Abstract:Carpet Yarn Types and Constructions
A carpet yarn is a textile floor covering that covers part or all of a room's floor...
Carpet Yarn Types and Constructions
A carpet yarn is a textile floor covering that covers part or all of a room's floor surface. Carpets may be made of natural or synthetic fiber and can be constructed in many ways. The two primary characteristics of carpets are the fibers used and how they are manipulated to create the carpet's pile. The type of yarn and the pile construction determine how the carpet feels underfoot, how it looks, and how well it wears.
Originally, people covered their floors with animal skins or woven grass or reed mats. As people learned to spin cotton and wool, these materials replaced the earlier materials. Around 3000 B.C., ancient Egyptians sewed brightly colored woolen cloth onto linen, making a type of carpet that was placed on the floor. During this time, the idea of carpets as symbols of cosmic concepts began to develop.
Modern carpets are generally made from a variety of yarns: nylon, polyester, polypropylene, acrylic, and wool. Each of these types of fibers has different properties, and each type is offered in a variety of styles and constructions. Nylon, which is an inherently stain-resistant and colorfast material, is widely used. It can be dyed a wide range of colors and can be produced as either staple or continuous filament. Nylon is also very durable and has a low level of static electricity generation. It is available in both solution-dyed and pre-dyed fibers and can be engineered for outdoor applications.
The most common carpet is made with a synthetic fiber called polypropylene. This olefin is stiffer than nylon and is less expensive. It is also relatively easy to dye and provides a wide array of colors. However, it is not as durable as nylon or wool and tends to mat down more quickly. Polypropylene is offered as both solution-dyed and pre-dyed. It is most often used in large-looped Berber styles.
Carpets can be machine woven on massive looms, knotted by hand (as in oriental rugs), or constructed with their pile injected into a woven backing. Machine-woven carpets such as Axminster and Wilton are constructed by weaving together bobbins of different types of carpet yarn. This process allows for a great deal of decorative flexibility.
Most carpets are dyed after tufting, but it is possible to color the yarn before tufting. This can be done in a number of ways, including forcing the dyed fiber through a pressurized vat that is heated. Other methods include putting the yarn on forms, then printing it with a series of patterned stencils.
The yarns used to construct a carpet can be made of a number of natural or synthetic materials, but the most important factor is how they are treated. The most common treatments are bleaching, mercerizing, and spinning. Bleaching removes some of the oil from the yarn, allowing it to absorb more dye. This increases the color intensity and reduces fading over time. Mercerizing gives the yarn a sheen and improves its strength.
