The cane furniture factory in Taicang, itself a cane pavilion, has produced cane furniture completely by hand since 2001. [Photo/WeChat account: taicangdaily]

Cane furniture, one of the oldest kinds of furniture in the world, originated in Europe 2,000 years ago and today a factory in Taicang is inheriting and rejuvenating the old craftsmanship.

One could mistake the factory for a wealthy family's villa at first sight for the quality of its construction and the quiet inside. Pieces of exquisite cane furniture are displayed in the building, including chairs, tables, sofas, beds, and bookshelves.

Although these articles are ordinary furniture items for day to day life, their brightness, smooth outline and fine appearance are comparable with the redwood furniture made in the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing dynasties (1644-1911).

The factory has been producing cane furniture completely by hand since 2001 and is only able to make 3,000 sets each year.

Shen Zhongqiu, head of the factory, said that cane furniture has revived in popularity in recent years because of its practicality, unique shape and preserved value.

He also said that it's becoming harder to find someone who is willing to learn how to weave cane furniture and as a result, the number of items made each year has been greatly reduced.

A craftsman in the factory checks a finished cane sofa for minor flaws. [Photo/WeChat account: taicangdaily]

Since raw materials are key to weaving high quality cane furniture, the best Indonesian tropical forest canes, known for their toughness and light weight, are the first choice.

The handicraftsmen work from a mental image of the finished item. They weave the canes by matching together their skins and cores in strips into one piece of furniture after polishing them.

The cane furniture is naturally resistant to worms, moisture and heat absorption and is not easy to deform.

Shen said with pride that their cane furniture is popular at the market and more and more customers seek out their products.

But he also thinks young people would want to learn and come to love this ancient craftsmanship.

Just imagine reading a book in a hanging cane chair with a cup of tea in your hand bathed in the afternoon's cozy warm sunshine: a true enjoyment.

Hanging cane chairs on display at the factory. [Photo/WeChat account: taicangdaily]