Material science part 1: Cotton as sustainable material for hammocks & hammock chairs

It is soft, durable and accompanied the human for millennia. We are talking about cotton. We also use sustainable materials for our hammocks and hammock chairs. But where does cotton come from, why is it suitable for our everyday companions and what else is worth knowing about it? We take a look at history and have researched some interesting facts for you.

What is cotton and where does it come from?

Cotton belongs to the mallow family and is one of the most important crops in the world. The up to 6-meter high shrub forms yellow flowers from which spherical or ellipsoidal capsule fruits develop. These contain intensive white, long, wooly seed hairs. From this the cotton fibers are obtained, which serve as the basis for yarns, fabrics and textiles of all kinds.

Cotton has played a great role in various cultures for thousands of years. Researchers assume that several colonies began to domesticate and work with the plant at the same time and independent of each other. In India, for example, cotton fibers were found dating back to around 6.000 BC. Wherever the great potential of the plant was recognized, cotton was initially a luxury good. The Mayans and Aztecs exchanged them for other luxurious goods or used them as a mean of payment. Over centuries, cotton was as valuable as silk. One reason was the laborious manufacturing process. The seed capsules had to be removed by hand and there was no way to spin the fibers.

Around 500 AD, cotton finally became the standard work wear in the Arab world, and in India, people began to build large plantations and trade with the raw material. But it took many more years before cotton became popular in Europe. Arab merchants and discoverers of the New World played a great role.

Not until the 18^th and 19^th century, combined with the industrial revolution, larger cultivation areas and the invention of the mechanical loom, cotton expanded and replaced wool linen and hemp as raw materials for textiles. Finally, the invention of the ginning machine brought a further boom. Today the largest growing areas are in China, India, the USA and Brazil. In Europe, Greece stands out as the only nation with a significant production volume. Cotton particularly is used in the textile industry. It is also used for bandages, cosmetic and hygiene articles as wadding, for fishing nets, ropes, tents, types of paper, coffee filters or banknotes.

Why is cotton so good for hammocks and hammock chairs?

Cotton is not only a sustainable material; it also scores with a variety of other characteristics. This is exactly why we decided to use cotton for our hammocks and hammock chairs.

Cotton is particularly …

• … skin friendly, soft and doesn’t scratch.
• … absorbent and absorb water up to 65% of its weight.
• … suitable for allergic people, because cotton fabrics have a low allergy potential.
• … elastic and very tear-resistant even when wet.
• … resistant against heat or leaches.
• … hygienic and can be cooked and sterilized.
• … durable – even with frequent use and regular cleaning.

3 facts about cotton

There is a total of 51 different types of cotton. However, only a handful of these are suitable for industrial production. But there are other curious facts about cotton:

1.) One bale, many possibilities: One bale of cotton weights about 200 Kilogram. From this, for example, 3000 diapers, tons of t-shirts or 200 Jeans can be made.

2.) Hot material: Cotton is also used for the production of ammunition and explosive. Gun cotton, also known as nitrocellulose or cellulose nitrate, is a white, fibrous mass, which was discovered in 1846.

3.) It depends on the fiber: When it comes to the quality of cotton, the fiber plays a great role: the rule is: The longer the fiber, the higher the quality.

In addition to cotton, we at CHICO also work with polyester so that we can provide weatherproof everyday companions. Both, our cotton and polyester, have the Öko-Tex certificate.