Manila rope is a very common and practical rope for a wide range of applications and industries including: gardening, landscaping, boating, climbing, agricultural and general home use. In a nutshell, manila rope is an extremely versatile rope due to its exceptional resistance to heat, durability, minimal stretching, strength, UV resistance, and its ability to hold knots.

As far as homeowners go, manila rope is commonly used as a decorative gardening rope. It looks beautiful when used as fencing, decks, garden railings and decorative bridges. There’s no rope that matches the visual appeal of Manila rope. It’s also environmentally friendly and biodegradable, unlike synthetic ropes such as: nylon, dacron or polypropylene.

What’s Manila Rope Made From?

Drying abaca plant for rope. — Abacá fibers drying outside.

Manila rope is made from the fibers of the abacá plant, which is native to the Philippines, but also grown commercially in Ecuador and Costa Rica. Abacá is a species of banana plant classified as hard fiber, the same type as sisal rope, although sisal rope is about 20% weaker than manila rope. Jute is another popular rope material but it’s considerably weaker than either manila or sisal rope.

Some people may also refer to the fiber as Manila hemp (not to be confused with real hemp rope). Other than rope, abacá fiber is commonly used in tea bags, filter paper and bank notes.

Since manila rope is a natural fiber its main drawback is that its susceptible to rot over time and it will shrink about 10% to 15% when wet but it will regain most of its length when it dries. Bear in mind that Manila rope is also very cheap and it weathers nicely over time.

Let’s face it, rope isn’t that exciting so the details for each of these ropes is sparse. I will add that although these ropes are natural most manufacturers use oil as a part of the manufacturing process so once your rope arrives there may be a slight odor from the oil, but that will fade.

If you’re a homeowner who loves to work around the yard then Manila rope is great to have around. Here are some various Manila rope size options for you to consider depending on your needs.