wancho

Wancho is the Korean name for the sedge plant, which grows for only one year and reaches about two meters in height. Although the plant is found in many other nations, it has been used only in Korea to make fine artwork, a tradition that began in the earliest era of Korean history. 

Wancho had already been cultivated and crafted as early as the Three Kingdoms period, which began in the first century BCE. During the later Goryeo and Chosun Dynasties, Wancho became a material much favored by Korean upper-class society for making ordinary household goods, such as mats and baskets. Wancho craft pieces also emerged during these dynasties as an important trade good between Korea and other nations. Cultivation of the Wancho plant increased during this period due to high customer demand. 

Just as in the past, Wancho perfectly meets the needs of customers today. Consumers are tired of fast fashion and looking for timeless items that reflect their intrinsic style and authentic internal beauty. Woven Wancho is as durable as it is beautiful, making it an ideal medium in which to craft items for everyday use. The natural texture, known as ‘gyeol’ in Korean, features an astonishingly fine organic sheen that never fades.