The name of this product – as do the names of some other synthetics – promanila, polymanila, synthetic manila, etc. – invites comparison to the natural fiber original, Manila rope.
Man-made fibers are stronger than natural ones. So – especially where safety is involved – natural Manila/hemp ropes have been replaced (beginning in the 1950’s when Nylon was invented) by industrial synthetics – products like nylon, polyester, and polypropylene.
Manila is still specified for tug-of-war rope because synthetics store energy and can ‘snap back’ and cause injury if one side lets go while the rope is under tension. And in athletic pulling and climbing activities during which many synthetics can become slippery from sweaty hands, for hand lines in theatrical stage rigging, and of course, for Boy and Girl Scouts monkey bridges.
In most cases natural fiber ropes have been assigned ‘decorative’ vs working rope status.
But, even for decorative uses sometimes there are qualities – resistance to damage caused by water/excessive moisture or by exposure to chemicals, dimensional stability, a less ‘coarse’ surface – that a natural fiber can’t provide. So what are the choices? High cost nylon or polyester? Affordable but shiny yellow polypropylene? These are options, but our UnManila rope, a tan colored film polyolefin synthetic, is worth a long look.
“The 1 1/2″ UnManila was perfect! I had a little bit left over, but am planning to use it to trim a mirror in my half bath at my beach house.”
– Gail
“Just wanted to share a photo of our rope project. Thank you!
Love the rope.”
– Tricia
“It worked out great everyone loved the rope!”
– Bob
But for decorative, nautical look applications, how does our premium UNMANILA rope stack up versus the competition? It depends on what you’re doing and where you’re located.
The short version – natural Manila holds up well to sunlight but not to water or most chemicals. Synthetic Manila holds up well to water and most chemicals, but, over time, exposure to sunlight can cause surface damage.
Polyester holds up well to both, but it’s costly and, being white in color tends to get dirty quickly (it can be dyed, but only in large quantities and at a high cost).
There are some tropical or near-tropical locations where the choices are obvious. If you’re in southern Florida or somewhere with a similarly moist climate, or if you have a sprinkler system or you spray lawn chemicals that hit the rope as well as the grass, Manila is going to have a pretty short life. On the other hand, if you’re in Arizona and you have heavy sunlight and little moisture, natural fiber Manila may well outlast the synthetic.
* Decorative uses do not include those where a piece of rope is all that’s protecting you from falling into a moat filled with alligators, or from falling off a cliff. There are times you just have to invest in cable, heavy netting, or other physical, versus visual barriers.
All of our products are shipped within 1-2 business days.
To order by phone, call 1-800-875-8719, or order online below. Should a product be out of stock, we’ll notify you of the delay immediately. If that happens (not likely), we will ask if you prefer to cancel your order.
