The manila rope is flexible, durable, strong, and stands up well to wear and weather. It is impervious to salt water, and so it is very suitable for slings, falls, berthing hawsers and tow-ropes.
The fibres of the rope are treated with a rot-proofing solution during the first stage of rope making, when the fibres are being combed into ribbons.
Rot-proofing neither weakens the rope nor increases its weight, but makes it watertight to the extent that, when wet, it absorbs hardly any water and is nearly as light and as easily handled as when it is dry.