Replacing cane with ?  

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It's difficult to offer an opinion without seeing the chair-- is it the tubular steel Cesca chair, or one of the countless knock offs?

I'll try to find a photo of something similar enough to give an idea
It's wood, very beautiful design, otherwise I wouldn't even consider it - I just really don't like the weaved caning on the back, it makes it look cheap.
The back legs have a little swag at the bottom that almost makes it look like a Nelson design.
And the cane is not on the whole back of the chair, just one panel, maybe 3-4 inches across.
I'll post a photo as soon as I can.
Oh, and it's not metal at all, it's wood with an upholstered seat (maybe vinyl or leather)

A picture would be helpful
.

Here's one, but you can't really see the back
But you can see the design of the chair.
The woven cane back is only a strip down the back, maybe 5" across. Otherwise the rest of the back is open space.
I was thinking of matchng the back to the seat, which will also be replaced.
I think it will make it fantastic, if I can get it done properly.

Were they mine
I'd leave the caning, because:
1) Cane doesn't read as "cheap", to me.
2) Upholstering the back panel seems a tricky proposition-- you'd have to insert a (flat) wood piece with cushioning and upholstery-- I can't help but think it'd wreck havoc with backrest profile.
3) Caning is sheer and visually light, upholstering the panel would make the chairs look heavier.
But, since they're NOT mine-- good luck with your project!

Well I hear you. I'm ambivalent about changing the chair
but I do have a personal thing about the woven cane. I don't know why, but I don't like it and I try to avoid it at all costs -- but this chair has such a nice design otherwise, that I'm making an exception, at least for the time being. I appreciate your opinion, thanks.

I think
I could see this chair looking good, and being comfortable, with the fabric panel that you indicate. While quite handsome, the chairs are not likely of great historic value, so there would be no "loss to society" by altering the original design !
Best wishes with your project.

weave pattern
Would it help to put a different type of cane pattern in there? I am not fond of the traditional hexagonal weave. There are some other weaves with all perpendicular strands (no diagonals) that look better, in my opinion, for modern furniture.
Replacing sheet caning is pretty easy to do if you have the tool that is made for removing the spline from the groove. You should also get a set of wedges for holding the new sheet in the groove.
Below is a link to Frank's Supply, a place that sells modern style woven cane. I've ordered from them many times and have been very pleased with the goods & service.
http://www.franksupply.com/pressincaning.html#webbingsheets

Thank you, that's a great resource link
I have a couple of Thonetesque bentwood chairs with busted seats, so will probably have to eventually figure out how to replace the caning.
My personal taste is that I don't like anything with rattan, cane, bamboo - I think because it makes things seem too "busy" to me. It adds complexity to something that I think should be very clean and simple - that's why I never could understand it's pervasive use in modern design.
But that's just me, and the fact that it is so pervasive says that my opinion is the minority.
And aside from the design factor, it's also so easily subject to damage, that also bothers me.

I think
those are reasonable and understandable objections. I'm not much for rattan and wicker, either, partly because they seem fussy and also impermanent and vulnerable to wear and damage, and partly because so much of the work is in non-modern style. Peacock chair, anyone ?
On the other hand, the charm of some modern work (if the early Thonet chair that Le Corbusier favored can be called modern ?) -- the Breuer chairs certainly qualify, as does a Wegner icon -- is that the caned or woven panels read as "transparent," a cardinal modern trope. In these cases, the caning stands as a pleasant textural contrast to the smooth, linear wood and metal components. But it's the translucency that stands out, for me.

How wide is the opening...
How wide is the opening where the caning is? Would it be possible to leave material out all together? Could you clean up the area and make it like there was never anything there at all? If it is a substantial width, I would not do this for functional reasons.

Is it maybe because there...
Is it maybe because there are too many low-rent Wicker Outlet type furniture pieces out there lending even the nicest caned pieces a similar tinge of banality? If so, I actually share how you feel.
However, caning on certain pieces just really looks right, and you almost have to think around your association. The thing is, you'll swap it out for something else, and then see a film someday down the line with Clark Gable or Cary Grant sitting in one with the original caning, and wish you'd held off, thinking -- if it was good enough for those guys...
Happens to me sometimes.

Let me just ask, since we're ...
Let me just ask, since we're talking about cane/wicker...what do folks do who have cats and wicker? Are cats helplessly drawn to destroying stuff like the PK22?

The width of the back strip
is similar to that in these chairs. And I like the solid wood strip so much more than the caning!