Rattan is an important non-timber forest product growing in humid tropical regions in many Asian and West African countries. It is used for furniture and handicraft production around the world. However, the grading and classification systems of rattan vary significantly among different countries.
On July 6th, 2022, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) officially published its second rattan-related standard, the ISO 23067: 2022 Grading system for rattan: Requirements and classification. This will help establish a sound system for the high-quality development of the rattan industry, promote the healthy and orderly development of international rattan trade and make a positive contribution to the development of a global green economy.
This document specifies the method of classification, general requirements, dimension requirements as well as the appearance, grading rules, inspection procedure, packing and labelling of rattan. Dedicated to the standardization of rattan, the 4th Working Group (WG 4) of ISO/TC 296 is comprised of expert representatives from China, Cambodia, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nigeria, the Philippines and Vietnam. Dr Wan Ariffin Wan Tarmeze from the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia is the project leader and has organized the team responsible for the drafting of the standard. More than 10 research institutes, including the International Centre for Bamboo and Rattan(ICBR), the International Bamboo and Rattan Organization(INBAR), Anhui Agricultural University, the Kerala Forest Research Institute, the Mewar University, the University of British Columbia and the Bangladesh Forest Research Institute, participated in the development of the standard. Experts and representatives from various countries such as Bondad Elvina, Le Viet Tam, Anku Terdoo, Li Rongsheng, Liu Xing'e and Wang Youhong discussed the draft extensively through numerous online and offline working meetings, resulting in a final draft international standard for the rattan grading system, which was officially published in July this year after the FDIS ballot was approved by all ISO member countries.
The Grading system for rattan: Requirements and classification is the second ISO Standard on rattan officially published since February 2021. This document addresses the existing inconsistencies among producers and exporters of rattan raw materials and products among INBAR member countries and provides a consensus on the method and system of grading and classifying rattan materials and products. This document aims to help improve international trade of rattan products among stakeholders by providing an assurance of the quality of raw materials or products with respect to specific aspects of quality that influences the end use.