Raffia is the natural stuff, swiss straw is an artificial product. From my point - I have both - not really simmilar. Swiss straw is a bit translucent, raffia not and raffia is more brittle. But it dyes well.
Best
Rene
Niclas Runarsson wrote:
Is Raffia really the same thing as Swiss Straw? I ordered the product that was called Swiss Straw and this was rolled up on flat "cardboard spools". (Can't come up with English name for it.) From the same dealer (at the same time), I also ordered Raffia... which was delivered in "chunks" in zip-lock bags.
The Swiss Straw is soft, thin but strong, and easy to work with... while the Raffia is very much like dried grass. Very fragile and can crack up just by bending it.
To me these two seem very different from eachother.
/Nick
