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  1. #1
    Senior Member hutzelbein's Avatar
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    Polyester "lining" fabric for hammock?

    I'm getting ready to make my first hammock. Since I don't know if my design will work out, I don't want to spend a lot of money on the fabric. I have been shopping around, but there are very few European shops that sell outdoor fabrics. The cheapest option would be some polyester lining fabric off eBay. The weight looks alright (around 1.5 oz), but I'm not sure that the type of fabric is sturdy enough. Did anybody else use something similar and knows more?

  2. #2
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    Made some out of that once. Sat down and kept going. I would not trust it.

    As a thought does anyone over there sell to kite makers or hot air balloon folks?
    YMMV

    HYOH

    Free advice worth what you paid for it. ;-)

  3. #3
    Senior Member hutzelbein's Avatar
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    Dang. Yes, I found some kite and hot air balloon fabrics, but all seem to be PU coated and water proof to some degree.

  4. #4
    SnrMoment's Avatar
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    Are you creating an original design or planning to use an existing, proven to work design?
    A 3.65 meter x 1.55 meter piece of the proper ripstop sent from DIY Gear or one of the members (using proper mailing, duty, etc) should not be too costly. Ripstop nylon would cost about $20 USD prior to shipping.

    Otherwise, nylon taslan makes a good hammock. Generally shows up a 1.9 denier.
    Love is blind. Marriage is an eye opener.

  5. #5
    Senior Member craige's Avatar
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    extremtextil.de have some decent fabrics to choose from, although some are a little pricey. Ebay is also ok...sometimes. There are a few places in UK to get get decent hammock fabric. I will look up some bookmarks if you like?

    My first hammock fabric was from ebay and was 2.2oz (ish), 68" wide and around £2.50 pm delivered, and was great quality fabric. I suppose it can be a hit or miss. :s

  6. #6
    Senior Member Metavo's Avatar
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    I've used polyester tafetta in all my works, nothing has ever teared, looks good, feels nice.
    Got even about 150 kgs into it and it's durable against friction also.
    Made one out of ripstop nylon, don't like unsturdyness of this fabric.

  7. #7
    PapaSmurf's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Metavo View Post
    I've used polyester tafetta in all my works, nothing has ever teared, looks good, feels nice.
    Got even about 150 kgs into it and it's durable against friction also.
    Made one out of ripstop nylon, don't like unsturdyness of this fabric.
    I've had real good success with 1.8oz Polyester Taffeta also. Feels nice and firm.

    One caution - I've purchased taffeta/lining fabrics labeled as polyester that ended up to be acetate instead. Acetate fabrics are not suitable for hammocks. It's difficult to tell the difference between the two until you heat cut it or burn a sample. Polyester has a sweet smell while acetate just smells nasty and obnoxious with black smoke.

  8. #8
    Senior Member Ramblinrev's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by PapaSmurf View Post
    I've had real good success with 1.8oz Polyester Taffeta also. Feels nice and firm.

    One caution - I've purchased taffeta/lining fabrics labeled as polyester that ended up to be acetate instead. Acetate fabrics are not suitable for hammocks. It's difficult to tell the difference between the two until you heat cut it or burn a sample. Polyester has a sweet smell while acetate just smells nasty and obnoxious with black smoke.
    `Things can get tricky here, particularly in translating terms from British to American English. If you are talking about material that would be used to line a skirt or a sport jacket you should be okay. If on the other hand you are talking about something that goes on the underside of chairs as a dust block and to help keep the cat out of the underside of the upholstery then tht is a whole different kettle of fish. I would not trust that stuff for anything with any weight bearing potential. It has not always held up our cat.

    Polyester "plain weave" has many attributes of polyester taffeta and would pretty much be interchangeable if you don't care about the difference in texture. Your are probably safe using any of the myriad garment weight fabrics of that ilk. But fabric intended for non-garment/non-wearing use I would steer clear of.
    Last edited by Ramblinrev; 12-23-2013 at 21:28.
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  9. #9
    Senior Member olddog's Avatar
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    Made a test hammock out of polyester suit lining material which is similar to the fabric you mentioned I believe. It supported my 220 lbs. but I never felt secure in it. Just that nagging thought that something this light can't hold up for long. I never weighed/ measured it but it may have been under the 1.5 oz./yd. you mentioned. If not for my weight I may still be using it as the total weight was only 9 oz. for an 11' gathered end.
    Just did some quick math and came up with .6 oz./ yd. Maybe why I had that uncomfortable feeling. This is the fabric used for lining suits coats.
    Most of us end up poorer here but richer for being here. Olddog, Fulltime hammocker, 365 nights a year.

  10. #10
    Senior Member Metavo's Avatar
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    I've been with ex-girlfriend in a 55 g/sqm polyester-tafetta hammock (should be about 1,65 oz/yd). Used that hammock for 2 weeks in a row and then I had idea for better hammock design.After that been using 80 g/sqm (2,4 oz/yd) poyester-tafetta for a long period, mainly bevause it's cheaper, but it has seen every kind of things this fabric shouldn't see. Lot's of abrasion, some temporary uneven sewings that teared the fabric, punctual force, jumping into it, failing suspension on a rocky slope and dragging along rocky hill and so on. I'd say it's proven me itself pretty good. Been using it since the beginning of July for at least every other weekend. That means at least 50 days this Year i've spent in this hammock.
    I must say that 55 g/sqm felt little unsure but it was OK, hold me well over 14 hangdays.
    At moment I have 5 hammocks made of polyester tafetta and 1 ripstop nylon hammock. Polyester has a better feel against skin also and it's hydrophobic, which is good in climate like where I live in.

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