Oriented Plastic netting is lighter, wider and more flexible . Some configurations are available in widths up to 17-feet. Oriented plastic netting is most often used for reinforcement or containment (ex. RackGuard) or
as a light-weight barrier (ex. Bird Net).
Oriented netting is produced by stretching extruded mesh in one or both directions under controlled conditions. Stretching the extruded mesh in both the machine direction and cross direction produces biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) netting.
When the plastic netting is oriented or stretched, the strand shape is altered. Generally, the shape of an oriented strand is
somewhat hour-glassed, with the strands becoming wider near the joint. Oriented plastic netting also has a higher profile, where the joint thickness is greater than the strand thickness.
The extrusion and orientation processes are controlled for the number of strands over a given distance (typically the average number of plastic strands over a 10-inch span) to produce a nominal average hole opening or aperture. Colorants and additives can be introduced during the extrusion process to produce distinct colors or properties such as stabilization against ultraviolet
light degradation.