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Water hyacinth vs Seagrass Homewares Differences

Water Hyacinth Vs Seagrass: Key Differences You Should Know

Many people confuse water hyacinth with seagrass and use the terms interchangeably. They can all be considered as wicker, since wicker refers to a technique for making products woven from pliable plants. But specifically, water hyacinth vs seagrass are two different natural materials used in making homewares. Continue reading for more details!

Water hyacinth vs Seagrass Materials

Properties of water hyacinth vs seagrass

About physical properties, seagrass has a smaller diameter than water hyacinth. It looks more rustic and shiny with a greenish undertone which turns khaki or beige over time. Not just bigger than seagrass, water hyacinth stalks are softer with a warm golden brown outside. These two materials bring different tones and decor vibes.

Both water hyacinth vs seagrass are naturally biodegradable and non-toxic. They are pliable, flexible and durable for weaving, not as rigid as bamboo and rattan. For homewares production, they need to be well dried before the weaving stage. 

Water hyacinth vs Seagrass properties
Water hyacinth vs Seagrass woven homewares have different physical properties.

Water hyacinth vs seagrass are not waterproof and weather-resistant, so the wicker homewares are just for indoor use. The range of moisture content for seagrass and water hyacinth products is often from 10% to 19%, if there is not any moisture standard provided from buyers. 

Color fastness of water hyacinth vs seagrass

Can products made of these two materials be dyed or painted on? Our answer is yes, but there are some differences here. Thanks to their softer texture, water hyacinth stalks are better at color fastness than seagrass fibers. 

Seagrass itself features a protective oil surface which is a bit shiny and smooth. It’s the reason for uneven color and even discoloration (color fading) in dyed seagrass products. What’s more, dark, bold dye colors work better on seagrass than light ones.

As regard to the painting method, the paint on seagrass is easier to peel off than that on water hyacinth.

A closer look to Water hyacinth vs Seagrass products dyed with black
A closer look to Water hyacinth vs Seagrass baskets with natural and black-dyed colors.

Material costs of water hyacinth vs seagrass

The material costs and qualities actually depend on specific areas. Aside from specialized areas of each material, the cost of weaving styles also contributes to final prices of products. 

Thanks to the favorable climate conditions, seagrass has been cultivated widely along the Vietnamese coastal provinces. However, seagrass has better quality, lower cost and larger production volume in the Northern area, especially Thanh Hoa and Thai Binh province. 

Meanwhile, water hyacinth is a popular aquatic plant spreading in water ponds and aquariums throughout Vietnam. This plant in the Southern areas commonly delivers better quality at a lower cost. 

Water hyacinth vs Seagrass Weaves

Local skilled artisans develop from one material into many weaves. Depending on specific weaves, seagrass and water hyacinth may undergo simple or complicated processing. Each one has different appearances, physical properties, production costs, and lead time.

Wholesale seagrass baskets with twisted seagrass woven

6 Seagrass Popular Weaving Styles

• Split seagrass 
• Twisted seagrass 
• Braided seagrass
• Pressed seagrass
• Coiled seagrass
• Wrapped seagrass

Coiled seagrass is the most expensive weaving style. It creates a thick weave with a lot of seagrass and needs much effort from artisans. 

Woven water hyacinth hanging baskets

9 Water Hyacinth Popular Weaving Styles

• Rolled weave
• Twisted weave 
• Rice nut weave
• Arrow weave
• Braided weave
• Asterisk weave
• Hexagonal weave
• Zigzag weave
• Flat weave

Of all water hyacinth weaves, rolled weave costs the most because of its complex production process and more material usage. The most inexpensive weaves are Asterisk, Hexagon and Flat weave. Interestingly, some certain weaves of water hyacinth and seagrass can be combined in one product.

Water hyacinth vs Seagrass Applications

Both these two materials have been used to produce a wide range of homewares and home furnishings. Specifically, water hyacinth vs seagrass do a great job for some certain categories.

Storage & Organization (hampers, baskets, bins, cubes, boxes), Home Decor & Wall Decor (indoor planters, wall decor baskets, mirrors, vases), Lighting (lampshades, table lamps, pendant lights, lanterns), Kitchen & Dining (caddies, trays, placemats), Pet Accessories (pet beds, pet houses), Indoor Furnitures (stools, chairs, tables), as well as Travel & Outdoor Activities (handbags, picnic baskets). 

Wholesale seagrass baskets
Wholesale seagrass baskets with black dyed seagrass
Square seagrass storage cubes also organic storage bin
Square seagrass storage cubes also organic storage bin
Water hyacinth woven utensil caddy
Water hyacinth woven utensil caddy
Water hyacinth wicker trays with handles
Seagrass round mirror
Seagrass round mirror with decorative patterns
Water hyacinth wicker mirror round
Water hyacinth wicker mirror round
Water hyacinth wicker pots for plants
Water hyacinth wicker pots for plants
Woven seagrass lamp shade
Woven seagrass lamp shade wholesale
Cat dog house / Seagrass wicker dog bed
Cat dog house / Seagrass wicker dog bed

Seagrass and water hyacinth are perfect as a decorative element in any space, no matter their specific functions. Highly durable and sturdy, a water hyacinth or seagrass homeware product can work well for 5 years and more, as long as it is given with proper care and protection. 

Water hyacinth vs Seagrass Problems

Being crafted by hand, natural woven homewares are not exactly alike, offering each product unique characteristics. However, both water hyacinth vs seagrass products perhaps have several workmanship problems if not processed, woven and stored carefully.

Here’re common problems that you should know for inspection, especially pre-shipment inspection when working with wholesale home decor suppliers:

  • Stain mark: It can be a stain of dust or mold that develops if the products are kept in an environment with a high level of humidity. As you know, both water hyacinth vs seagrass can absorb moisture from the air well. Also, products may get stains from outside during the gluing stage.
  • Uncut weaving: Trimming is essential for both water hyacinth vs seagrass products. It is even compulsory for specific weaves such as braided seagrass, twisted seagrass, pressed seagrass and twisted water hyacinth.
  • Peeled paint: This commonly happens on seagrass products that have a rough surface, particularly those made with twisted, braided weaving styles.
  • Deformed: If woven products come along with iron frames, their sturdiness will be ensured, and there is little chance of deformation. Deformation often occurs for products without iron frames, and their weaves are not so thick and tight. Sometimes, not given proper care and storage before shipping, water hyacinth vs seagrass products can be deformed too. 
  • Broken weaving: The broken weave of products might be the result of low-quality water hyacinth vs seagrass materials (not well sorted before) or careless weaving process.
  • Poor weaving: Poor weaving here means that the weaves are not formed tightly. That causes not-good looks and inconsistent quality, and need artisans to re-do the weaving for products.
Common defects of wholesale homewares woven from water hyacinth vs seagrass

Care Instructions of Water hyacinth vs Seagrass 

As water hyacinth and seagrass shares some natural traits in common, below care instructions can be applied for products made of two materials. 

  • Store: Store products in a dry, well-ventilated environment with a low level of humidity. That enables woven products to prevent from developing mold.
  • Clean: If there are stains or dust on water and seagrass products, wipe with a dry clean cloth, or wipe with a damp cloth then dry in the direct sunlight completely (about 2-3 days).

If you are a new or inexperienced buyer of natural woven homewares, the information of water hyacinth vs seagrass differences will be of some use to you. The insights help you communicate and work effectively with wholesale home decor suppliers in Vietnam.

>>> Explore more: Differences between Wicker vs Rattan vs Cane vs Willow

Should you take an interest in natural woven homewares, especially made from water hyacinth, seagrass, rattan and bamboo, kindly view our Homeware Selections 2022 for reference. Please feel free to contact us for further details and quotations!

Top 8 weaving styles for Water hyacinth baskets

Top 9 Weaving Styles For Water Hyacinth Baskets Wholesale

Water Hyacinth Baskets

Water hyacinth baskets are made from a natural, fast-growing aquatic plant — water hyacinth which used to be a nuisance to waterways. For the past decade, it has become a sustainable resource for producing various homewares. From dried water hyacinth stalks, artisans delicately turn them into beautiful products with many weaving styles. 

Water hyacinth stalks for weaving water hyacinth baskets when harvested and dried
After harvest, water hyacinth stalks are dried completely before being woven into wholesale home decor products (Photo credit: Rokhak)

There are 8 weaving styles with water hyacinth that are commonly done by artisans in Vietnam. The names indicate how water hyacinth stalks are processed, or how they look after being woven. Generally, from the highest to the lowest production cost: 

  • Rolled weave
  • Twisted weave
  • Rice nut weave
  • Arrow weave = Braided weave
  • Open asterisk = Open hexagon = Open zigzag = Close flat weave

Rolled Weave

Rolled Weave of Water hyacinth baskets and Home Decor wholesale

Rolled weave has the highest production cost in comparison to other water hyacinth weaving styles.

To make rolled weave, artisans first roll water hyacinth stalks around a core (this core includes multiple seagrass strands) into a fine rope. These ropes are then linked together with/without a metal frame to create a product.

Owing to solid, thick features, the rolled weave of water hyacinth is greatly suitable for Storage & Organization items such as water hyacinth baskets, laundry hampers, laundry baskets, storage baskets, storage bins. 

Rolled weave bi-color water hyacinth basket
Rolled weave bi-color water hyacinth baskets
Rolled weave bi-color water hyacinth laundry basket
Rolled weave bi-color water hyacinth laundry basket
Rolled weave black large water hyacinth basket
Rolled weave black large water hyacinth baskets

Twisted Weave

Twisted weave of water hyacinth basket

Generally, twisted weave gets the second-highest production cost. In Vietnam, artisans often twist 2 or 3 water hyacinth stalks together, then craft or sew into baskets. There are many diameters of twisted water hyacinth ropes. 

Twisted weave looks much like rolled weave, but the sharp difference is its smaller rope diameter and a wider range of patterns for products.

Twisted water hyacinth ropes can be woven open or close; vertically or horizontally; in single, triple or quad weave. Water hyacinth products with twisted weave require a metal frame along to retain good shapes.

With various styles and shapes, twisted weave is widely applied in both Storage & Organization and Home Decor items such as water hyacinth baskets, indoor planters, decorative vases, trays, lampshades, etc.

Water hyacinth basket with twisted triple weave
Water hyacinth baskets with twisted triple weave
Open twisted weave water hyacinth basket with handles
Open twisted weave water hyacinth baskets with handles
Set of twisted weave water hyacinth baskets
Set of twisted weave water hyacinth baskets
Twisted weave water hyacinth planter with woven seagrass rim
Twisted weave water hyacinth planter with seagrass rim
Open twisted weave water hyacinth mirror
Open twisted weave water hyacinth mirror
Open twisted weave water hyacinth vase
Open twisted weave water hyacinth vase

Rice Nut Weave

Rice nut weave of water hyacinth basket

Rice nut weave is the third most expensive style of water hyacinth, following Rolled weave and Twisted weave.

As the name refers, two water hyacinth stalks are twinned around, which forms a weave looking like a rice nut. Rice nut weave is not so thick, but exceptionally durable thanks to its strong, tight construction in most cases.

Combined with a steel frame, water hyacinth baskets with rice nut weave will keep their even shape. The application of rice nut weave varies in woven storage baskets as well as diverse home decor wholesale such as indoor planters, trays, wall decor plates, table placemats, vases, lampshades, mirror frames as well as handbags. 

Rice nut weave water hyacinth storage boxes
Rice nut weave water hyacinth storage boxes
Rice nut weave water hyacinth hamper for laundry
Rice nut weave water hyacinth hamper for laundry
Rice nut weave water hyacinth pet bed with mattress
Rice nut weave water hyacinth pet bed with mattress

Arrow Weave

Arrow weave of water hyacinth basket

For most water hyacinth products, Arrow weave often has the same cost as Braided weave.

Arrow weave is another traditional style that local artisans commonly apply for products. Artisans twin two water hyacinth stalks to create this weave that looks like an arrow or fishbone. You might see this weaving style as it’s very popular. 

The arrow weave is coupled with metal frames when artisans use it for water hyacinth baskets, planters or organizer trays. This combination will give additional durability for products while keeping them from deforming over time.

Aside from wicker storage baskets, other home furnishings feature the arrow weave of water hyacinth. They include organization trays, indoor planters, table placemats, lampshades, handbags, shopping bags, mirror frames, etc.

Water hyacinth baskets with arrow weave
Arrow weave water hyacinth tray for organization
Arrow weave bi-color water hyacinth storage cube
Arrow weave water hyacinth wicker mirror
Arrow weave water hyacinth wicker cat bed
Arrow weave natural water hyacinth placemat

Braided Weave

Braided weave of water hyacinth basket

Many people mistake braided weave as arrow weave as their appearance seems identical. However, they’re different in terms of weaving technique and patterns.

The name ‘Braided weave’ refers to the technique of braiding three or five water hyacinth stalks into a rope. Afterwards, these ropes are either woven or sewn into a product.

With this technique, obviously there are so many rope diameters (such as 10mm, 11mm, 15mm, 20mm) and styles of weaving: close/open, vertical/horizontal, single/double/triple weave.

Vietnamese artisans turn braided ropes into a product with or without a metal frame, it depends on the function. Braided weave is widely used in water hyacinth storage baskets, laundry hampers, laundry baskets, bins, handbags, shopping bags, indoor planters, rugs, home decor accents, etc. 

Braided weave water hyacinth baskets mix with seagrass
Braided weave water hyacinth planter / plant pot
Braided weave water hyacinth handbag checkered pattern

Open Asterisk Weave

Open asterisk weave of water hyacinth basket

Open asterisk weave is made by weaving multiple water hyacinth stalks over a metal frame to create asterisk patterns with open holes.

They will allow products to get better ventilation and reduce the risk of developing mold. Metal frames are required for this weave, since without a metal frame, water hyacinth baskets will lose form, and cannot function well.

Products with open asterisk weave will be both practical and asthetic. This weaving style is suitable for water hyacinth baskets, storage bins, laundry hampers, storage trays, and home decor wholesale such as lampshades, lanterns. 

Open asterisk weave water hyacinth laundry basket
Open asterisk weave water hyacinth laundry basket
Open asterisk weave round water hyacinth basket
Open asterisk weave round water hyacinth basket
Open asterisk weave water hyacith lantern
Open asterisk weave water hyacith lantern

Open Hexagon Weave

Open hexagon weave of water hyacinth basket

Open hexagon weave is not as popular as above weaves, yet you might see it in several designs of water hyacinth baskets.

Vietnamese artisans turn water hyacinth into this weave by crossing multiple water hyacinth stalks, so it will create open hexagon holes. The holes are good for these items since they help water hyacinth baskets well-ventilated.

Similar to open asterisk weave, open hexagon weave needs to have a metal frame along to enforce products’ sturdiness. This weave is commonly an ideal option for producing water hyacinth baskets, storage bins, wicker laundry hampers, and decorative trays.

Open hexagon weave water hyacinth storage cube
Open hexagon weave water hyacinth storage cube
Open hexagon water hyacinth storage bins with handles
Open hexagon water hyacinth storage bins with handles
Open hexagon weave water hyacinth tray set
Open hexagon weave water hyacinth tray set

Open Zigzag Weave

Open Zigzag weave of water hyacinth basket

Open zigzag weave is created by weaving water hyacinth stalks up and down over a metal frame in a zigzag line.

Like two above open weaves, open zigzag weave is normally combined with a metal frame to retain good shapes for products, especially water hyacinth baskets and boxes.

The metal frame will enable water hyacinth products to get great sturdiness for storing. In Vietnam, artisans apply open zigzag weave for almost Home Storage & Organization products such as water hyacinth baskets, bins, storage cubes, boxes, trays, etc.

Bone-shaped water hyacinth basket with open zigzag weave
Bone-shaped water hyacinth basket with open zigzag weave
Round open zigzag weave water hyacinth hamper
Round open zigzag weave water hyacinth hamper
Open zigzag weave water hyacinth box
Open zigzag weave water hyacinth box

Close Flat Weave

Close Flat weave of water hyacinth baskets

Here comes another lowest-priced weaving style – Close flat weave of water hyacinth.

This style features a plain weave which have water hyacinth stalks cross up and down each other. To add sturdiness for products, flat weave needs to have a metal frame.

With strong frames, close flat weave is often used for both Storage, Organization and Home Decor products. Particularly, water hyacinth storage baskets, storage bins, boxes, indoor planters.

Flat weave of water hyacinth baskets weaving styles
Set of 3 water hyacinth baskets with flat weave
Flat weave of water hyacinth baskets weaving styles
Round beveled hyacinth basket with flat weave
Flat weave of water hyacinth baskets weaving styles
Two-color water hyacinth basket in Vietnam

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Water hyacinth baskets and home decor are for indoor uses only.
  • Each weave is suitable for certain product lines. The production time and cost differs between weaving styles.
  • There are some weaves that have the same lowest production costs. They include open asterisk weave, open hexagon weave, open zigzag weave and close flat weave.
  • The exact prices depend much on product specifications, not just on weaving styles.
  • A water hyacinth product can have mixed weaves such as: Twisted weave x Braided weave, Rice nut weave x Flat weave, Flat weave x Braided weave, Open asterisk weave x Arrow weave, etc. 

>> Read more: Six Weaving Styles for Seagrass Storage Baskets

Water hyacinth three-compartment storage bin features arrow weave.
Water hyacinth three-compartment storage bin features arrow weave.

For your reference, below is our Water Hyacinth Homeware Collection 2022 that includes a wide range of wicker homewares made from sustainable water hyacinth. Kindly download and send us request for quotations if you are interested!

Back to basic - 2021 trendy home decor & organization

Back to basic – 2021 trendy home decor & organization

As the COVID-19 crisis still drags on, consumers focus primarily on health and well-being, thus spend more time on domestic activities such as cooking and home improvement, according to McKinsey (2020). As a result, intent to purchase home storage items post-COVID-19 has strengthened significantly.

Based on the in-depth market research, we translate insights into products that meet your consumers’ needs and help your business thrive in the time of uncertainty. Here comes Back to basic – Efficient solutions for home storage and decoration in 2021. Let’s check out our newest collection! 

Back to basic – Efficient solutions for home storage & decoration in 2021

Sustainability

As a global priority in recent years, sustainability is more likely to be a big factor of purchase decisions during post-pandemic. Instead of consuming less, consumers consume more responsibly for ‘green’ products made of natural materials.

For the new collection, we utilize natural materials - seagrass & water hyacinth towards sustainability.
We utilize seagrass & water hyacinth for our collection towards sustainability.

Understanding consumer trends, we utilize natural materials – seagrass & water hyacinth for our newest collection. These natural materials are fast-growing throughout Vietnam without the use of toxic substances in both planting and production process. Seagrass and water hyacinth are also 100% renewable and biodegradable, so our baskets ensures no harm to the environment. What’s more, our eco-friendly products can be reused, recycled and upcycled.

Sturdiness

Sturdiness is a key factor that drives your customers to buy storage products. That’s why we create the unique combination of many materials for our collection – Back to basic. You might wonder, why can this combination bring sturdiness to each basket?

The unique combination of many materials give a high level of sturdiness to our storage baskets of Back to Basics.
The unique combination of materials give a high level of sturdiness to our storage baskets.

Here it is! Two durable materials – seagrass & water hyacinth are carefully woven over a solid frame in basic shapes. Thus, this combination creates well-constructed baskets that ideally store heavy items in perfect safety and suit long-term uses.

Functionality

Shared living is an international trend on the rise due to expensive housing prices and rapid urbanisation. With the limited living space, consumer demand for home storage continues to grow rapidly, along with a preference for multi-purpose, convenient furniture products. 

Back to basic includes over 50 designs with two product lines: Basic & Rustic that put functionality and convenience at their core. 

2021 Home storage & decor collection Back to Basic brings both style and function to the house.
Basic and Rustic items add style and functions to the living space for your customers.

Let’s take a look! Basic items brings simple yet elegant vibes that fit into any interior décor while Rustic items create a rustic charm to the houses with the unique coiling style. With two lines, our new collection will easily suit your customers’ choices to decorate their home.

Our storage baskets are also effective solutions to your customers. With basic shapes, the baskets keep the household items inside to make rooms highly organized. Added to this, strong handles will give ease of use and portability so that consumers can carry baskets room-to-room. Made of natural materials, our lightweight storage items cause no harm to your customers.

Back to basic - Storage baskets made of natural materials ensure no harm to the well-being.
Natural materials make baskets lightweight and ensure no harm to the well-being.

Cost-effectiveness

Why can we bringing cost-effective solutions to your business with Back to basic? With this new collection, we applied modern technology in our manufacturing process and the specialist skills of our experienced local artisans. Thus, we can implement production management better, then ensure product consistency in the long term.

Added to this, you can get our creatively crafted products at higher quality in comparison with others in the same price range.

Back to Basic - 2021 trendy collection of home storage and decoration products made of seagrass and water hyacinth from Vietnam
We are dedicated to bringing cost-effective solutions to your business with Back to basic.

Now, let’s go into details and figure out Back to basic– our new collection of home storage & decoration to see what can bring uniqueness to your brand!

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