A Close Look at the History of Carpets

Carpets are instrumental in decorating interior spaces in homes, offices, and business premises. In a bid to meet the diverse clientele needs, they are made in a wide array of colours, sizes, and designs. Thanks to advancement in technology and increased internet access across the globe, it is possible to purchase a quality carpet at an affordable price from the comfort of your home.

Have you ever wondered when and who made the first carpets? Here is a brief overview that will give you a deeper perspective of that natural or synthetic carpet that you have been using for decades to enhance the interior decoration of your home.

History of Carpets

Carpets have been manufactured and used as home furnishings for centuries. Over the years, they have evolved from simple floor covering that used to protect the ancestors from the cold to prestigious possessions of noblemen who perceived them as symbols wealth, distinction, and prestige.

The first carpets were hand-made using locally available materials such as sisal and wool. Plain weaving and knotting were the two original techniques that were used to make the carpets. In the 18th century, the mechanization era in Europe redefined the process of making the carpets.

By using new weaving and knotting machines, manufacturing companies were able to reduce the operating costs as well as increase production. This turn of events increased the demand for carpets in North America and Europe. Nonetheless, hand knotted rugs and carpets were still being produced but on a small scale to serve customers who want luxurious and unique pieces.
From the 18th century to the 20th century, the floor covering industry was flooded with three types of soft floor covering namely:
• Hand knotted mats and rugs
• Carpets woven on power looms
• Hand hooked household rugs

In the early 1950s, machine tufted carpeting technique was discovered and spread like bush fire all over Europe. This innovation influenced the carpet production industry positively. The carpet tufting machines enabled manufacturing companies to increase their production as well as enhance the value of their products, as they were more efficient and reliable than the previous machines.

The rapidly expanding market led to the establishment of carpet manufacturing companies in Belgium and Canada in the 1970s. The emergence of advanced carpet production technology resulted in the replacement of traditional spun yarns with bulked continuous filament (BCF) yarns. Since then, new tufting machines that operate at 2000 cycles per minute have being developed to speed up the production process and meet the increase in demand for quality and affordable carpets.