FLOOR COVERING OF INDIA

DEFINITIONS

• Floor covering is a term used to describe any finish material applied over a floor structure to provide a walking surface. It refers more to loose-laid materials.• Materials classified as soft floor coverings include I. carpetsII. area rugs.

CarpetsA carpet is a floor covering woven or felted from natural or man-made fibers. A fitted carpet is attached to the floor structure, extends wall-to-wall, and cannot be moved from place to place.

RugsRugs are also woven or felted from fibers, but are smaller than the room in which they are located, have a finished edge, and usually lie over another finished floor such as wood flooring.

HISTORY

• Carpet weaving is an ancient Indian tradition, with the industry flourishing in the country 16th century onwards. Today, India is the world's largest producer and exporter of handmade carpets in terms of value and volume. Around 70–75 per cent of carpets manufactured in India are exported. Indian carpets are known worldwide for their excellent design, fascinating colours and quality.• The countries known for their skill in carpet and rug making and

which export them are: Afghanistan, China, India, Pakistan, Persia(Iran), Spain, France and England.

STYLES OF CARPETS

Berber

A bulky knobby-looking loop-pile with much larger loops than commercial grade loop pile carpet, usually made of olefin or olefin/nylon blend. Berber can have random specks of color, which are usually nylon blended in with the base olefin fibers.

Cut-n-loop pile

Carpet whose face shows a pattern made up of a combination of loop pile tufts and cut pile tufts to give a sculptured design.

Plush

Sometimes called velvet-plush or simply velvet. A luxurious smooth-textured, highly finished, sheared level cut pile carpet surface with a very smooth, formal look in which individual tufts are only minimally visible due to its low twist and the overall visual effect is that of a single level of yarn ends. Plush is longer and more dense than a “Saxony”.

Cut Pile

A carpet pile, the face of which is composed of cut ends of pile yarn, as compared to loop pile.

FriezeFrieze carpet, pronounced “free-zay”, is a tightly twisted yarn that gives a kinked or curled appearance to carpet pile. Generally, this is a shorter pile height than a shag carpet.

Multi-level loop

A loop pile construction in which some loops are smaller than others resulting in a sculptured appearance.

Saxony

A dense smooth level-cut pile carpet with surface yarns that are closely packed and even across the face with the yarn ends visible to create a less formal look.

Shag

A deep-pile texture with long cut surface yarns. Pile height is greater than 3/4 inch, with density not exceeding 1800.

TYPES OF CARPET FIBERFiber Nylon Polyester PPT Polypropylene

Style Options Excellent Good Fair Fair

Color Options Excellent Good Good Fair

Soil Resistance Excellent Fair Fair Poor

Stain Resistance Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent

Texture Retention Excellent Good Good Fair

FIBRES AND YARNS USED IN CARPETRYCarpet can be made from many single or blended natural and synthetic

fibres. Fibres are chosen for durability, appearance, ease of manufacture, and cost.

NylonNylon is the most common material for construction of carpets. It can be

printed easily and has excellent wear characteristics. As nylon is petroleum-based it varies in price with the price of oil.

PolypropylenePolypropylene is used to produce carpet yarns because it is inexpensive. It is

difficult to dye and does not wear as well as wool or nylon. Outdoor grass carpets are usually made from polypropylene.

Nylon

Polypropylene

Wool and wool-blendsWool has excellent durability, can be dyed easily and is fairly abundant.

When blended with synthetic fibres such as nylon the durability of wool is increased. Blended wool yarns are extensively used in production of modern carpet, with the most common blend being 80% wool to 20% synthetic fibre, giving rise to the term "80/20". Wool is relatively expensive and consequently a small portion of the market.

PolyesterPolyester has good physical properties and is inherently stain-resistant

because it is hydrophobic. Color is infused in a molten state (solution dyeing). Polyester has the disadvantage that it tends to crush or mat down easily. It is typically used in mid- to low-priced carpeting.

AcrylicAcrylic is fairly difficult to dye but is colorfast, washable and has the

feel and appearance of wool making it an ideal rug fabric.

Wool and wool-blends

Polyester

Acrylic

Types:-Carpets and rugs are classified according to how they are made.Woven- The carpet is produced on a loom quite similar to woven fabric.

Most expensive due to the slow speed of the manufacturing process.Needle felt- More technologically advanced. Produced by intermingling

and felting individual synthetic fibers using needles. Forms an extremely durable carpet. Found in commercial settings such as hotels and restaurants where there is frequent traffic.

Knotted- Usually done by hand. On a knotted pile carpet, the structural weft threads alternate with a supplementary weft that rises at right angles to the surface of the weave.

Tufted- These are carpets that have their pile injected into a backing material, which is itself then bonded to a secondary backing.

Woven Needle felt

Knotted Tufted

Carpet Industry In IndiaIndia has an ancient tradition of carpet weaving, with the industry flourishing in the country from the 16th century onwards. Today, India is the world's largest producer and exporter of hand-made carpets in terms of value as well as volume.In fact, 90 per cent of the carpets manufactured in India are exported. Indian carpets are known worldwide for their excellent design, fascinating colours and quality.

Most of the carpet manufacturing in India takes place in the northern part of the country in the towns of Bhadohi, Agra, Jaipur, Srinagar and Danapur.

HAND-KNOTTED WOOLLEN CARPETS

TUFTED WOOLLEN CARPETS

GABBE WOOLLEN CARPETS

PURE SILK CARPETS

HAND-MADE

WOOLLEN DHURRIES

STAPLE/SYNTHETIC CARPETS

CHAIN STITCH RUGS

Export Highlights In 2013-14, exports of hand-made carpets excluding silk was at US$

1,034.55 million. However, exports of silk carpets stood at US$ 2.57 million in 2013-14.

Indian hand-made carpets are exported to over 100 nations and the US accounts for the largest share.

Carpets Export Promotion CouncilThe Carpet Export Promotion Council (CEPC) is the apex body of exporters of hand-made carpets and other floor coverings in India. The Council provides assistance to exporters by identifying new markets, providing financial aid, sponsoring participation in worldwide events, arranging buyer-seller meets and resolving trade disputes.

MARKETING STRATEGIES

• Exclude the middle-men• Use e-commerce industry to promote Kashmiri carpets• Make it easily available for everyone• Be innovative in products• Give training to the artisans• Flexible price range

Competition

International Market China – Produces at Low manufacturing cost Iran – Ranked 3rd as an Ideal supplier for carpets by OTF, It has a

reputation of Supply driven producer Pakistan- Shares the same technology an keeps direct contact with

the end customer Afghanistan – Producers from there are forming direct link with the

customers

PRESENT SCENARIO

• Largest financial institution in Kashmir announced an interest-free and mortgage- free 18-month bailout package for carpet industry artisans• The competition within and between the producing countries have

depressed export prices, while competition between importers and retailers have cut into trade margins• World flooring and carpet demand will rise 4.9 percent yearly to 18.6

billion square meters in 2016. Hence, India must concentrate more on the exports of Kashmiri carpets as it is predicted that the Asia- Pacific region will see the most rapid growth• Sellers/Traders are into the Profits of the Manufacturers and Artisans

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