Fibers used to weave Mayan hammocks

Standard Cotton
Standard cotton is the most popular material worldwide for making Mayan hammocks. If you have ever purchased a cotton Mayan hammock on a cruise or from another retailer it was almost certainly this exact fiber. Standard cotton is a narrow 3 strand cotton string that is well suited for hammock making. The narrow fiber feels good on the skin and conforms well to the curves of the body. Standard cotton has enough strength to resist the most common snags and is suitable for indoors use or outdoors in dry or well protected conditions. A good selection of colors is available and all of our Multi-color models have 4-5 colors in varying patterns. One feature that sets our standard cotton hammocks apart is that every one is re-enforced with metal inserts to protect the hanging loops.

Deluxe Cotton
A very nice cotton fiber that is stronger and more durable than Standard cotton yet still thin enough to provide that weightless feeling everyone loves. Deluxe cotton, an exclusive fiber to Hammock Jungle, is a 4 strand fiber that is spun from a longer fiber stock. This gives Deluxe cotton extra strength to resist snags and gives the hammocks a more luxuriant feel. These hammocks are better suited for outdoors use than standard cotton although we still reccomend you keep them out of wet weather. We have a great selection of colors including earth tones and our popular marina models. Our weavers usually incorporate more complex patterns into these hammocks also. Metal re-enforcement loops are standard on all Deluxe hammocks.

Lux Cotton

This is the finest, most comfortable cotton hammock we produce! Another exclusive, crochet cotton is a very fine cotton fiber that is super soft and comes in an amazing variety of colors. These hammocks feature the finest weaving patterns and can incorporate 10 or more colors. In Yucatan these hammocks are frequent wedding presents and are popular in soft earth tones but we also weave them with very bright tropical colors. Crochet cotton is very thin and because of this it is more delicate than the other materials even though it is mercerized, which adds strength and gives the cotton a shiny appearance. These hammocks are not reccomended for outdoors use unless you plan to bring it in EVERY time you use it. Also these hammocks are not suitable for children because the fibers are more delicate. Under normal use they are fine and can last a long time, but you must be a little more careful. The comfort is well worth the extra attention!

100% Hemp

We are proud to be the first to offer another exclusive hammock in 100% romanian Hemp fiber. After an exaustive search of over 420 different fibers from all over the world we finally found a fiber that has a soft, warm feel, offers great strength, and comes in a beautiful array of colors. We started a special co-op in one of our weaver's communities to weave these special hammocks and it has helped us to overcome some of the challenges of starting with a fiber never before used in Mayan hammock weaving. The thickness is similar to our deluxe cotton but much stronger. Our hemp fiber also has a beautiful shine. 100% Hemp hammocks will stand up to moisture and the outdoors much better than cotton, but still not as good as synthetics.

Cigúeña

This fiber is famous. The strength and resilence of Cigúeña are legendary. This is what the original explorers of the Yucatan used for their hammocks to stand up to the rigorous conditions of travel on the penninsula before Nylon was invented. Only the longest and most finely combed cotton is spun from 18 individual strands. The result is a very hard, shiny cord that is practically unbreakable. This fiber is as strong as nylon or hemp! Normally these hammocks are only available by special order but we keep a few on hand to satisfy the hamaca aficionado! The colors and patterns are based on the old ways and you can really see the skill of the artisans in every single one.

Henequen

Henequen is produced from the heart of the henequen cactus. At one time henequen was the only export product of the region. Used to make rope, most of this fiber is too rough for a comfortable hammock. In the center of the heart of each cactus there is a small section that is very silky and smooth. This fiber, called Sansiviera, is also very strong and makes a firm feeling hammock. Availability is limited on these items however. The fiber cannot be processed by machine and must be spun by hand. Whenever we can find it we buy it all for hammock making.

More Materials (Synthetic Fibers)

Polypro

Polypropylene is a very popular fiber for hammock weaving and is often mistaken for nylon. 99% of the "nylon" hammocks being sold today are really Polypropylene. Why is this fiber being called nylon? Probably because Nylon is a more popular brand name, or because the real name is not as easy to pronounce. While they look and feel similar, there are differences in these two fibers. Polypropylene fiber is very resistant to moisture so these hammocks are good for outdoors in wet and humid locations. If you plan to have your hammock outside in a very sunny and dry location (like Death Valley) you will need to store it in a shady spot or bring it indoors because all materials will slowly weaken from the sun's ultraviolet radiation over time. Polypro also stretches less than nylon or cotton so if you like a firm feeling hammock this is the way to go.

Lux Nylon

Experice the comfort of 100% Lux nylon fiber from Hammock Jungle. This is a thinner, more tightly wound pure nylon fiber that comes in a multitude of colors. These are our most colorful hammocks and each one can have 12 or more colors, although 6-8 is the norm. Lux nylon is wound tighter so it has more "spring" and feels more like a cotton hammock. If you are looking for the most beautiful, colorful synthetic that feels as comfortable as cotton, look no further. As with our other synthetic models they will take the sun and rain but because they are so beautiful we reccomend indoor storage.