a domestic vacuum cleaning appliance including a flexible hose in which a length of the hose has a hose - wall formed at least in part by a layer of ripstop fabric . in one embodiment , the hose - wall is formed entirely by one or more layers of fabric , including said layer of ripstop fabric , and at least one of the layers of fabric is sealed for preventing escape of fluid through the hose - wall during normal use of the hose . the hose offers an alternative to the conventional corrugated plastic hose commonly used in domestic vacuum cleaners .