Cordage began in 1998 in the small town of Waldoboro, just off the midcoast of Maine's scenic coastline, where a need for quality rope was as necessary as butter with a fresh caught lobster. David Bird began with a small crew and turned his expertise and master skills into one of America's finest rope manufacturer of braided ropes and cords. David also had another idea making products using discarded fishing rope which in turn started a whole new business!

“The Right Mat” is a door mat hand made from recycled lobster fishing three strand ropes. New federal regulations mandate that lobster fisherman can no longer use floating line to connect their traps together, because the northern right whale was becoming entangled in the floating line. The fishermen now have to use sinking line to connect their traps.

The Gulf of Maine Lobster Foundation, a non profit organization receives federal monies to buy the rope back from the fisherman to help with the purchase of the new sinking lines. I became aware of the massive quantity of rope that was going to be available a couple of years ago and thought “there ought to be a market for all that rope”. Over 2 million pounds have been collected to date. 

After a few ideas that did not pan out, I came up with the idea of the door mat. I made a few and took them to the local seafood festivals and put some in the coastal tourist shops. They have been a huge hit! It has been all over the news paper and regional television news. I also received a commendation from our State Senator Olympia Snowe for creating the door mat. The product also received “Best New Product” award at the 2009 New England products show in Portland, Maine.

What started out as an item I thought we could make in the off season in an effort to keep my employees working full time has taken off big time. I under estimated the interest that people would have in the mat due to the fact that it is recycled and helping to save the whales and also helping the lobster fisherman. I thought it would sell simply because it is a very functional mat for getting the mud off your shoes, helping to support local jobs and maybe the fact that it came from “ the briny deep” when the tourists came to Maine they might take one home.

Today we still offer "The Right Mat" but with dimensioning supply and to meet high demand, we now offer our "Maine Rope Mat" and Products and now "Recycled Plastic Mat"! Custom Cordage is also an industry leader and a prime manufacturer of Braided Cordage Products in a large variety of colors. Double Braids, Solid Braids, Single Braids, Diamond Braids, Twill Braids, and Stretch (shock) cords are all available in our standard fibers. 

At Custom Cordage we focus on only the best products, best quality and best customer service.  We are proudly Made in America and proudly support Maine jobs and our community, Waldoboro Maine!