Hemp Rope
Hemp is one of the strongest and longest natural fibers in existence. It is also the most resistant to various types of weather, mold and mildew, salt water, and the hot sun. This makes it an obvious and terrific choice for rugged clothing wear and outdoor uses of all kinds. For many centuries, the word hemp was used as a term for rope because it was so commonly used. The stalk of the hemp plant is where the fibers are found, and this is the essential element in making hemp rope. They begin appearing long and thin, and extremely tough. These long fibers are dried, then woven together to create hemp rope. There are many varieties and sizes of hemp rope, which is also commonly referred to as hemp twine. The size is usually classified by its thickness. Typically hemp rope is purchased by the ball or spool, and sold by the number of feet that come in that particular spool.
There are many uses for hemp rope. For example, many large mattress companies will wrap their mattresses in hemp twine so that it does not damage the surface of the mattresses, but it stays tough enough to keep them tied together through the shipping process. There are also brooms actually made of hemp rope! It can be used to tie up hams or woven together to make burlap bags. Some gift stores like to use hemp rope for merchandise tags to give them a personal, warm, organic feel. There are literally hundreds of different economical, practical and useful ways to implement hemp rope in our every day lives. Today the average import of hemp into the United States is about one to two thousand tons per year versus the average of approximately five to eight thousand tons in the early 1900’s. It’s important that we remember the importance and value of hemp, and that rope is just one small facet of its many great advantages.
Disclaimer: Cliff Schaffer does not personally endorse or support any of the comments made within the writings of this article.
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