50g Raffia from The Cordeline

This raffia is a long, flexible, and strong plant fibre that is perfect for creating decorative objects and fashion accessories, and for tying or training all types of plants. It comes in the form of a 50g skein, composed of fibres approximately 110cm (43in) long, giving a total length of 6 to 7m (20 to 23ft).

Raffia is a 100% natural plant material that comes from Raphia farinifera, a palm tree in the Arecaceae family. It is native to the marshy areas of Madagascar and the eastern coasts of Africa. Its leaves or palm fronds, which can reach 20m (66ft) long and 3 to 4m (10 to 13ft) wide, are the largest in the plant kingdom. Raffia fibre is obtained from the upper surface of the young leaflets: they are dried and then torn into thin strips that are rolled into long skeins. It is smooth, flexible, and highly tear-resistant. Raffia fibre can be easily tied without breaking. Its qualities have made it widely used for a long time and worldwide as a tie in horticulture and crafts. In Africa, it is used to make a wide variety of objects such as mats, baskets, hats, wallets, shoes, bags, fishing nets, hammocks, and curtains.

Its long 1.1m (4ft) fibres can be cut with scissors or a knife, or used as is, depending on the needs. They are used to tie any type of plant to its support, to attach the long stems of a climbing plant, or in the orchard to support a branch laden with fruits, for example, as it holds firmly without harming the most delicate stems. It can be used to protect a graft point, or to hold a splint on a broken branch. Brightly coloured raffia has won over creative hobbyists who braid and assemble it to make carnival hats and skirts, dress up pots and flower boxes, embellish lampshades or bottles, and personalise floral arrangements. Alone or in combination with other colours, it can also be used as a tie for gift packaging.

Available in its natural state and in several colours.

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