Did You Know?
How Carpet is Made
There are two primary ways to make carpet today. The first is called
tufting. The second is called weaving.
Tufting is a technique in which computers direct machines to
construct specific densities, patterns and styles of carpet using
synthetic yarn materials.
Step one is to weave the fibers into the backing
material, which is there to keep the fibers in place. The tufting
machine is like a giant sewing machine where 800 to 2,000 needles
work together to pull the yarn through. Most tufting machines are
about 12 feet wide. As its needles penetrate the backing, a small
hook called a looper grabs the yarn and holds it in place. This
process results in what is called loop pile construction. For some
styles, the looper rocks back against a knife, allowing the small
loops of yarn to be cut, creating a cut pile carpet.
Step two is to dye the carpet. Sometimes this is
done before the final few processes — and sometimes it’s done
afterwards. Carpets dyed prior are usually a single color without a
pattern or style. Carpets dyed after typically go through one or
more silk screens to obtain the pattern or style that the computer
had in mind.
In step three, a coating of latex is applied to
both the tufted, dyed carpet’s primary backing, and also to
secondary backing. The secondary backing is often made of a woven
synthetic polypropylene material. The two parts are squeezed
together in a large heated press, where they are held firmly to
preserve their shape. Some manufacturers also apply stain protection
during this step.
The final steps are shearing (to remove all the
little loose ends) and inspection (to ensure both quality and
accuracy to the digital design).
Weaving, on the other hand, can be done by machine
on massive looms or by hand. In either case, fibers (called “warps”)
are placed vertically on a frame and pulled tight enough to maintain
tension while yarn is being woven over, under or around them.
After the weaving is complete, new fibers (called “wefts”) are laid
horizontally across the yarn, locking the warps into place.
Woven carpets tend to be more luxurious and higher quality than
tufted carpets — a fact reflected in their price.
Ninety percent of today’s carpets are made of synthetic fiber,
comprised of one of three materials: nylon, polypropylene or
polyester. All three are created by a chemical process that uses oil
and natural gas.
The rest is natural fiber — most commonly wool, which is the most
durable (and expensive), as well as silk and bamboo.
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