Rattan is all the rage in the home decor space. From partitions to wardrobe shutters and seating, it provides a subtle statement that is both organic and elegant. Sourced from over 600 species of palms native to tropical regions of Asia, Africa and Australasia, rattan’s earliest use was in basket weaving. Its market in the country is poised to hit $991 million as per the Indian Rattan Furniture Market (2025-2031) Outlook by 6Wresearch, with urban households buying rattan for indoor and outdoor use.

Thanks to its rapid growth cycle, replenishing every five to seven years, rattan proves sustainability and design integrity can happily coexist. But other than traditional weaving, has any atelier really embellished rattan or used it as a canvas to innovate?

While Pinterest boards introduced cross stitch designs on rattan embroidery hoops post-pandemic, in India embroidery on rattan furniture was pioneered with ‘Veyari’, a thread-on-cane art form, crafted by Bengaluru-based artist Saumya Kashyap. Trained as a computer engineer, Kashyap’s creative journey moved from technology to photography and canvas, and she now displays her artwork at her store, Vystrit, in Indiranagar, Bengaluru.

Her journey started in 2024. Kashyap says, “Veyari needed structure — a way to protect the integrity of the material and the meaning behind the work.” She trained her team, which comprises a dozen female domestic workers from the neighbourhood, who were looking to supplement their income.

Her husband and partner at Vystrit, Prashant, says, “In 2022, we had four panels of rattan on our walls at home, which were not really speaking to us. Saumya tried ways to spruce them up by painting, and then she came up with Veyari.” The threads used are surplus cotton yarn sourced from textile processors, and the embroidery is done with over 20,000 shaded threads, as well as customised hues, depending on the project.

To create this unique thread on cane art, first rattan is stretched on teak frames, which are then used to make larger pieces of furniture. Hunsur and Nilambur teak are sourced with VOC 3 (low volatile organic compounds emanating little odour). “Eighty to hundred-year-old felled trees are available during state forest department auctions. Teak has beautiful grains and essential oils, and we don’t do any termite proofing. Instead, we use solar dryers for three to six months and test for moisture levels. During the summer, we run coolers to increase moisture, so that the joints are firm and the wood cures well,” says Prashant.

Water-based varnish and polishes are used to seal and shine the wood. A mix of Japanese joinery and Indian woodworking techniques is used to create cabinets, sofas, chairs and tables. “We go through multiple iterations and 3D cardboard prototypes for each piece. Our interns from the National Institute of Design [NID] and National Institute of Fashion Technology [NIFT] design products as well at our Bengaluru store,” says Kashyap.

While the carpenters at Vystrit hail from Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal, the rattan is sourced from Moradabad and Assam, arriving in fixed-sized patches or rolls. The larger customised rattan canvases are created by artisans in Bengaluru.

“We stretch the wet rattan on a frame to make it pliable. Then, it is stretched fully and mounted on the final frame, with artisans working on both sides of it, to pass the threads through, keeping it taut, but not too tight,” says Kashyap. The designs range from mandalas to birds, scenery and sometimes even silhouettes of couples. “We do a lot of wardrobe shutters across India. The client sends the frame, and we mount the rattan and embellish it.”

While Bengaluru remains their largest market, orders for Veyari come in from Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad and Kochi.

Housewarming gifts such as key holders, frames of Ganesha, magazine holders and name plates are their bestsellers. Smaller wall art is priced at around ₹2,500 with teak coffee tables ranging from ₹19,000 upwards and larger dining units costing close to ₹1 lakh. The repertoire spans made-to-order bar cabinets, dining sets, console tables and sofas as well. The embroidery on rattan especially shines in lamps and light fixtures, as the soft glow of a bulb or the way the rattan catches the rays of the sun, casts a colourful matrix on the walls beside it.

For the founder couple, what began as a simple art experiment at home has now created sustainable livelihoods for their team. And the humble rattan has become the canvas for a new artform.

The freelance writer is based in Chennai.