The Mayan Indians are thought to be the first people to use hammocks about 1000 years ago. Originally they were woven from the bark of the hamak tree, and hence the name hammock. Today it is not possible to find hammocks made from hamak bark, but in South East Asia some tribes still weave with the bark of the kokpiet tree, which you could easily imagine being made into a hammock. Cotton is a lot softer though!

Although hammocks were first used in central and south America, since Columbus brought hammocks back to Europe 500 or so years ago, they have been used extensively the world over. For hundreds of years sailors slept in hammocks and they were even standard issue in Victorian prisons. Today more than 100 million people are thought to use a hammock every day, as a comfortable, low cost way to sleep, stay cool and relax.