John Singer Sargent painted The Mosquito Net in 1912. The painting depicts a woman resting peacefully, her head protected by what seems to be a deployable (foldable) mosquito net made of semicircular ribs. History goes that it was Sargent’s sister Emma who designed the net, which, as an object, and despite its voluminous presence in the painting, seems somehow sophisticated both formally and functionally. It is possible that in the past, personal mosquito nets were a trendy accessory for the well to do, although today their use is less romantic and more humanitarian. In developing countries, particularly in Africa, mosquito-carried malaria kills a child every 30 seconds. This explains why UNICEF is today the largest buyer of mosquito nets in the world, spending around $75 millions annually. A few international companies lead the research against malaria through the production of increasingly sophisticated bed nets. One of them is Sumitomo Chemical. Some years ago, this company pioneered a revolutionary technology to develop a net that effectively prevents mosquito biting, lasts for a long time, and resists both washing and tearing formidably. It is called the Olyset net, and it is made of a durable plastic weave with the insecticide permethrin incorporated into the fibers of the net. Permethrin is a non-toxic molecule obtained from a certain species of chrysanthemum, which makes this insecticide ideal for the protection of children. Olyset nets slowly release their insecticide over as many as seven years, and are extremely durable.
