Material 02
Water Hyacinth
An invasive waterway plant, harvested, dried and woven into furniture that belongs beside the water it came from.
An invasive waterway plant, harvested, dried and woven into furniture that belongs beside the water it came from.
Water hyacinth chokes lakes and rivers across India. We harvest it, dry it under the sun, and weave it into furniture — turning an ecological problem into a natural material that carries the weight of where it came from.
Water hyacinth grows rapidly in nutrient-rich Indian lakes and rivers — clogging waterways, blocking sunlight, depleting oxygen. It's harvested, dried in the open air, and twisted or woven by artisans.
The process is slow. The stalks must be dried completely before weaving, or they'll contract and distort. Once ready, they are woven directly onto powder-coated wrought iron frames — the fibre and the structure become a single object. The resulting surface has a warm, open texture — unlike any woven material you'd find mass-produced.
Water hyacinth is an indoor-outdoor material — it belongs under a roof. Covered verandahs, shaded terraces and pavilions are ideal: it handles ambient humidity and light rain well, but direct heavy rainfall will swell the weave and accelerate wear. During heavy monsoon, bring it under cover or inside.
Brush clean. Allow to dry thoroughly after any exposure to moisture before covering or storing.
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