Netela


The netela, among the numerous textiles of Ethiopia and Eritrea, are very well known and commonly worn by the women and men of Ethiopia and Eritrea. A neṭela is a handmade scarf-like cloth made of cotton. It is very thin and delicate, with the texture of gauze. The netela has only two layers and is quite large, measuring about 63 x 102 inches. It is white with colorful intricately woven borders called ṭibébé. The tibebe is between 1 and 2 inches at each end, with two variations: one composed of only one color, and the other of multiple colors and patterns.
The netela can be worn in different ways. For general wear, the netela covers the back and shoulders and the border is folded up over the right shoulder, but when attending church the two layers of the netela are opened and the border goes over both shoulders. When the border is worn around the face or shoulders, it is a sign of mourning, but in moments of leisure the border goes over the left shoulder.
There are other textiles similar to the netela. There is the foṭa, a colorful shawl-like garment measuring 58 x 105 inches. Fotas usually have checkerboard designs and are simply wrapped around the shoulders or over the head as a shawl. There is a third kind of textile called donċho, which is a very long cotton sash with a border in color; it is only worn by married women. There are types that can measure up to 26 feet long.