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Knowing how carpet is made can make all the difference in selecting a quality carpet for your home. Some people may think that the thicker the carpet, the better the quality. This is not strictly true as the quality is in the production process itself.

Around 90 percent of carpets made today are made primarily from synthetic materials. Natural materials, such as wool, are also used in the carpet manufacturing industry. Polypropylene, nylon and polyester are commonly the synthetics used. Nylon is probably the best material as it is heat ressistant, stain ressistant, and is also best for coloring and designing carpets. Polypropylene is naturaly ressistant to soils and stains, but due to it's ressistance to moisture is has to be dyed before being extruded. This means that there is less of a range of colors that can be used in carpets made with this material. Polyester has used in carpet manufacturing since the 60's, it is fade ressistant, and works well with todays methods of making carpets. The wool used in the making of carpets comes from a few main countries, such as, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Argentina. Being a natural material wool can come in a range of colors, from an off white color, to black. Wool has the advantage of aging well, and is generally easy to clean. However, not many people buy wool carpets as they are very expensive.

Basically, there are three stages to how a carpet is produced. The first stage is called tufting, and this is when the fiber is woven into the primary backing material. The machine used in the tufting process can have 800-2000 needles working the fiber through the backing material. The machine looks like a huge sewing machine. A small hook called a looper holds the yarn in place, this is where the name loop pile construction comes into play.
The looper then goes on to place itself backwards pushing on to a knife, which cuts the carpet fiber to the desired height. A computer makes sure that the pile height is accurate.

The next step is when the dying of the carpet is done. Yarn dye can be added before the tufting process, this is known as pre-dyeing. It is important that whatever yarn dye is used that the colors are not going to conflict with each other, in regards to the overall design and appearance of the carpet. Carpet dye can also be added after the tufting process. There are various ways in which carpet dye can be used in the carpet dyeing process. Batch dyeing is a process where the carpet is stitched at the ends, then the tufted carpet loop is run through large vats of water and carpet dye. The continuous dying proccess sprays the carpet dye on to the carpet, making any designs that may be required. Screen printing is also used and involves carpet dye being put through silk screens to add the carpet color.

Finally, the carpet is on a production line. A latex coating is applied to the primary and secondary backing of the carpet. Both backings are sealed together in a heated press. The carpet is then sheared to remove any loose pieces, and ensure a smooth finish. All that remains after this process is an inspection before the carpet is rolled.

Learn more about this author, Pauline Abreu.
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