Glossary

Axminster

A traditional method of manufacturing cut pile carpet. The yarn and backing are woven at the same time to produce highly patterned designs of many colours.

Berber

A term that originally referred to the traditional hand-weaving of North African tribes-people who used hand-spun yarns made from the undyed wool of local sheep. This homespun look has been developed on a commercial basis by carpet manufacturers using both natural and fashion colour yarns.

Boucle

(pronounced boo-clay) A heavy textured loop pile.

Broadloom

Carpet manufactured in 12-to-15-foot widths to minimise seaming.

Coving

Returning a floor covering up against a wall surface. Properly laid, it will look continuous with the floor carpet. In fact, it's a strip of carpet laid separately.

Cut Pile

Carpet in which the tops of loops are cut to a uniform length, lightly twisted and heat set so the yarns stand upright.

Frise

(pronounced free-zay) Also called hard twist, this carpet pile uses highly twisted yarn for a more textured cut pile and loop pile effect.

Loop Pile

Carpet with yarn loops of uniform length.

Multi-level Loop Pile

Carpet with loops of yarn at different heights creating a sculptured effect.

Pile Weight

The weight of pile yarn: ounces per square yard or grams per square metre of carpet.

Pilling

Small balls of fluff.

Plush

A cut pile carpet in which the tuft ends blend together.

Ply

The number of single yarns twisted together to make the final yarn. Two and three ply are used most frequently in carpet production.

Primary Backing

In tufted carpet, this is the woven backing into which tufts are inserted by needles. Tufts are bonded into place with latex applied on the reverse side.

Saxony

A dense cut pile carpet made with heavy yarns treated so each tuft end can be seen easily. A shorter pile than shag pile and generally more dense.

Secondary Backing

In tufted carpet, an additional backing is bonded onto the primary backing with latex.

Setting

A process used to fix the twist in yarns when they are to be used in cut pile textures requiring good tuft definition.

Shading

The apparent change of colour in an area of a cut pile carpet caused by pile laying in different directions. It is permanent and not a manufacturing defect. Also called pile switch, pile reversal, puddling, and water marking.

Shag Pile

A long pile, normally loosely constructed, carpet used mainly for decorative purposes.

Tufted Carpet

A method of carpet manufacture developed commercially in 1946 and which has since seen spectacular growth . Hundreds of needles thread the yarn through a lightweight backing, forming loops or tufts of the required length. An adhesive coating is then applied to the reverse side, anchoring tufts in position, and a second backing is applied for extra strength.

Velour

Cut pile carpet with a uniform, velvet-like surface.

Wilton

A woven carpet. Textures can be in cut pile, loop pile and a combination of cut and loop pile. A carved appearance can also be achieved. Wilton carpets can include up to five colours in their designs.