WHERE IS YOUR HAMMOCK FROM?

HAMMOCK HISTORY AND TRADITIONS

Hammocks originated in Latin America, where the Maya people produced the first hammocks over 1,000 years ago.

In South and Central America, the hammock became a common sleeping and resting place for indigenous peoples, simultaneously protecting its user against venomous and wild animals as well as against filth and moisture. The hammock could also be used as a fishing net.

Even today hammocks are used for sleeping in many parts of South America. In other parts of the world, the hammock is used for leisure in homes and gardens. More than 100 million people use a hammock regularly for relaxation and sleeping.

In this part of the world, people usually sway in their hammocks between two trees on a warm summer afternoon, simply as relaxation. Not so in South America, where many people traditionally sleep in their hammocks at nighttimes, these have served as beds for generations.

WHAT IS AMAZONAS? 

Based near Munich, Germany, AMAZONAS GmbH has been synonymous with top-quality, original cotton hammocks from Brazil since 1995.
AMAZONAS is specifically dedicated to the tradition and quality of the original Brazilian hammock and has its own production facility in the northeast of Brazil, the centre of the South American hammock industry. 

For yet more safety...

In order to complement the regular quality checks performed by independent test institutes on our behalf, AMAZONAS has now installed its own test bench in its office premises in Gräfelfing.

This test bench, which has been specially developed to test the load-bearing capacity of hammocks, hanging chairs and stands, enables a maximum stress test of up to 600 kg (by means of filled sand sacks in 10 kg increments).

We are thus now able to test new models for their load-bearing capacity ourselves, while existing tests of currently marketed hammocks and hanging chairs will of course continue to be performed.

In this way, we are able to guarantee the special quality of our products on a constant basis.

FAIR LABOUR CONDITIONS

Even today Brazilian AMAZONAS hammocks are still largely traditionally handmade. A dozen individual operations are required to make a high quality AMAZONAS hammock. Most work steps are so demanding that they can only be completed by an adult with many years of training and experience. Despite this fact we have continuous controls to ensure that no children are involved in the local production.

Up to 100 people, in the unfortunately still extremely poor northeast Brazil, now have secure jobs thanks to the production of AMAZONAS hammocks.

The export of AMAZONAS hammocks today provides more than 100 workers with a secure job. The majority of them is paid two to three times the minimum legal wage, which offers them and their families a steady income. In addition, they enjoy social standards which are largely unheard of in the rural areas of Brazil, such as social security, health insurance and paid holidays.

CERTIFIED WOOD FROM RESPONSIBLY MANAGED FORESTS! 

AMAZONAS uses FSC-certified wood from responsibly managed forestries for its products.

In order to guarantee sustainable forestry, our suppliers work under the following criteria (list not exclusive):

• Conservation of large parts of biotope wood to conserve the natural habitats for (rare) plants, animals and fungi
• Avoidance of clear-cutting
• Natural forest rejuvenation
• Precautionary measures to protect the environment
• No use of chemical fertilisers and biocides
• Planned management (balance between planned wood use and sustainability)
• Humane and socially acceptable working conditions for employees
• Compliance with claims of ownership and use rights of the forests

Why is sustainable forest management so important?

Diverse animals, plants and fungi have lived together and developed over thousands of years. They have formed a stable unit which is particularly resistant to natural influences.
Only human influences can throw this balance and cause rare living creatures and plants to die out.
To prevent this AMAZONAS suppliers work under FSCTM criterias and run their forests sustainably.

So by buying AMAZONAS products you are helping us support sustainable forest use.

AMAZONAS HELPS STREET CHILDREN

We and you as customer create a future for Brazilian street children

In Brazil approximately 25,000 children live completely neglected on the street. Every day they fight for survival.

The association "Der Kleine Nazareno e.V." was established in 1994 to enable the children a humane existence. Two Nazareno villages, which today offer a new home for more than 110 children, have been created in the last ten years.

The Nazareno villages lying outside the centres of Fortaleza and Recife offer the children an accommodation in which they will be looked after around the clock. There they attend from the very first day one of the special state-recognised schools with the option to attend a secondary school. Starting at age 15, the instruction will be supplemented with practical vocational training.

After that the children will be supported in the search for work, and accompanied step by step until they finally stand on their own feet.

"We from AMAZONAS have personally looked at this aid project on site, which has moved us and convinced us that we support it with an annual, generous donation. So we, and you as customer, can not only bring work and progress through the hammock production, but additionally create a future for Brazilian street children."

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