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Cotton hammocks are a natural choice when considering buying a hammock. Hammocks made from cotton are popular because they are soft against the skin, and they stretch and conform to support your body. Cotton is harvested from the cotton plant and has been the primary raw material for weaving cloth since ancient times; across the world from Egypt to China. It was also used in Central America to make clothing and fishing nets. The hammock originated in Central America, and it likely evolved from those early cotton fishing nets.

A single cotton fibre by itself is not strong, but multiple fibres twisted together create a very strong, yet soft and smooth thread that when woven into clothing, sheets, towels or hammocks people have come to love. This natural fibre swiftly absorbs water and moisture, which makes it vulnerable to mildew and mould. Our cotton hammocks are hand woven in South America on a handloom.

Definition: A hammock is a sling made of fabric or rope netting, suspended between two fixings designed for sleeping, or resting. As best as can be ascertained hammocks were invented by native inhabitants of tropical regions for sleeping. These were adopted by early sea travellers to provide comfortable sleeping quarters and make the best use of the limited space aboard a ship. Today they are popular around the world for relaxation and are also used as a lightweight bed on camping trips. The hammock symbolises the good life; being associated with good weather, tropical climes and relaxing.

Spanish Hammocks were introduced to Europe by Christopher Columbus when he brought several of them back to Spain from islands in the present day Bahamas. The word comes from a Haitian word meaning "fish net". Early hammocks were woven out of bark from a hamack tree, though this material was replaced by sisal fibers as it was more commonplace. Hammocks were popular in Central and South America not just for the comfort they afford but also their ability to provide safety from disease, stinging insects and animals.

Mexican and Mayan hammocks

In Mexico, hammocks are made by descendents of the Mayans in the surrounding villages of the capital city of the Yucatán, Mérida. These are sold throughout the world as well as locally. The hammock is said to have arrived in the Yucatán from the Caribbean fewer than two centuries before the Spanish conquest.

The quality of modern hammocks depends on the type of thread and the number of threads used. Mayan hammocks are made on a loom and are hand woven by men, women and children. Hammocks are of such importance to the Yucatecans that every home has hammock hooks in the walls.

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