Summary: Cattail is a soft, breathable fibre used for slippers, wall baskets, placemats and pillows. Water hyacinth gives a thick, textured weave for wall art, placemats, a crossbody bag and a firm neck pillow. Raffia is a light straw for visors, caps and a headband. Paper rope is a twisted rope used for turtle, fish, mermaid and shell wall art. All four should be kept dry.
How to use this guide
Every StrawCrafters piece is made by hand, and most are woven from natural plant fibres. The material changes how a piece looks, how it feels and what it is good for. Below are the four materials we use most, what we make from each one, and how to look after it. The exact material is listed on every product page.
Cattail
We use cattail grass in many of our pieces. It has a soft, fuzzy layer that absorbs moisture and holds warmth, and an open weave lets air through. That is why our cattail straw slippers are worn indoors in both summer and winter.
Cattail is also hand-coiled into round wall baskets and wall plates, often with dyed black and white patterns, and woven into square 30 cm placemats. It covers one buckwheat pillow, and our neck roll pillow is both woven from cattail and filled with cattail leaves, with no plastic or foam.
Choose cattail for: house and spa slippers, light wall baskets, everyday placemats and firm pillows.
Water hyacinth
Water hyacinth gives a sturdy, textured weave. Our water hyacinth fish placemat has a thick braided construction, and the turtle placemat is a thick mat 45 cm long and 31 cm wide. The same material is used for sea turtle and fish wall decor, wall baskets with black and white patterns, and a moon wall hanging made with corn husk.
It is also used for a lined crossbody bag with a zip top and for a neck pillow whose dense woven body keeps its shape.
Choose water hyacinth for: textured coastal wall art, thick placemats and pieces that need to hold a firm shape.
Raffia
Raffia is a light straw. Two of our raffia visors list weights of about 100 g and 150 g, and the material is used for open-top sun visors, a baseball cap, a newsboy cap and a wide headband with black trim.
Raffia should stay dry. Spot clean it gently with a dry or slightly damp cloth, do not submerge it, and do not fold it sharply.
Choose raffia for: light sun hats, visors and hair accessories for summer.
Paper rope
Paper rope is twisted rope woven by hand into detailed shapes with a braided texture. We use it for sea turtle, fish, mermaid and shell wall art in natural, light linen, grey green, dark brown and yellow tones. Some paper rope turtles are woven over an internal or iron frame. The pieces are light, so some can rest on a shelf instead of hanging.
Paper rope must stay away from water, steam and moisture. Dust it with a dry cloth or a soft brush.
Choose paper rope for: coastal wall art for a nursery, kids room or beach house, in dry indoor spaces.
Other materials in our shop
- Bulrush: men's spa and sauna slippers, and some wall baskets.
- Willow: men's slip-on slippers and a woven gourd ornament.
- Rattan: lightweight hoop and statement earrings.
- Reed and treasured grass: a wide brim sun hat and a hand-dyed jazz fedora.
- Corn husk: some wall baskets, a moon wall hanging and a flower placemat.
- Dandelion root: napkin rings.
- Nylon rope: one crossbody bag, the only bag that can be hand washed.
Quick comparison
- Indoor slippers for summer and winter: cattail.
- Thick placemats or textured wall art: water hyacinth.
- A light hat, visor or headband: raffia.
- Detailed coastal shapes for a dry wall: paper rope or water hyacinth.
- Something you can wash: the nylon rope bag. All the plant fibre pieces are wiped clean, not washed.
Whatever you choose, each piece is handmade, so colour, pattern and measurements vary slightly from the photos. Browse our home decor to compare materials side by side.