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English: Rattan is among the oldest natural furniture material in use today. Unlike bamboo, which is hollow, rattan is a solid timber vine that grows in the jungles of Indonesia. Rattans are climbing palms that provide the raw material for the cane-furniture industry. Sometimes confused with bamboo, canes can usually be distinguished because they are solid, whereas bamboos are almost always hollow. Although there are some climbing palms in the New World, the true rattans are restricted to the Old World tropics and subtropics. They are particularly abundant in South-east Asia and the Malay Archipelago. Over 600 different species belonging to 13 genera have been recognized. Their major habitat is tropical rain forest, where in much of South-east Asia they represent the most important forest product after timber. Wicker is a weaving process, not a material. One of the materials used in the weaving process is called rattan core, which comes from the rattan interior. A machine cuts the inside of the rattan pole, into pieces small enough in diameter for the weaving. Due to the nature of this product, splits and discolorations in the rattan poles are to be expected. They even enhance the beauty and uniqueness of these handcrafted products.