Welcome to 801 in the Area Rug Series: “The Basics of Rug

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Welcome to 801 in the Area Rug Series: “The Basics of Rug Manufacturing.” This is one of a series of CEU courses about the benefits of area rugs in various residential and commercial end use segments. We will be focusing on area rugs, not scatter rugs with flexible backings that are used in bathrooms and as occasional fashion items. This CEU course was developed by the Carpet and Rug Institute, the national trade association for the flooring industry. Other courses in this series will address manufacturing specifying designing and selling area rugs
manufacturing, specifying, designing and selling area rugs.
Demo Materials
 Products recommended (with labels removed)
 Photographs of area rugs in residential and commercial settings.
 Copies of various research documents mentioned in this presentation.  A list of resources used to gather information for this presentation can be found as a Word document on the CD for this course. This list can be printed and passed out during the presentation , if applicable.
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Our course objectives are to: Rephrase points on slide.
As you hear the objectives for the course, what areas might be the most beneficial to you as you discuss area rugs with customers?
Or
What are the most frequent questions that customers ask you about area rugs? (The points they mention could be charted on a flip chart.)
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Area rugs are a valuable element of home décor, adding to a room’s personality. Not only are they versatile and portable, but from an aesthetic standpoint, they help define the space within a room or serve as a dramatic focal point. They also help support the room's style and color scheme.
More than just a good looking accessory, area rugs have great practical value as well, blocking the chill that cooler climates create on hardwood, tile, and stone floors and helping to create comfortable spaces for lounging barefoot, sitting, and playing. They also reduce noise and echo, making your interior space more intimate and inviting. And, they can be a very economical design choice, allowing consumers to easily change the décor of their interior spaces.
With modern advances in technology, an area rug can be an environmentally sensitive product which can have recycled content or be recycled. And, rugs can be recycled via second‐hand usage. i.e., when one person is ready for a new design pattern, he or she may choose to sell a rug second‐hand because it is so easily moved/transferred.
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Rugs can be a focal point in decorating.  Focal point by design/pattern/texture
 Rugs are available in many different sizes and shapes which allow the coordination of design elements from room to room or within a single room. For example, one might create multiple cozy seating areas within a large living room.
Focal point by adding color – e.g., neutral colored walls and furniture with brightly colored rug Can be used to bring room colors together
 Can be used to bring room colors together
 Can enhance room colors by adding a neutral zone – e.g., colorful room with cream colored rug Beauty of a rug placed on hardwood – texture/color/design/contrast
Hardwood ‐ or hard‐surface flooring of any kind ‐ generally benefits from the use of rugs.
They can :
 Provide a decorative contrast
 Protect flooring
 Provide comfort underfoot
 Temperature regulation – especially nice in winter!
 Usable sitting space – comfort for kids, pets, and adults – Think of a fireplace: no one wants to cozy up to it by sitting on a hard floor!
Provide soil resistance and a way to trap dirt
 Provide soil resistance and a way to trap
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Like a piece of art, a rug may increase in value. Whether it is an Oriental, Persian, Turkish or
Native American rug, it can become a family heirloom. And, although some rugs don’t increase in value, they are still both functional and beautiful.
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A traditional rug is a styling designation that refers to long established patterns in the Oriental/Persian or classic European schools. In new rugs, traditional designs are produced either in modern colorations or in colors that replicate antique rugs. The main parts of a traditional rug include the following:
 Field – the large center area of a rug usually framed by various borders
 Pattern Motifs – elements combined to create the overall design or pattern of the rug
 Main Border – the largest most dominant border
 Guard bands – Narrower band or multiples of bands flanking the main border
 Serging – Overcast yarns forming the outermost edge of the rug
 Kilim – plain flat‐woven area separating the pile yarns from the fringe
 Fringe – knotted or straight yarns sewn on at the ends during the finishing process
Not all rugs will have all of these basic elements. Some may not have borders or may even be serged on all four sides and not have fringe. 7
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Next, we will discuss the various types of rug manufacturing and construction to include woven, hand knotted, hand tufted, machine tufted and other processes and fibers, such as
sea grass and sisal. 8
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Axminster rugs, which are suitable for both residential and contract uses, derive their name from the town of Axminster, England, where they were knotted in wool in the 18th century. The name remained as a generic term after the arrival of power looms over the 19th century. Today, "Axminster carpets" are still produced in the town of Axminster and still known all over the world as English carpets. They are also manufactured and available worldwide from U.S., China, Poland, Belgium, South Africa etc. What matters most today is not where but how Axminster rugs are made: they are
What matters most today is not where but how Axminster rugs are made: they are cut pile only and can be 27” to 15 ft. in width. There are two major types of Axminster machines: the gripper and the spool. Most rugs are designed as a mirror image. Half the rug is woven and then the rotation is reversed and the second half of the rug is completed. Optional technical information:
Optional
technical information:
A gripper machine runs from a creel and is limited to 16 colors. The yarns are fed into the loom frames from a creel located at the back of the loom. Pattern information is fed to the loom through a Jacquard mechanism, which controls individual grippers that plant the yarn tuft into the rug at the same time the warp and filling yarns are being fed. In a gripper look, the tufts are cut just before they are fed into the rug. This machine can weave a virtually unlimited number of patterns; however, the number of colors is limited to the colors contained on the loom creel. In a spool machine, the tufts are cut after they are fed through the machine. A spool Axminster normally uses 30 colors, although it has the capability to use 50 colors or more. This type of machine incorporates a cotton foundation and wool or nylon pile with a woven through‐the‐back construction that closely duplicates the feel of a hand‐knotted rug. 9
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Woven in fact on two distinctly different types of looms, "the Spool Axminster loom and the Gripper Axminster loom", both were developed from the original jacquard loom technology of the nineteenth century. Generally, the Gripper ‐ Axminster loom is viewed as better suited to contract carpet production, and many of these looms now operate electronically. During this process, the yarn is cut to a pre‐determined length (according to the selected pile height) and woven simultaneously on the same loom with a jute or synthetic backing. Designs are created by the use of different yarn colors in specific places during the weaving process The looms on which the Axminster carpets are woven have
during the weaving process. The looms on which the Axminster carpets are woven have and are still changing considerably over the years but the construction principal of interlocking the pile yarns with backing yarns is little changed.
Spool‐gripper Axminster looms are still used by numerous Axminster carpet manufacturers worldwide, mainly for producing rugs and traditional carpets i.e. more heavily patterned.
This specific manufacturing process allows manufacturers to weave Axminster carpets with This specific manufacturing process allows
to weave Axminster carpets with
a virtually unlimited number of colors, bearing in mind that there is some limit regarding the size of pattern repeats. However, spool gripper looms are seen as more productive, and they remain in most cases more suitable for longer production runs.
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The name "Wilton carpets" comes from the town, Wilton, England where they were created, at the end of the 17th century and over the early part of the 18th century after French Huguenot carpet weavers moved to England. Wilton carpet is typically 13 ft. wide and is a faster process because of the ability to make 2 rugs at a time. Normally, there are 8 colors in a Wilton rug, although it is possible to have 10 – 12 colors. Wilton looms are similar to Axminster gripper looms in that the yarns are fed into the loom from a creel. These looms use a Jacquard mechanism to feed pattern and color placement into the loom. Unlike Axminster looms though, the yarns on a Wilton loom run the complete length of the rug. Colors that are not called for on the surface are carried under the pile yarns until they are needed. The construction can be cut, loop or a cut and loop pile and in manufacturing, there is the ability to weave a variety of patterns and sizes without changing the creels.
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Several loom types are used by carpet manufacturers to produce a variety of carpet constructions which carry the Wilton name. Both plain or single‐frame Wilton and Jacquard or multi‐frame Wilton come from the traditional "Warp and Weft" weaving process. Wilton carpets can be woven with cut pile, loop‐pile, or cut and loop pile. Pile heights can be varied within a single carpet to create a "structural" or carved effect. Face‐to‐face Wilton carpets are made on a different type of loom, which is particularly favored for the manufacture of area rugs, but loop‐pile or cut and loop are not possible with the last type of Wilton loom
of Wilton loom. All Wilton carpets may be woven using different fibers ‐ among them 100% wool, 80% wool/20% nylon, or synthetic according to expected quality and specified use. A Wilton woven carpet (like an Axminster one) will not delaminate as the backing is an integral part of the carpet construction.
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A Van De Wiele Wilton loom uses 8 to 10 colors and weaves two rugs at a time which are mirror images of each other. This look is a high‐speed “face‐to‐face” 8‐frame Wilton type loom that feeds pattern and color placement through a Jacquard mechanism. These rugs are cross woven, allowing the use of space dyed yarns. Each of the yarn colors is dyed in graduated shades, given the effect of dozens of individual colors and simulating the effect of natural vegetable dyes.
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The basic process for preparing the yarn for the traditional woven manufacturing method involves taking large skeins, or wound bundles of yarn, dyeing them and then winding them onto cones. Yarn is wound into large skeins resembling oversized hand‐knitting skeins and is dyed in this form. Almost any yarn or fiber type, except polypropylene, may be dyed this way if the yarn has sufficient strength to withstand skein winding and back‐winding onto cones. The method is applicable to spun yarns, bulked continuous filament yarns, heat‐set yarns, and non‐heat‐set yarns of many fiber types.
Skein dyeing is one of the most precise dye methods available, providing consistent, luminous, long lasting color. Skein dyeing is especially suited to small‐volume production of custom colorations.
Not all rugs use skein dyed yarns; some use space dyed yarns, others use solution dyed g
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yarns, and still others use natural fibers of all types. (Fibers and yarns are discussed later in the course.)
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The cones of yarn are then loaded onto creels and then threaded into the loom for the weaving process. For Axminster carpets, the pattern is loaded on row by row. 15
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Once the carpet has been woven, it is inspected and then mended, if necessary, with a mending gun. After that inspection, the edges are serged and the fringe is applied. Then the rugs are prepared for storage or shipping. 16
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A handmade rug is one that is constructed by hand. This category includes hand‐knotted, hand tufted, hand hooked, needlepoint, Aubusson and flat weave. Each type of rug features different aesthetic and performance benefits. A hand knotted rug is made by weavers who knot pile yarns around the warp fibers that run the length of the rug. The more knots per square inch, the more valuable the rug. Knot count is the number of knots in a square inch. A hand‐knotted 9’ x 12’ rug with 70 knots per square inch would contain approximately 1 088 640 knots An average weaver
per square inch would contain approximately 1,088,640 knots. An average weaver completing 12,000 knots per 8‐hr. day would need 90 days to weave a complete rug. Optional Information:
Hand knotted rugs are made on both horizontal and vertical (or upright) looms. Once the loom is built, the warp threads (generally cotton) are attached to the upper and lower beams. The closeness of the warm threads will determine the number of knots across the width of the rug. The weaver first weaves several rows of weft yarn in a plain weave know as the kilim, then begins to tie rows of knots. After each knot is tied, the weaver cuts the yarn, forming the pile and then begins the next knot. Often balls of yarn used for the pile are arranged according to colors and hung from the top beam to be within reach. The pattern is created row by row from a weaving map drawn on grid paper. When a row of knots has been tied, a simple comb‐like tool is used to tamp down the knots. The handknotting continues until the rug is complete and then another small section of kilim is woven. The rug is then cut from the loom and taken to be sheared. Then a fringe is added and often the rug undergoes a chemical wash.
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A hand tufted or hand hooked rug is made by inserting yarn into a backing with a handheld single‐needle tufting tool called a gun. The rug’s pattern is stenciled on primary backing materials, then after the tufting is complete, a backing is attached to protect and anchor the stitches. The pile of a hand hooked rug is made up of loops; a hand tufted rug has a cut pile surface.
For this type rug, a cotton foundation is stretched onto a frame with a basic design outline this type rug a cotton foundation is stretched onto a frame with a basic design outline
inked onto the back of the foundation cloth. The various colors of yarn are gun‐tufted
through the back of the cloth. Normally, one section of color is done before a new yarn color is inserted into the tufting gun. The more the tufter must change colors, the more labor intensive it is to make the rug. Since labor is a major part of the cost, the more intricate the design, the more expensive the rug.
Once the entire pattern is tufted, the cloth is taken off the frame and placed face down; then a scrim is placed on the back with a layer of latex, which secures the tufts and allows for shearing and washing of the rug. The latex is then air‐dried or more often kiln‐dried to insure proper curing of the latex. Carving and embossing are optional. Then the edges are serged and fringe may be applied.
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A needlepoint rug is made by sewing yarn into a canvas grid using the same method as a needlepoint pillow. Aubusson/tapestry weave is a hand weaving method originating in France in which the stitches on the face look more linear and the back may look “stringy” at places where the weaver changes yarn colors.
Another type which doesn’t involve knots but is a handmade rug is a flat weave. The weft strands are simply passed through the warp strands. The most familiar type of flat weave is a Dhurrie, a handmade rug or cotton or wool from India. A kilim is another flat weave but it is usually of finer yarn and has the look of a tapestry. 19
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In addition to the woven rugs discussed previously, area rugs may be tufted using a similar manufacturing process as wall to wall carpet or broadloom. Depending on the size of the rug, multiple rugs could be tufted side by side on a broadloom tufting machine. In addition, any style of broadloom carpet can also be finished on the edges or serged and made into an area rug. Tufted area rugs may use different types of yarns, which we will discuss next, and also different dye and printing methods. Tufting is the process of creating textiles, especially carpet, on specialized multi‐needle sewing machines. The needles push yarn through a primary backing fabric, where a loop holds the yarn in place to form a tuft as the needle is removed. Here are some key steps in the tufting process:
1. Yarn comes from cones on creel racks (or from big spools called beams) into the machine.
2 The primary backing feeds into the machine.
2.
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3. Yarn and primary backing come together in the machine (full shot of machine)
4. Yarn is fed through needles on a needlebar of a tufting machine. Needles repeatedly penetrate or tuft into the primary backing.
5. The tufted carpet is mended and inspected. 6. Carpet is rolled onto large rolls for the next step (whether it’s to be dyed or to be backed.)
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Tufted or machine made rugs are available in a wide variety of patterns, colors and styles. Tufted area rugs, as well as woven rugs, may use different types of yarns and also different dye and printing methods, which we will discuss next.
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Area rugs can be constructed of a wide variety of fibers, both natural and synthetic. The natural fibers include wool, silk, viscose and cotton. Additionally, some area rugs many be manufactured of other plant materials such as sisal and sea grass.
Synthetic fibers used in rugs include nylon, polypropylene or olefin, polyester(PET) and triexta (PTT).
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Wool
Wool is the world’s oldest rug fiber which is resilient when used in cut pile rugs. It is both durable and crush resistant and is known for its dyeability. Because of insufficient production of wool worldwide, wool only accounts for a small percentage of the fiber used to make carpet and rugs today. Not all wool can be made into carpet fibers. Wool is a staple fiber because the fibers are shorn from the fleece of lambs or Wool
is a staple fiber because the fibers are shorn from the fleece of lambs or
sheep in short quantities and then must be spun together. It is considered to have a soft hand. Largely self‐extinguishing when burned, wool will char rather than melt or drip when exposed to fire. Silk
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The fiber of silk is produced by the larva of silk worms. The silk, in continuous f ilk i
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lengths from 300 to 1600 yards is spun to produce the cocoons. As a fiber, silk is naturally non‐flammable, strong, and not affected by static charge problems, even at low humidity. As a natural fiber, silk adds medium to high luster to the end product. Silk is often used in hand knotted carpets. When a flame approaches, silk burns slowly and sputters. It is nearly self‐extinguishing. 23
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Other natural fibers are used to make rugs, such as sisal, jute, bamboo, hemp, flax, soy and cotton. Though
only a small portion of the market, these products are marketed as colorfast, anti‐static and non‐toxic.
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Images: Top row: Sisal and Bamboo, Second row: Jute, Cotton and Hemp
Sisal The fiber of sisal is produced by the leaves of the agave plant. Sisal is very strong and primarily used for making rugs, sacking, rope, and even carpet. The fiber stains easily and is also very difficult to clean. Wet cleaning can also cause shrinkage so its best to use low moisture methods. Jute The fiber of jute is produced by the jute plant which grows in South America, Pakistan and India. The stalk of the jute plant is where the longer coarse fibers are obtained, between the outer bark and within the inner pulp. Jute is normally used as weft yarns, across the width, in woven carpets and as a backing material in the construction of tufted carpets. Jute is an inexpensive material that also serves other uses than carpet. Like all other fibers, this one has disadvantages as well. The fiber is weak when it becomes wet and is also subject to dry rot, shrinkage, and mildew
Bamboo and Hemp
Plant fibers are also used to make rugs. Bamboo is the fastest‐growing plant on earth. Bamboo fabric is known for its softness and boasts strong absorbency and anti‐microbial properties. Hemp is the longest, strongest, most elastic, and most durable fiber in nature and has many commercial uses. Cotton is a vegetable seed fiber that is produced from the cotton plant. The primary use for this fiber is yarns woven in carpet or rugs. Cotton is resistant to alkaline solutions and becomes stronger when it is wet. Cotton
Cotton is a vegetable seed fiber that is produced from the cotton plant. The primary use for this fiber is yarns woven in carpet or rugs. Cotton is resistant to alkaline solutions and becomes stronger when it is wet. 24
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Regenerated
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fibers are those that are produced by dissolving a natural material (such as p
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(
cellulose), then regenerating it by extrusion and precipitation into a fiber. Also called cellulosics or reconstructed fibers, regenerated fibers can be derived from the cellulose in cotton and wood pulp. Rayon and acetate are two common regenerated fibers. Soy and bamboo can also be regenerated into fiber. Optional Information:
How Regenerated Fibers are Made
Manufactured regenerated fibers are made from the chemical‐induced transformation of natural polymers and basically fall into two categories: protein origin and cellulose origin. Regenerated fibers of protein origin come from plant protein (such as corn, soy, and peanut), or from animal protein (such as casein from milk). Some are manufactured from proteins found in plants (like soy). Viscose is a shiny, silk‐like fiber made from wood pulp cellulose which has been chemically altered, dissolved in a sodium hydroxide solution and then extruded into a dilute sulphuric
acid solution. On its own, Viscose is susceptible to matting, but when used as an accent or in a blend, Viscose makes a wonderful substitute for higher‐priced silk.
Regenerated fibers of cellulose origin – bamboo, rayon, Viscose® – are made of cellulose from tree wood and inner pith and leaves from bamboo plants using differing fiber manufacturing processes .. http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/index.php/2009/12/22/a‐worrisome‐forecast‐on‐
soybeans/
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Nylon features include the ability to produce a variety of color schemes, luxurious soft “hand” (a tactile quality), excellent resiliency, durability, abrasion resistance and texture retention. Other features include good resistance to stains and soils. Nylon is considered to be suitable for all types of traffic. Solution dyed nylon provides excellent color fastness and increases stain cleanability. Nylon makes up 55% of all carpet face fibers. Some of the reasons it is so popular are that it is durable and resilient, and resistant to abrasion. Source:
carpet‐rug.org and FCW/Catalina Research.
Nylon comes in a wide array of deniers, lusters, and cross‐sections that provide different performance attributes, and is offered as white dyeable (for extensive coloration possibilities) and solution dyed. Solution dyed nylon has excellent colorfastness to light, atmospheric contaminants and harsh cleaning chemicals, in addition to excellent color clarity. It is also offered by some manufacturers with inherent stain resistant properties providing excellent resistance to acid‐based stains that can often be removed with water
providing excellent resistance to acid‐based stains that can often be removed with water. Olefin and polypropylene are two names for the same fiber. Olefin (Polypropylene) is only manufactured by solution dyeing. Olefin features include its inherent and permanent resistance to water‐based stains, its colorfastness and resistance to static electricity. Olefin is resistant to moisture, so it is often used in indoor/outdoor carpet. Source: carpet‐rug.org
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Polyester/PET
Polyester: Polyester features include its luxurious soft “hand” or feel, inherent and permanent stain resistance, and ability to produce bright colors. Other features include good abrasion resistance, fade resistance, and cleanability. PET ‐ PolyEthylene Terephthalate (Manufactured by carpet mill or independent fiber extruder.) PET fibers can be produced from selected recycled PET #1 bottles. Triexta
Triexta (Poly Trimethylene Terephthalate) may be manufactured by carpet mill or independent fiber extruder. Triexta features include its luxurious soft “hand”, excellent colorfastness and bright colors, and inherent and permanent stain resistance Other features include durability resistance to fading cleanability
resistance. Other features include durability, resistance to fading, cleanability, texture retention and resiliency. Source: carpet‐rug.org
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Natural Dyes – The vibrant colors in handmade rugs are most often created using natural dyes (sometimes called vegetable dyes). For example, to achieve the color yellow, saffron, safflower, and turmeric might be used. Red can be achieved using pomegranate peel; henna is used for orange, etc. These dyes are not only natural, but also sustainable and non‐allergenic for most people.
Antique rugs (an antique rug is defined as a rug 50 yrs. and older), will likely have been made using natural dyes since synthetic dyes were not readily available until
been made using natural dyes, since synthetic dyes were not readily available until the 1920’s. All rugs will fade a bit over time, and if you are looking at antique rugs, you’ve probably already noticed what ‘aged’ colors look like. Vegetable‐dyed rugs tend to become ‘warmer’ looking as they age, which many people consider an integral part of their charm.” http://www.homeportfolio.com/GetInspired/ProductGuides/guideToRugs.jhtml
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Synthetic dyes have basically replaced natural dyes in the manufacture of rugs since the mid 1920s. Colors are created using accurate formulas for dyeing the yarn. These dyes are very stable, fade resistant and available in an almost limitless color range. Using synthetic dyes, dye lots can be controlled with great precision; and yarns dyed using these dyes are resistant to acids, alkalines and washing.
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