The differences between raffia and straw: everything you need to know

Before we talk about the know-how required to make products from raffia or straw, let's take a moment to determine the origins of these two materials. As you'll see, every material has its surprises in store!

Natural raffia: a material made from the leaves of Madagascar palm trees

There are many different species of natural raffia. However, the raffia species most commonly used to make fashion and home decoration products comes from Madagascar. This fiber comes from the leaves of palm trees endemic to the island, which grow in humid areas. This product of nature is known to contain a natural resin that increases its longevity, flexibility and suppleness. The result: raffia is a resilient material, ideal for creative work.

Does this mean that raffia comes exclusively from nature? The answer to this question would have to be yes. Unfortunately, natural raffia is not the only material used by fashion accessory designers. Let's get to the bottom of it!

Natural raffia, reconstituted raffia, synthetic raffia: let's take stock!

There are many different types of raffia on the fashion market. Don't confuse natural raffia, reconstituted raffia and synthetic raffia (often used by gardeners to support plants in the vegetable patch or garden). Only natural raffia guarantees impeccable wear and an authentic look for your fashion accessories. Bonus: themaintenance of a raffia hat, like any other fashion accessory made with this natural fiber, is limited to the strict minimum.

To be sure that products bearing the raffia label are actually made from natural raffia, check the information supplied by the distributor. If you don't find any mention of natural raffia, the products are probably made from reconstituted raffia (wood and cotton fiber) or synthetic raffia (plastic-based). At IBELIV, all our creations are guaranteed 100% natural Malagasy raffia!

Straw: an overview of the main straws used in the fashion industry

Here again, there's straw and there's straw! Indeed, while the evocation of the traditional straw hat often brings to mind an accessory made from wheat straw, it's not necessarily this material that's used in the fashion sector.

Let's start by recalling that straw, like raffia, is a natural fiber used in the manufacture of various objects such as bags, hats and decorative items. As we've just mentioned, straw comes mainly from the dried stalks of cereals, the most common being wheat. It can also be a dry stalk of rice, rye, corn, oats or barley. This rigid fiber is inexpensive. Abundant, it does not offer the same level of quality as raffia, since it absorbs moisture, can become brittle over time and is quite stiff in use, which tends to limit creative work.

Focus on the different straws used to make accessories

Here is an overview of the most common straws and their characteristics:

• wheat straw, thick, rigid and coarse material;
• paper straw, artificial material often made from a mixture of paper and cotton or paper and polyester;
• rush straw, a light, stiff, green-coloured natural fibre often used to make inexpensive gardening hats;
• Milan straw, a raw material used in the weaving of traditional Milanese hats, often corresponds to a synthetic paper fiber.

Natural raffia has the advantage of being a renewable, robust and biodegradable natural resource. At IBELIV, we use only high-quality, sustainable and ethical raffia to make our bags, clutches and hats. A choice that guarantees our customers optimum resistance to daily wear and tear, as well asmore responsible consumption in both human and environmental terms! Here are a few useful points to check to ensure that your purchase contributes to respect for the environment and the well-being of the people involved in the manufacture of your accessories.

There's no doubt about it: handcrafted products made from natural raffia are a great alternative to mass-produced products made from other raw materials, and guarantee superior-quality accessories compared with straw creations!