How Do We Make Our Famous Hammock Chair?
The hammock and hammock chair has been around in North America for as along as almost anything else. They have been around so long that the origin cannot even be properly documented. However, one fact that has remained from their foggy beginning is the integrity in which quality ones are made. Mayan hammocks were made on looms and hand woven. In many cultures around the world hammocks are still commonly used as places for sitting, beds and sleeping-swings for infants, and for good reason, as they can be compact, sturdy and very comfortable.
The Different Styles of Hammocks
The Mayan style is still one of the most popular hammocks we use today. Others include spreader-bar, Brazilian, naval and Nicaraguan. Each style has its own distinctions and comes with its own pros and cons, depending on the scenario in which you need, or will use a hammock.
Mayan and Nicaraguan hammock chairs are usually made of cotton or nylon string woven together to form a supportive net. While Brazilian hammocks are made from cotton fabric usually more durable than those made of the strings.
Though, the most common hammock you are probably used to seeing is the rope hammock. You know the one, you've seen it on Gilligan’s Island, and The Simpsons. When you think hammock, most people picture the rope hammock. They, too, are made from cotton, or sometimes polyester, ropes. They usually come with a spreader-bar that separates the two sides keeping it open for access and offering you support. These rope hammocks can be strung up between two trees, or posts, or a special prefabricated stands can be bought to hold them.
What's In A Rope?
Hammocks that are made of cotton rope are often considered the most comfortable of hammocks as they stretch out matching the contours of the body. However, if you use it as an out door hammock the cotton ropes draw backs include that they absorb moisture and make them prone to mildew. Polyester ropes are more durable and they withstand the effects of the elements much better than their cotton counterparts.
The rope hammock is a classic for good reason, because the material itself is such a classic. Like the hammock itself, cotton ropes origins are too far back for historical accuracy to be anything but guess work. Created by bundling flexible fibers twisted or braided together to create overall length and tensile strength, it is no surprise that all throughout history rope has been used for everything from hunting, carry, lifting and climbing.
It is also no surprise that from all around the world, during every time period, and every culture, rope, (cotton rope, specifiably) has been used in material meant for comfort and coziness. Even less of a surprise that it is still being used today to create some of the most comfortable hammocks out there.
So, the next time you kick back and relax in your comfy hammock, just think of the long, long history behind not only the material holding your butt off of the ground, but even the entire thing holding you.