Eichhornia crassipes, a prolific floating plant better known as water hyacinth, has long menaced canals, rivers and lakes throughout Thailand. But now, metre by metre thanks to ingenuity and hard work, the Thai people are winning back territory previously lost.

A single water hyacinth plant generates enough seeds to produce 3,000 offspring in just over a month – a hectare of water hyacinth can double in size in just 8 days. Over time it forms a mat of floating foliage dense enough for people to walk across, blocking boats and fishing nets.

It steals sunlight and oxygen, proving hazardous to aquatic plants and fish. Harvesting the plants, villagers dry them for a few days in the sun and when the stalks turn to a golden brown colour they are then ready for braiding.

Yothaka International have over 200 employees, plus more than 1,000 villagers who harvest and dry the plants before weaving them into braid.

Yothaka International alone consumes more than 8,000 kilometres of water hyacinth braid each year.

Water hyacinth is a naturally green product and no harmful chemicals are used to process the plant – a great new environmentally friendly material, which also generates income for local farming families.

Yothaka Internationals use of the prolific water polluting weed water hyacinth, earns Yothaka International Co Ltd. global recognition for producing a truly environmentally friendly product.

Since creating the very first piece of furniture in Water Hyacinth back in 1986, the award winning design team at Yothaka International have continued to inspire unique pieces. Each year a new collection is launched ensuring the latest design trends and manufacturing techniques are applied.

Perfect Pieces Limited introduced water hyacinth furniture to the New Zealand market in 1997. There are over 100 designs in three colour ways of water hyacinth, Natural, Chocolate & Charcoal.

Yothaka water hyacinth furniture has a proven track record of being suitable for domestic and commercial use. The extensive selection of designs has seen the Yothaka range a good option for both traditional and contemporary environments.