Patent ID: 8641944

Claim:
A method for manufacturing a synthetic rolled leaf wicker yarn, comprising the steps of: (a) blending a plurality of polymers, wherein the plurality of polymers comprises at least one elastomeric polymer and at least one thermoplastic polymer to form a composition; (b) adding a foaming agent to the composition; (c) extruding and heating the composition through a die into an extruded elongated body, the body having a generally elliptical cross-section, variable within the limits of representing real wicker yarn, a surface of a first color, and a longitudinal z-axis along a length of the elongated body; (d) permitting the extrudate to foam; (e) cooling the elongated body; and (f) wherein, the elongated body has at least two rounded, transversely projecting foamed polymer folds substantially oriented longitudinally along the length of the body, each simulating margins of a leaf wrapped into a roll to form the elliptical cross-section of the body; the at least two folds further defining at least one substantially concave crease within the surface of the body between the folds, oriented longitudinally along the length of the body, and the separation between the at least two folds increases along a first length of the z-axis to define an open region of the crease along the first length.