Carpet is not only insulation for the floor. They are also a bright accent in the interior and a peculiar indicator of the taste and affluence of the owner of the house. The exact date of the origin of the art of carpet weaving has been hidden for centuries, but there is a relic that has survived to this day - a carpet created 2500 years ago.
Today, the production of carpets and carpets has become widespread, and products are manufactured on an industrial scale. But in some regions they are woven in the old fashioned way, as the ancestors did.
Raw materials
Any carpet production begins with the selection of raw materials. And if earlier the choice of materials was limited to wool and silk, today you can find a woven fabric made from natural fibers and their synthetic counterparts.
So, carpets are made from the following types of fibers:
- Natural, which are divided into protein and cellulose.
- Artificial: cellulose and mineral.
- Synthetic.
Protein natural raw materials are wool and silk. Handicrafts are made only from these traditional materials, since any synthetics will devalue many hours of work.
Wool is a soft, durable, elastic and warm material. But such a carpet can eat moth, in addition, it can serve as a source of allergies.
The silk carpet is a beautiful, soft, shiny and durable fabric that will be passed on from generation to generation due to its high wear resistance. But the price of such a product goes beyond all reasonable limits, and even a middle-income family cannot afford it.
Lint- free carpets are often made from cellulosic natural raw materials (cotton and jute) .
Artificial cellulose fibers are threads from natural raw materials, but made using modern technology. A viscose rug is a good analogue of a silk carpet, much more affordable.
Artificial mineral fibers are made from asbestos. Many are wary of this material, but it should be noted that it does not burn. Therefore, only asbestos rugs can be laid near the fireplace and other potentially dangerous sources of ignition.
Synthetic products are made from polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, polyamide and polyacrylonitrile. Each of these materials has its own indicators of wear resistance, water resistance and other characteristics. But all synthetics melt from the fire.
Types of Carpets
It is impossible to really determine how many types of carpets exist. They are all subdivided depending on the type of weaving, appearance, materials, manufacturing technology, and many other signs.
Even within a single carpet manufacturing enterprise, dozens of types of products are produced. If we talk about manual carpet weaving, then the situation is more complicated: even in one village, craftsmen living in the neighborhood weave different products.
But if you do not go into details, then all the carpets can be classified according to several criteria.
By manufacturing technology:
By type of raw material: natural, artificial, synthetic and mixed.
By the presence of pile: pile and lint-free.
By type of pile:
- single-level
- multi-level;
- velor;
- saxony;
- frieze;
- combined.
Separately, it is worth mentioning non-woven carpets: tufted, needle-punched, knitted, flocked, knit-stitched and hand-felted products. The industrial production of these types of carpets is spread all over the world. Some experts attribute these products to flooring, as they do not have a base.
Machine production
Industrial production of cows has made the price of these products affordable for all segments of the population. Today, non-woven floor coverings are made only on special machines. Woven carpets of the following types are also produced:
- Two-sheeted jacquard - a two-layer frame structure, there are pile threads between the frames, at the end of the technological cycle they are cut, and two products are obtained at once - from the upper and lower half.
- Jacquard rods - the pile fabric is woven with weft threads into the root base.
- Axminster - tufts of pile are mechanically embedded in the base. They are divided into tubular and jacquard.
Handmade carpets
Handicraft production of carpets for sale is widespread not only in eastern countries like India, Pakistan and Iran, but also in some regions of our country, for example, in Dagestan.
A handmade rug is an expensive exclusive item. Even if the master does the thing over one pattern over and over again, she gets the characteristic distinguishing features - the difference in the fine details of the picture, nodules, the tone of the dyed fibers, etc.
Such products are expensive. But when buying, it should be understood that this is a piece of handmade goods - it can take anywhere from six months to three years for a master to make one canvas.
How to make a carpet of handmade wool: technology
- First of all, the drawing is selected. Sometimes a ready-made template developed over the years. But sometimes masters come up with something new - they combine interesting ornaments from already tested drawings, play with color and overall design. With the development of modern technologies, this process is carried out in special computer programs.
- Carpet production of any scale begins with the preparation of raw materials. The hair is combed out, removing all the dirt from it. Then they spin, that is, twist them in a damp filament.
- The next step is staining. This is a very responsible procedure, since the threads should be dyed in the right color and evenly.
- Weaving. It consists in tying a huge number of knots on the base. And the basis is strong parallel threads stretched on a bed.
- Sink - to freshen up products after the hands of the master.
- Stretching. Helps maintain shape when dried.
- A haircut. A delicate procedure during which the pile is trimmed to one length.
Russian carpet making
Russian-made carpets are not as famous as Indian or Iranian. However, in our country carpet weaving on a large scale was even before the appearance of the first factories and manufactories. Cloths were woven at monasteries and large estates - and these were real masterpieces created by the hands of Russian craftswomen. Amazingly embroidered carpets, hand embroidered with gold, silver and colored silk, were especially amazing. Such items were presented as gifts to the embassies of different countries, and in dark times they were taken away as part of tribute.