What is a Woven Carpet?
While modern carpet manufacturing has expanded the range of carpet types available and greatly reduced the time needed to produce them, weaving was the dominant technique to produce carpets up until the mid-20th century.
Traditional woven carpets are made by interlacing face yarns with backing yarns on a loom, usually made from wool or a wool blend. A layer of latex is then applied to the carpet backing to hold the tufts in place and create the finished product.
Despite requiring more time and skill to produce (and being more expensive as a result), woven carpets remain popular to this day due to the intricate designs and attention to detail that you just won’t find with other carpet types. A luxury woven carpet is an essential part of any high-end, opulent decor when you want to make a statement.
What are the different types of woven carpets?
There are two main types of woven carpet on the market today: Axminster and Wilton. Which one you choose will depend on your specific use case, as each type is manufactured differently with different strengths to consider.
Axminster carpets
Axminster carpets are made by cutting and weaving individual tufts of yarn directly with the backing fibres, affording maximum control over the colour and intricacy of the carpet design. The end result is an incredibly durable woven carpet which can be made in a wider range of colours than you will find with a Wilton carpet.
Wilton carpets
Wilton carpets are instead made by continuously running an uncut yarn and weaving this into the carpet backing. The yarn can then be left as a loop for a loop pile carpet finish, or cut to create a short/cut pile carpet. This flexibility means that Wilton carpets can offer more variety in the texture and finish than with an Axminster carpet, but with fewer colours used in the design.
What are the pros and cons of woven carpet?
The fine craftsmanship that goes into a woven carpet can offer a number of advantages over mass-produced tufted carpets, but this comes with some drawbacks as well.
Pros
- Excellent durability, as the yarn is woven directly into the carpet backing
- Resistant to crushing, as the densely woven pile will bounce back
- Intricate designs which can’t be replicated by mass produced carpets
Cons
- Can be less plush than some tufted carpet types
- More expensive than tufted carpets due to the time intensive weaving process
Tufted carpet vs Woven carpet
With advances in manufacturing processes, the vast majority of carpets produced today are tufted due to the speed that they can be produced when compared to traditional carpet weaving.
Tufted carpets are made by pushing hundreds of yarn-threaded needles through the carpet backing, which can then be reinforced by glueing on a secondary backing for added stability. The tufts can be finished in a number of ways to create different carpet types such as loop, twist and cut pile.
A tufted carpet will be more affordable than woven carpets and will offer great performance in most situations. But if durability and longevity are key considerations, and if you’re looking for a more intricate pattern to create a statement, then it may be worth investing in a woven carpet.
Ready to order a luxury woven carpet?
At Birch Carpets we are proud to offer a range of commercial Wilton carpets in a variety of bold, eye-catching designs, all available with a completely free sample you can order online.
If you’d like further details or a competitive quote on any woven carpet in our range, get in touch today to see how we can help!
Contessa Damask Carpet
High quality woven Wilton carpet in a range of attractive designs.
View the Contessa Damask Carpet range
Contessa Duet Carpet
Unique pin dot accents give this Wilton carpet a subtle appearance.
View the Contessa Duet Carpet range
Contessa Nova Carpet
A striking, geometric Wilton carpet design featuring intersecting rings.