Although there are many pieces of furniture without which a house lacks beauty, carpets are surely on a whole other level. A carpet is one of the most useful household items that never gets old.
It is interesting to know that because of its great performance in the machine-made carpet industry, our country has been able to expand its trade with other countries. The name of Iran is a reminder of the best and most beautiful carpets all over the world. Not to even mention the Kashan machine-made carpets with all their beauty!
You should know that carpets are divided into two general groups, machine-made, and hand-made carpets. The thing that differentiates these two types of carpets is the types of fiber used in making them and the way they are made. Each of the aforementioned carpets has specific qualities and its own specific fans. Next, we will fully introduce machine-made carpets. if you would like to know more about these carpets, stay with us to the end!
1) 1- An introduction to machine-made carpets:
Machine-made carpets are a popular type of carpet that is made with mechanical devices. Actually, you can say that machine-made carpets are the artificial version of a carpet. The weave of these kinds of carpets has a repeating pattern. Machine-made carpets are made by using the raw materials and the combination and repetitions of these patterns and then sent to the consumer market.
The raw materials used in the weaving of Machine-made carpets are cheaper than those used in weaving hand-made carpets, and seeing as they are made with industrial machinery, they are quicker to make. So producers can make many machine-made carpets in a small amount of time and send them into the market. The fact that machine-made carpets are cheaper while also coming in a variety of attractive designs, makes them popular among people.
Would you like to know more about the history of machine-made carpets in Iran?! If your answer is yes, then the next title is just for you!
2- The history of machine-made carpets in Iran:
Have you ever heard of the Pazyryk? The Pazyryk is the oldest carpet in the world! It might interest you to know that this carpet is an Iranian work that is more than 2500 years old!
The evidence suggests that Iranian carpets have been well-liked by the people of the world, especially traders, throughout all of history. Authentic Iranian carpets are one of the most popular and important goods produced in Iran and exported throughout the world. So don’t be shocked if you run into an Iranian carpet on the other side of the world. Iranians make carpets so that the world can experience the joy of buying an unparalleled carpet!
It should be said that machine-made carpets in our country date back to the 50th decade of the Islamic calendar, when the first machine-made carpet was made in the velvet and silk factory in Kashan, using industrial machinery. Although the machines used were very simple initially, the exceptional result was very well received by the people.
It should be noted that the first Iranian carpets were inspired by the Belgian carpets that at the time, were recently being imported into the country. As time passed, the machinery used for making machine-made carpets became more complicated and the carpets were made in a variety of colors and patterns so that today we can witness the beautiful and charming Iranian carpets in most homes
3- Kashan; the capital of Iranian machine-made carpets:
Aran, Bidgol, and Kashan are known as the machine-made carpet capital of Iran. It is interesting to know that these not-so-big towns have over 800 machine-made carpet manufacturers. Of course, the story of high-quality carpet manufacturing in Iran doesn’t end with Aran and Bidgol. The gears of this industry also spin well in cities such as Tehran, Tabriz, Mashhad, Yazd, and Isfahan.
In the not-so-distant past carpet factories were managed by government organizations. But today we have witnessed many small and large private companies produce and become renowned for the production of machine-made carpets!
As we said before, machine-made carpets are made with industrial machinery. Some of the most important machinery are as follows:
- · Taxima
- · Schonherr
- · Vandewiele
- · Alpha
- · ASR
- · CRX
- · VTR
4– Machine-made carpets; as beautiful as a world of color and patterns:
It makes no difference whether you are a fan of classic patterns or a lover of modern ones. You can easily find and purchase your desired machine-made carpet!
Iranian machine-made carpets are made using classic and modern patterns in various colors so they can cater to various tastes. These types of carpets incorporate high-quality pictures within them and display colors with extra beauty and pleasing clarity. Maybe that is why they are so popular!
The patterns used in the making of these carpets are reminders of the culture of the place their maker lives, as well as being beautiful.This is where culture and art interact and take beauty to a new peak.
The old and authentic patterns of machine-made carpets like Shah Abbasi, Arabesque, Gol Khatayi, Afshan, Mehrab, Botehjegheh, Telfiqi, Islamic Architecture, and … have more loyal fans than modern patterns. These types of carpets are divided into two categories based on design and pattern; those being normal and with protruding flowers.
Machine-made carpets have more varied and detailed designs than their handmade counterparts. One of the most influential factors in the design of machine-made carpets is the variety in their color, which is dependent on the density of the carpet. It should be noted that these carpets are made in 8, 10, 12, and 14 colors, depending on their density, and then sent to the consumer market.
5- What machine-made carpets are made of:
It is both interesting and vital to know that three types of thread are used in weaving machine-made carpets, those being warp thread, weft thread, and pile thread. The warp and weft thread of carpets is usually made of polyester, cotton, and Jute. The most noticeable difference between machine-made and handwoven carpets, which influences their appearance and quality, is their pile or nap tread. The pile tread used in the production of machine-made carpets is most commonly made of a type of wool, nylon, polyester, propene, BCF, or a mixture of acrylic and BCF.
The pile thread used for the production of the best machine-made carpets is made of wool. Of course these days, acrylic fibers that are significantly similar to wool, and have better durability are used in the production of machine-made carpets. Acrylic carpets that are well-liked by consumers today are of higher quality, and as a result, more expensive.
The most popular types of machine-made carpets are those made of synthetic silk. These types of carpets have a brighter color than their non-silk counterparts, and seeing as they have higher color stability and durability, they are popular with a lot of people. Their easy and hassle-free cleaning is another quality that makes these carpets more popular!
6- The density of machine-made carpets:
Another one of the most important features of machine-made carpets is their density. It should be noted that each rug has two densities; length density, and width density. The higher the density and reeds of the carpet, the higher its durability, quality, and detail will be. So when buying a machine-made carpet choose one that has a noteworthy quality, as well as being beautiful; and to detect this quality, pay attention to its density and reeds.
Now you might be thinking what length and width density are.
Width density, also known as reeds refers to the number of knots in a meter of carpet. Machine-made carpets are sold with 4 different reeds: 700 reeds, 1000 reeds, 1200 reeds, and 1500 reeds.
The rows of knots in a meter of carpet are known as length density. Carpets are usually available in 1000, 2550, 700, 3000, 3600, and … knots per meter.
It should be noted that carpets with 700 reeds, enter the market with a density of 2100. This is while carpets with 1000 reeds enter the consumer market with a density of 3000, and those with 1200 reeds enter with a density of 3600. The aforementioned carpets are available in 6, 9, and 12 meters, and you can even order them in your desired size if you wish to do so
The longevity and durability of machine-made carpets are dependent on the reeds and quality of the tread used in its weaving. The correct use of these carpets plays an important role in prolonging their life. Some other elements that play a part in adding to the longevity and durability of machine-made carpets are as follows:
- · Keeping the carpet away from sunlight and moisture
- · Not folding the carpet
- · Washing it properly and at the correct time
- · Not putting heavy objects on the carpet
- · Proper transportation