Net is an open fabric. It is produced by knotting or looping together yarns, cords, wires, or other materials so that there are spaces left between the points where the material intersects. Most nets are made of cotton, nylon, or polyester, but some nets are made of silk.
There are many kinds of nets, and they have a wide variety of uses. Such household items as curtains, hammocks, tablecloths, and bedspreads are made of net. Many sports, including tennis, volleyball, basketball, hockey, and soccer, feature nets. A type of light, fine net called tulle is used in ballet costumes and in veils.
Cargo is often loaded onto ships by means of heavy nets. Heavy nets also play an important role in the fishing industry. Some fishing nets weigh 10,000 pounds (4,500 kilograms) and are 2,000 feet (600 meters) long.
Nets were first made about 13,000 years ago. In the mid-1700’s, nets were produced on warp-knitting machines. These devices knit lengthwise stitches and create a flat fabric. Today, most nets are made on bobbinet machines or raschel knitting machines.
