In non-UNICORE ropes, the sheath and the core, even though they are tightly woven together, are independent from one another, which leads to sheath slippage and effectively reducing the longevity and overall safe use of the rope. UNICORE ropes bond the core and sheath - i.e., UNICORE. This eliminates sheath slippage, prevents the rope from fraying if it is cut or torn and thus allows it to still pass through belay devices and carabiners etc., whilst also reducing water shrinkage by more than 50%.