HAMMOCK FIBRE TYPES

Today, when it comes to hammock fibres, a person not only must first choose the style of hammock they wish to purchase BUT occasionally a choice of type; fibre cord or fabric cloth must be chosen .  These choices of type are made possible because of the vast improvements of fibre/fabric research in the past decades regarding synthetic fibres . The synthetic fibres of today are at a point that it is almost impossible to accurately select a natural fibre, as cotton, without making a mistake for polypropylene or polyester or even nylon. Cotton still remains extremely popular.

COTTON: A cotton hammock is by far the most *in-expensive*. Cotton hammocks are at the same time the indisputable champion of softness and total comfort. Cotton rope or cotton fabric absorbs moisture whether the moisture is from a human or a climatic source; this makes the cotton hammocks prone to mildew. Therefore, it is suggested that cotton hammocks (string, cord, rope or fabric) be kept in a dry place with no sunbeam beating on the hammock material. A cotton hammock may be left outdoors waiting to be used and subjected to the enviro conditions but this is not recommended. Cotton  has resilience; it is elastic, that is, it stretches, then recoils to its near original size. Cotton hammocks do not wear well though, simply because of the nature and micro-structure of the yarn. Cotton has minimal and little stain resistance. A cotton hammock must be subjected to more protective-care. Cotton hammocks are very prone to sun-bleaching/color-fading. **Cotton hammocks remain #1 for comfort and softness. **

NYLON:    Nylon, truly the first authentic synthetic polymer fibre, is not a major fibre in the hammock making industry, when used it is normally in partnership with cotton for the making of Mayan style hammocks. The nylon provides additional strength for the cotton along with additional wear factors. Nylon fibre alone can be found occasionally being used for a Mayan hammock, as a no-blend but rather 100% nylon. This type of fibre does not breathe as freely as does cotton, not as cool, not as soft and comfortable; BUT, would be stronger, more resistant to moisture and mildew, more resistant to sun-bleaching and color fading, dries faster, more wear resistant, good stain resistance, little maintenance - - soap & garden-hose-wash, rinse and let air dry.  

POLYESTER: Polyester is a very versatile synthetic polymer. Polyester is not as soft, for comfort, as cotton but it is so much more soft than nylon. Polyester is strong, light in weight, has very easy maintenance (wash, rinse, & air dry like nylon), long-wear-factor, can be left outdoors, dries quickly, stretch and shrink resistant, wet and dry resilience, sun-beam and UV resistant, color-fast, resistant to most chemicals, stain resistant, higher melting point than nylon, mildew resistant and abrasion resistant. Polyester, having the qualities it does, was and still is a perfect fibre for the hammock industry.

OLEFIN:  The name Olefin, for years, has been badly mis-understood, mis-called, mis-named and terribly mis-used daily, especially in the hammock and carpet industries. Olefin is a group name; in its true sense, Olefin is the name of specific family tree polymer fibres. This Family Tree of Olefin fibres are end-products of the polymerization process of ethylene and propylene gases. Through this process of polymerization, carried out under extremely controlled conditions involving special catalysts, the fibres are formed giving ‘chains’ with few branches and it is these branches which produce Polyethylene(Poly-E) and Polypropylene(Poly-P). Olefin fibres are polymers and are most characterized by their excellent resistance to moistures and chemicals. Of the two fibres Poly-P is much more suited for universal textile industries particularly the application for hammocks. In the hammock industry when there is a reference to a hammock made of Olefin what should correctly be stated is; This hammock is made of  Polypropylene . Poly-P is much more desirable and accepted than is Poly-E for worldwide textile applications; once more, especially for the hammock industry. Firstly, Poly-P has a much higher melting point. Poly-P has an extreme resistance to sun-bleaching/UV fading, topical staining and re-dyeing of its original factory color; because of this extreme resistance to re-dyeing, factory colors must be produced differently. Colored fibres are produced by adding the selected dye directly to the polymer prior to or during the melt-spinning process; this process is referred to as ‘solution-dyed’. Poly-P has many premier characteristics; Very strong, stain and soil resistant, colorfast, abrasion resistant, quick drying, low static, chemical resistant, thermally bondable(as for life-rafts), sunlight/UV resistant, very soft/comfortable, moisture resistant (perspiration/climatic), mildew and rot resistant, weathers very well, dry-hand(wicks body moisture from the skin like cotton), easy maintenance(soap-water-rinse *bleach may be used for stubborn stains-no bleaching-out, water rinse after*), very lightweight(polypropylene has the lowest specific gravity of all fibres).

         “Polypropylene softness is quite often mistaken for the softness of Cotton”.

The name Olefin, for years, has been badly mis-understood, mis-called, mis-named and terribly mis-used daily, especially the hammock and carpet industries. Olefin is a group name; in its true sense, Olefin is the name of specific polymer fibres family tree. The Family Tree of Olefin fibres are end-products of the polymerization of ethylene and propylene gases. Through this process of polymerization, carried out under extremely controlled conditions involving special catalysts, the fibres are formed giving ‘chains’ with few branches and it is these branches which produce Polyethylene (Poly-E) and Polypropylene (Poly-P).