Natural Ropes

Since its beginning, Rombull has been committed to the protection of the environment. We apply in our production processes multidisciplinary measures to protect the biodiversity, reduce the climate change and improve the use of productive resources and energy. This is achieved through our systems of environmental management, certified according to the ISO 14001 and the Standard 100 by OEKO-TEX 100 (which ensures that the use of products do not leave harmful chemicals above the allowed limits). For this reason, we are offering a new range of products made from natural fibers which are more ecological, sustainable and reduce the environmental impact.

Natural fibers are fragments, strands or hairs with a natural origin that can be spun to create threads and ropes. The only natural fiber that constitutes a thread it-self is silk. All other natural fibers must be spun and dyed in order to be used in the production of textiles. There are three groups: vegetal fibers, animal fibers and mineral fibers. The most important vegetal fibers are: cotton, linen and esparto.

Linen

Linen fibers are vegetable fibers obtained from the flax plant. Flax can produce very long fibers with a usual length between 20 and 50 cm, but they can reach occasionally up to a meter. It is a strong and flexible fiber, very resistant and sparkly, but it has less elasticity than cotton. This fiber, together with jute and hemp, is known as a bast fiber, because it is collected from bast, the phloem of the plant, sometimes called the skin. It is the softest material of this group, so that it is the only one used to make home products. Linen is also a high humidity absorbing material and does not accumulate static energy.

Sisal

Sisal, or henequen in the Mayan language, is a plant grown in semi-arid regions for commercial purposes. The sisal fibers are obtained mainly from the leaves, they are processed to make ropes, bags, cloths, carpets, etc. The plant is believed to be originally from the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. There is a very significant industry behind the production of sisal. It is the second vegetal fiber in production worldwide nowadays, only after the production of cotton.

Cotton

Cotton is a textile fiber of vegetal origin that grows around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. It belongs to the Malvaceae family and is native to tropical and sub-tropical regions of the Americas, Africa and India. Cotton is the most important natural fiber in the world according to production. It gained relevance during the Industrial Revolution and it still represents today an approximate 50% of the world’s total consumption of natural fibers. Not all the genus Gossypium has commercial value. The fibers are obtained from a limited group of species. Their length and thickness depend on their origin.

Jute

The Corchorus capsularis is a fibrous herbaceous plant that belongs to the malvaceae family. It is cultivated in tropical areas for the value of its fibers. Jute is also the textile fiber obtained from this plant and another similar one called Corchorus olitorius. The fibers have usually a length between 1 and 4 m and their color range goes from white to brown. They can be easily whiten or dyed, but are less resistant than linen and hemp fibers. Jute is very sensitive to acids. These properties determine its application. The fibers are spun in threads to produce burlap for sacks, bags, rugs and ropes.

Coconout

Coir is a natural fiber extracted from the husk of the coconut and is used to produce carpets, mats, brushes and mattresses. Coir is the fibrous material found between the hard, internal shell and the outer coat of a coconut. There are two varieties of coir: brown and white. Brown coir, which is harvested from complete ripened coconuts, is strong, thick and has a high abrasion resistance. Further applications of brown coir are in upholstery padding, sacking and horticulture. On the other hand, white coir, that is harvested from unripe coconuts, is white or has a light brown color. The fibers are smoother and finer, but also weaker. It is used for making finer brushes, ropes, strings and fishing nets.

Hemp

Hemp is the name given to a variety of the cannabis sativa plant species and it is also the name of the fiber obtained from it. Hemp is biodegradable and recyclable and among its most common applications are: textile fibers (tow), oils rich in omega-3 and proteins, biofuels, bioplastics, sustainable building, medicine, isolation materials, etc. Companies like Audi and BMW use hemp to produce plastic and textile parts for their cars. Hemp is the longest and most resistant textile fiber of vegetable origin. It is the most isolating, fresh and absorbing fiber and lasts longer.