Yes. The "fraying" you noticed is referred to as "tasseling". This rustic effect is to keep with the look of traditional hammocks. Since hammocks are hand woven, some ends may be dipped in wax or sealed with a hot knife. This is to aid the hammock weaver in the weaving of the hammock. If the ends are waxed or sealed, the ends will still eventually tassel. This in no way affects the durability of the rope. Because of the way the knots are tied, they actually tighten when weight is applied to the hammock. Therefore, the tasseling effect will not continue past where the rope is knotted.