Antimicrobial

A chemical treatment added to carpet to reduce the growth of common bacteria, fungi, yeast, mould and mildew.

Antistatic

The ability of a carpet system to dissipate an electrostatic charge before it reaches the threshold of human sensitivity.

 

Attached Underlay

A cushioning material, such as foam, rubber, urethane, PVC, etc., adhered to the back side of a carpet to provide additional dimensional stability, thickness and padding.

 

Backing

Fabrics and yarns that make up the back of the carpet as opposed to the carpet pile or face. In tufted carpet:
• Primary backing - A woven or nonwoven fabric in which the yarn is inserted by the tufting needles.
• Secondary backing - Fabric laminated to the back of the carpet to increase dimensional stability.
In woven carpet, the backing consists of “construction yarns” which are interwoven with the face yarn.

 

Berber

A loop-pile carpet style tufted with thick yarn, such as wool, nylon or olefin. Often having random specks of color in contrast to a base hue, this carpet style has a full, comfortable feel, while maintaining an informal, casual look. Currently, this term has expanded to describe many level or multilevel loop carpet styles.

 

Binding

A band or strip sewn over a carpet edge to protect, strengthen or decorate the edge.

 

Broadloom

A term used to denote carpet produced in widths wider than 1.8 metres. Broadloom is usually 4 metres or 5 metres wide.

 

Construction

The manufacturing method (i.e., tufted, woven) and the final arrangement of fibre and backing materials as stated in its specification.

 

Cut Pile

A carpet fabric in which the face is composed of cut ends of pile yarn.

 

Cut-Loop Pile

A carpet fabric in which the face is composed of a combination of cut ends of pile yarns and loops.

 

Density

Refers to the amount of pile yarn in the carpet and the closeness of the tufts. In general, the denser the pile, the better the performance.

 

Finished Yarn Weight

Yarn weight in ounces/square yard of a finished (after manufacturing process) carpet. The finished yarn weight is determined by removing all yarn from the finished carpet and dissolving any foreign non-yarn materials.

 

Fluffing

Appearance on carpet surface of loose fibre fragments left during manufacture; not a defect, but a characteristic that disappears after carpet use and vacuuming. Sometimes called “fuzzing” or “shedding.”

 

Frieze

Pronounced "free-zay," this tightly twisted yarn gives carpet a rough, nubby appearance.

 

Fuzzing

Hairy effect on fabric surface caused by fibres slipping out of the yarn with wear or wet cleaning.

 

Gripper

Wood or metal strips fastened to the floor near the walls of a room containing either two or three rows of pins angled toward the walls on which the carpet backing is stretched and secured in a stretch-in installation.

 

Level Loop

The pile loops are of substantially the same height and uncut, making a smooth, level surface.

 

Loop Pile

Carpet style having a pile surface consisting of uncut loops. May be woven or tufted. Also called “round wire” in woven carpet terminology.

 

Luster

Brightness or sheen of fibres, yarns, carpet or fabrics.

 

Pile

The visible surface of carpet consisting of yarn tufts in loop and/or cut configuration. Sometimes called “face” or “nap”.

 

Pile Crush

Loss of pile thickness due to compression and bending of tufts caused by traffic and heavy furniture. The tufts collapse into the air space between them. This may be irreversible if the yarn has inadequate resilience or the pile has insufficient density for the traffic load. Frequent vacuuming will lift the pile for longer carpet life.

 

Pilling

A condition of the carpet face (which may occur from heavy traffic) in which fibres from different tufts become entangled with one another, forming tangled masses of fibres. Pills may be cut off with scissors.
Plush - Luxuriously smooth-textured carpet surface in which individual tufts are only minimally visible and the overall visual effect is that of a single level of yarn ends. This finish is normally achieved only on cut-pile carpet produced from spun yarns by brushing and shearing. Sometimes called “velvet-plush.”

 

Ply

1. A single-end component in a plied yarn. 2. The number that tells how many single ends have been ply-twisted together to form a plied yarn, e.g., two-ply or three-ply.

 

Power Stretcher

A carpet installation tool used to stretch carpet over carpet gripper.

 

Resilience

Ability of carpet pile or cushion to recover original appearance and thickness after being subjected to compressive forces or crushing under traffic.

 

Saxony

A cut-pile carpet texture with twisted yarns in a relatively dense, erect configuration. The effect is well-defined tuft tips.

 

Seams

In a carpet installation, the line formed by joining the edges of two pieces of carpet by the use of seaming tapes, hand sewing or other techniques.

 

Shading

A change in the appearance of a carpet due to localised distortions in the orientation of the fibres, tufts or loops. Shading is not a change in colour or hue, but a difference in light reflection.

 

Sisal

A carpet style mimicking the woven look of rugs made from a natural plant fibre. The pattern has the appearance of interwoven webs but is created on a tufting machine by continually adjusting the height of each pile yarn.

 

Soil Retardant

A chemical finish applied to fibres or carpet surfaces that inhibits the attachment of soil.

 

Stitches

Stitches per inch. Number of yarn tufts per running inch of a single tuft row in tufted carpet.

 

Tufted

Carpet manufactured by the insertion of tufts of yarn through a carpet-backing fabric, creating a pile surface of cut and/or loop ends.

 

Twist

The winding of the yarn around itself. Should be neat and well-defined. A tighter twist provides enhanced durability.

 

Underlay

Any kind of material placed under carpet to provide softness and adequate support when it is walked upon. Carpet underlay provides a softer feel underfoot and provides added acoustical and insulation benefits and longer wear life for the carpet. In some cases, the underlay is attached to the carpet when it is manufactured. Also referred to as “padding” or “cushion,” although “underlay” is the preferred term.

 

Woven

Carpet produced on a weaving loom in which the lengthwise yarns and widthwise yarns are interlaced to form the fabric, including the face and the backing.

 

Yarn Ply

The number of single yarns twisted together to form a plied yarn.