About Manila Rope

Manila rope - Is made from the leaves of the abacá a relative of the banana native to the Philippines, grown as a commercial crop in the Philippines, Ecuador, and Costa Rica. The plant is of great economic importance, being harvested for its fibre, once generally called Manila hemp, extracted from the trunk or pseudostem. On average, the plant grows about 12 feet (4 meters) tall. The fibre was originally used for making twines and ropes; now most abacá is pulped and used in a variety of specialized paper products including tea bags, filter paper and banknotes. It is classified as a hard fibre, along with Coir & Sisal. Manila rope is very durable, flexible and resistant to salt water damage, allowing its use in rope, hawsers, ship's lines and fishing nets. It can be used to make handcrafts like bags, carpets, clothing and furniture. Manila ropes shrink when they become wet. This effect can be advantageous under certain circumstances, but if it is not a wanted feature, it should be well taken into account. Since shrinkage is more pronounced the first time the rope becomes wet, new rope is usually immersed into water and put to dry before use so that the shrinkage is less than it would be if the rope had never been wet. A major disadvantage in this shrinkage is that many knots made with manila rope became harder and more difficult to untie when wet, thus becoming subject of increased stress. It is less durable than hemp but stronger, more flexible and more elastic Characteristics - Buoyancy – Sinks Acid Resistance – Poor Alkali Resistance – Good Abrasion Resistance – Poor Uses – Lifting, Lashing, Decorative & Exercise ropes. Manufactured to - EN ISO 1181 - 2004