To create the seat and back, rattan is manually woven in a classic octagonal pattern. This type of weaving can never be done by machines. "We could test and fine tune the weaving together, directly on the factory floor, in order to create the best result possible," says Lisa.

Jan Ahlsén has been working in Vietnam with IKEA rattan production for many years. "Many villages have been specialized in a certain weaving technique that's inherited and traditionally produced on a small scale since it's done at home," he explains. "For families who have their own rice fields, weaving is an important additional income." Today, it can be difficult to make ends meet by only growing rice and weaving rattan occasionally. A job at a factory can provide a more stable income and a more secure future while it enables the traditional craft to live on.

GRÖNADAL combines traditional Vietnamese craftsmanship with modern Scandinavian style. Lisa Hilland thinks the unexpected combination can help increase the demand for similar crafts. "By creating something new, we can take rattan weaving further and make it interesting for the future."