Glossary

BERBER: Berbers, such as our own “Natural Berber” carpet collection, are a distinctive, attractive and versatile variety of carpet that adapts well to any room decor. They typically have a rugged, heather appearance, made from wool or a wool blend, so are great for stairs and hallways too.

BLENDS: Refers to the blend of the yarns used in the face pile of the carpet; e.g., 80% wool/20% nylon. Different blends have different characteristics and different uses.

BOUCLE: A generic term, used to describe heavily textured loop pile carpets.

BRITISH WOOL: Term used to identify that Britain is the country of origin for the yarn used. Yarn branded with the British Wool crook mark, must contain at least 50% British wool. British wool is know for its strength, and typically used in heather and Berber carpets.

GAUGE: This is a measurement of the number of stitches per inch or per centimetre across the carpet width. The more stitches present, the more dense the carpet is likely to be and this will have benefits in how well the carpet will last and perform. Our technical specifications include this detail if required.

HEATHERS: An effect created by blending two or different coloured yarns together to create a patterned effect.  Is quite an effective style of carpet for masking wear and tear and reducing visibility of dirt/stains.

JUTE BACKING: All tufted carpets have a secondary backing which is adhered to the back of the pile fibres to give additional stability and a firm backing to fit the carpet with. Jute is a natural material, traditionally used as secondary backing for carpets.

LOOP PILE: Where the pile of a tufted carpet is left uncut to form a loop. Loop pile carpets are popular because they offer a textured appearance. They tend to feel harder under foot and in some cases are not recommended for use on stairs.

MOTH RESISTANT: Our wool yarns are treated with a coating that helps prevent moths chewing through the fibres. So the term simply means the carpet is resistant to moths. However, we always recommend the room is treated before laying down your carpet and your local retailer can advise on this

NATURALS: This generic term refers to any carpet with a “natural” colour i.e., beige and pale shades.

NATURAL FIBRES: Carpet fibres produced from natural sources. Wool is the main carpet fibre used in the UK.

NEW ZEALAND WOOL: Term used to identify that New Zealand is the country of origin for the yarn used. Yarn branded with the Wools of New Zealand fern mark must contain at least 60% New Zealand wool. New Zealand wool is known for its whiteness, and softness, and is recognised as the finest wool used to make carpets.

NYLON: The generic term is Polyamide. Nylon can be used on its own or blended with wool fibres adding to the carpets durability.

PILE: The term used to describe the face yarn which is visible when the carpet is laid on the floor.

PILE WEIGHT: The weight of yarn per square metre of carpet.

PILE HEIGHT: The term used to describe the length of the pile standing above the backing.

PILE REVERSAL: This term is used to describe a phenomenon which is caused, so many believe, by natural and man-made electrical energies which cause the pile of the carpet in certain areas to change direction. Often resembles a kind of water-mark. This is not considered to be a manufacturing fault.

POLYPROPYLENE: A man-made fibre that is ideal for coloured carpets and is inherently stain resistant.

PILLING: An expression is used to describe what look like little balls of fibres that collect on the pile surface. It is similar to the type of pilling which can occur on a sweater.

PLY: The number of strands of either twisted or otherwise cohesively entwined or intermingled together

SAXONY: A particular style of carpet usually with a longer pile height and heavier weight than standard twist carpets. Ideal for any area where softness and luxury underfoot are required.

SEAMS: Refers to joining of two carpet widths (or lengths) together to fit very large rooms. Modern seaming methods are strong and dependable. At Cormar we provide most carpets in 4m and 5m widths to help minimise this.

SHAG PILE: A style of carpet usually of longer pile height than Saxony. This was made popular by Cormar in the 1960’s and has recently come back into fashion. The longer pile shags need to be combed and specific guidance should be obtained for their care and maintenance, especially vacuuming.

SHADING: This is sometimes referred to as “water-marking”, “pooling” or “puddling”. A cut pile carpet that has 'shaded' will show areas lighter or darker than the surrounding carpet pile. This variation is caused by the reflection of light from pile tufts which come to lay in different directions and is not a manufacturing fault

SHEDDING: Describes how some carpets will naturally shed fibre during the early stages of life, usually shortly after being laid. This is perfectly normal and you should not be concerned as it is not a carpet fault.

STITCH RATE: Along with “gauge” this is used to calculate the density of a carpet and is not normally quoted in the retail shop. Ask your retailer to explain this term and how it affects your chosen carpet.

TWIST PILE: The most popular style of carpet in the UK today usually denoted by its relatively short pile length - can be very durable in the right construction.

UNDERLAY: The pad made from a variety of materials but usually rubber or felt, which helps cushion the carpet against wear. A good underlay will help prolong the life of your carpet.

WARP: In woven carpet, yarns running lengthwise.

WEFT: In woven carpet, weft yarns run across the width of the carpet, forming the basis of the backing, together with the warp.

WHIPPING: A type of finish to the edge of a carpet. Typically used on hall or stair runners, or on rugs.

80/20: These are usually wool blend carpets – the 80% is usually wool and the 20% often a synthetic yarn (such as polypropylene or nylon), which is added to either improve the characteristics of the wool or to bulk up the carpet appearance.