Rope vs Twine – A Helpful Comparison
Whether you are seeking rope and twine for commercial, industrial or domestic needs, knowing the difference will ensure you order the right cordage for the job. Both of these materials are certified to British and European standards, with a fire-retardancy that won’t be compromised by water.
Learn the ropes (and twine) with our helpful guide.
Who invented them?
It is believed that the earliest rope-making tools were developed by the Ancient Egyptian civilisation, whose water reed ropes date between 3,500 and 4,000 BC. Twine has a longer history, with 32,000 year-old (flax fibre) twine discovered within a west Asian cave. It is thought that the inhabitants used it for making baskets and clothes.
Are they made in the same way?
Rope and twine are produced in different ways. Rope has traditionally been created by twisting many fibres around one another, to form a tightly-packed and highly tensile cord. Twine has fewer strands (usually two or three) and these twisted fibres are then twisted around each other in opposing directions to their own twist – known as a reverse wrap. The torsional strength of this twisting movement will prevent the twine from separating.
At Renco Nets, we use hardy polypropylene when manufacturing your rope, including in our multicoloured 16mm Multifilament Soft Rope. Offering twine in both nylon and polyethylene, we braid or cross braid our range of twines for extra durability.
With rope available black, white or several vivid colours and 2mm, 3mm and 4mm diameters, you now have the ability to colour-coordinate different projects.
Which is the thickest?
Rope is generally thicker than twine. The twines we sell measure from 0.75mm Braided Nylon Twine reaching up to 6mm Braided Polyethylene Twine. This diameter is smaller than our rope selection, which varies between 6mm Polypropylene 3 Strand Spiltfilm Rope and 16mm Polypropylene Rope.
Whichever product and thickness you go for, you can expect high quality across our entire product range.
What lengths of rope and twine are available?
At Renco Nets, we offer rope and twine in different quantities. This means you never need to buy more than you need.
Looking for large quantities of rope? You’ve come to the right place as we supply each of our ropes on a 220m coil. Need a smaller order? We can cut the rope to your requested length.
When buying twine, you can select a 1kg spool that equates to different lengths depending on the diameter you choose. For example, our 0.75mm Nylon Twine will have an incredible 950m – that’s nearly 1km from start to finish.
The meterage decreases given the increased weight of thicker twine, yet you will still receive an ample 75m of twine in the largest 6mm diameter. These generous quantities stop you from running low on twine for many projects.
What are the properties of rope and twine?
Our polypropylene rope products are soft to the touch, lightweight, and shiny. Yet, they are also temperature-resistant, weather-resistant, UV-resistant and rot-proof; making them suitable for outdoor use. Able to float, polypropylene has superb chemical resistance to petrol and diesel, lubricants and weak caustic solutions, cleaning agents and alkalis. Our sisal-like multifilament soft polypropylene is also durable yet soft enough for play centres.
Twine can also withstand the trials of industrial, home and leisure usage. The nylon category is believed to withstand shocks more than polypropylene twine of the same diameter. Water-resistant too, it is ideal for repairing nylon netting just as our thicker polyethylene twine is ideal for mending heavy-duty nets in the same material.
Get in touch
We hope this exploration of rope and twine has proven useful. Shop our online product range and email netting@renco.co.uk or give us a call on +44 (0) 1469 575 804 with any questions. We’ll be happy to help!
