Carpet History
Although, no one knows precisely when and where the technique of weaving started first. Most of carpet history is based on assumptions and guesses. There is no doubt that the weaving art in general started in Central Asia. When the inhabitants of east part migrated to the western parts of Asia in order to find more prosperous and fertile land, these migrating tribes were called nomadic tribes. During their migrations, these nomads had to face harsh weather conditions, learned to use goat hair in the making of their tents. Goat hair is longer and much more solid than sheep's wool. The flat weave technique was used in the making of nomadic tents. So it is believed that for the very first time, nomadic tribes produced carpets and area rugs to protect themselves from harsh cold climate affects in that region.
Carpet is an Arabic word actually. The term carpet refers to the floor covering made of some heavy and thick stuff or fabric, usually made of woven wool or artificial fiber. Wool is a soft and curly stuff collected from sheep and others mammals such as goat, sheep and pig. Woolen made carpets are used to cover the floor. The floor carpeting was not popular and commonly used in western interior until the 18th century. The hand made woolen carpets were made in Magnolia, Turkistan and Persia since 4th and 2nd millennium BC.
The evolution of carpet was actually affected by social, fashion and economical development when people started to adopt materialistic societies. With the passage of time after innovation of effective latest technologies, carpet industry became able to produce incredibly durable and stylish carpets to add the element of luxury, style and comfort to your home.
Below, take a look on the evolution of carpet industry from cave man to million dollars high technology carpet industries.
- 6000BC: Sheep and goat fur was used in making of tents that was then spun and woven.
- 1000AD: Marco Polo discovered carpet making techniques in Central Asia during his trading mission. After that traders spread this technique to surrounding areas such as Persia, China, India and etc.
- 1595 DuPont established it weaving unit in Paris. That was the beginning of carpet making in Europe.
- 1770: Hand made carpets take place in Britain and attract famous designers to get in this industry.
- 1791: William Sprague started carpet manufacturing in U.S and established a woven carpet mill in Philadelphia. That was the beginning of carpet industry in United States.
- 1947: after that a great revolution held during 1947 with the introduction of nylon yarn, which was providing durable, luxury and long lasting carpet seems like woven carpet but amazingly on low prices.
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Today you will find carpet in any commercial or residential place. Carpet manufacturing is ancient technology but evolved and adopted by nations with the passage of time.
