for thousands of years—into modern daily life with elegance. Ancient crafts should not exist only in memory or as relics; they are a way for us to reconnect with nature and culture. In traditional China, mothers would often prepare a woven rattan or bamboo chest for their daughters’ marriages. These chests carried not only household goods but also a mother’s care and concern, marking the beginning of her daughter’s independent life. The knots and weaves embodied not just material strength, but emotional bonds as well. We hope this pursuit of nature and humanity can bring the same warmth into your life.
Further Reading：
- 📖 SFMOMA: The Origins of Chinese Basketry and Neolithic Impressions
- 🌏 UNESCO: Bamboo and Rattan as Intangible Cultural Heritage
- 🏺 Field Museum: Chinese Baskets Collection Catalog
- 📚 Tiangong Kaiwu (1637) – Archive.org Full Text
- 📚 Tiangong Kaiwu – Chinese Text Project Online Version
- 🧵 Fujian Yongtai Wild Grapevine Weaving – Local Report
- 👜 Sohu: Grapevine Bag Materials and Craft