Some historic backgrounds and an explanation of the used materials:

Detail of Lloyd-loom

What is LLOYD-LOOM?

The American Marshall Burns Lloyd, owner of a factory where Rattan-furniture was produced, could not import enough Rattan from former Dutch Indies and the Philippines, because of the First World War.
As a substitute for especially the finer kind of Rattan (Core), he invented a method in 1917 to wrap around a thin steel wire a first "craft" packing-paper and to weave these obtained wires on a weaving-loom (Loom). This fabric was of a fine structure, regular and strong, and showed a striking resemblance to twisted Rattan.

Marshall Burns Lloyd (1) called this fabric Lloyd-loom. Furniture of Lloyd-loom became a trend, a real hype, in America. Lloyd produced millions of rolls this material. His advertising slogan in that time: "Neither cane nor wicke". Even better!

On behalf of the success in America, Lloyd contracted a license-agreement with a producer in England in the roaring twenties. This producer used the Lloyd-loom material in his own way and created a romantic English collection. In Europe too Lloyd-loom became a trend.

You would find Lloyd-loom furniture everywhere. In hotels, restaurants, tea- and lunchrooms, even in zeppelins and last but not least on the promenade decks of the luxury cruise-ships. In the beginning of World War 2 the production stopped because the factory of the English producer was destroyed during a bombing. Lloyd-loom furniture from the twenties and thirties is a very beloved "collectors item" nowadays.

In the year 2000 the Lloyd-loom material still hasn't lost anything of its beauty and imagination. Even the consumer has rediscovered the Lloyd-loom material. On behalf of the increasing demand for Lloyd-loom furniture, the production of the material has been resumed at the original, but now on much more modernized, machines. The offer of the material is however limited, because only a small number of international weavers have the disposal of the required machines and techniques.

Slootstra Manou Furniture, as one of very few Dutch manufacturers, has succeeded in working up the Lloyd-loom material in an exclusive way.

Rottan - Core - Cane

Rattan (L.Raffia Venifera Calamus) belongs to the shrub species and only grows in the middle
of Tropical Rain Forests. The Rattan family contains 200 kinds, from which only 40 kinds are suited for the production of furniture. These kinds are in proportion of oak to deal, also price-
like.

In contradiction to a tree, rattan does not grow in width but it grows in its length. This form of growth belongs to the liana species. Because the capillary cells lie well arranged in a circle,
rattan is strong, light and flexible.

Rattan, when stripped off from its rind, is called cane. From this cane material it is possible, with special machines, to obtain thin strings of wood what is called "core". Because of its physical qualities, strong and flexible, this rattan or cane is very well suited to make modern or romantic furniture from.

After the heating process of the rattan or cane in a steaming boiler, separate parts are made by hand on jigs, after which the parts can be worked up into a piece of furniture.
If desired it is possible to weave in this obtained object with core or any other material. The product is grinded several times before being provided with a transparent stain or a colour coating. This together with or without a cushion gives the furniture its specific character of a pure handmade item

Because of the character and structure of natural materials like rattan and cane, they lend themselves admirably to the purpose of designing in a way the consumer wishes for.
Design that fits the lifestyle of today!
Rattan, cane and core in an eminent quality in a contemporary design lends itself perfectly
to be combined to other natural materials.

All of our products are provided with a quality and guarantee label and can be recognized by a metal mark with our logo that is adjusted to each piece of furniture.

We hope that our website will be an inspiration for You to make your house your home!

(1) Isbn 0-9524232-0-0 Lee J.Curtis