Machine-made rugs, explained
Power looms, Jacquard looms, and tufting machines.
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Made by machine
A machine-made rug is woven or tufted by a machine rather than by hand. Power-loomed is a term for a rug woven on a power loom.
Power looms
The New Georgia Encyclopedia says that up to 1950, the production of carpets and larger rugs had been concentrated in the Northeast. It says: "Northern mills used traditional woven technology (power looms) and a relatively expensive natural fiber, wool."
Jacquard looms
Cooper Hewitt says: "The Jacquard technique involved the selective raising and lowering of the warp using punch cards encoded with the desired design." It says multiple versions of the same design could be produced quickly on the new looms.
Tufting machines
The New Georgia Encyclopedia says Dalton, Georgia, manufacturers and machine makers adapted wide tufting machines for the production of room-sized rugs and wall-to-wall carpeting. It says bulked continuous filament nylon was introduced to the industry in 1957.
Machine-made vs hand-knotted
A hand-knotted rug has knots tied around warps by hand. A machine-made rug comes from a loom or tufting machine. Neither term tells you the fiber or the design; read the label and the maker's description.
Sources: New Georgia Encyclopedia, Carpet Industry; Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, Reorientation and Replication; Canadian Conservation Institute, Basic care: Carpets and rugs.
FAQ
General information only. Keep walking paths clear. The CDC's home fall prevention checklist for older adults says to remove throw rugs, or use double-sided tape or a non-slip backing so the rugs won't slip. Follow the maker's label and instructions for any rug, rug pad, tape, or cleaning product. If someone falls and is hurt, get medical help. In an emergency, call 911.
Next: hand-tufted rugs
Pile set into a backing.
