The humble origins of the garden hammock
Many believe that the hammock came into being in South America over 900 years ago, the first hammock where made using the bark from the hamak tree which gave its name to the hammock.
It is also believed that Christopher Columbus is responsible for bringing the hamak back to Spain and after undergoing some refinement it spread throughout the rest of Europe.
Hammock became popular in South and Central America because they kept the occupant off the ground and away from any harmful creatures that could be found on the jungle floor. They also offered a degree of comfort compared to the wet floor.
The first incarnation of the hammock that we know today came to be when it was introduced to the British navy who used them on the battle ships as sleeping quarters for the crew. These hammocks took up less space than bunks and like a bunk they could also be doubled up allowing more people to sleep more comfortably in smaller space.
The hammock became so well loved by the ships crews that many insisted on bringing their hammock with them when they were a shore, complaining that they were unable to sleep properly otherwise.
Hammocks were used both by the navy and military right up until the 2nd world war, which proves without doubt that a hammock is the perfect solution in these hard conditions.
Hammocks still hold many close ties with South America indeed many of the most popular hammocks are named after south and Central American countries.
The Brazilian hammock is one of the most popular, it has some differences to other hammocks as it it made from cloth and they do not use a spreader bar which allows the hammock to wrap around you more it also offers a more comfortable nights sleep.
The Venezuelan hammock also does not use a spreader bar which also makes it ideal to use for sleeping. These hammocks will have a lot more give and will stretch over time.