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About Axminster Carpets Ltd.
Carpets Made In Devon
The weaving of pure new wool carpets began in the Devon market town of Axminster way back in the middle of the eighteenth century. In those days only the very wealthy could afford to walk on a carpeted floor, until on midsummer's day in 1755 a local cloth weaver by the name of Thomas Whitty wove his very first carpet by hand. Over the past 250 years the name of Axminster has become renowned throughout the world for style, elegance and luxury.
In that time the term 'axminster' has been used by many manufacturers to denote the type of weaving process employed in the production of their carpet. Axminster Carpets Ltd in Axminster, Devon, are the only remaining carpet weavers in the town, hence the strong brand name Axminster, your guarantee of the very highest standards of quality and excellence.
The wool selected for Axminster carpets comes mostly from British sheep, including the company's own flock of Drysdales, which produce the high quality fleeces required for the very best carpet weaving yarn.
From fleece to floor every aspect of carpet production is under our direct control.
 After shearing the fleeces are transported to the company's own mill, the Buckfast Spinning Company on the edge of Dartmoor. They are opened and blended together in predetermined quantities to make the most suitable carpet yarn. The greasy blended wool is gently washed, in order to remove all the natural dirt and grease, before being rinsed in water from the crystal clear moorland streams. The mass of loose wool is placed onto spiked rollers which tease out the fibers; this process is called carding. It produces a fine web of combed wool, which is eventually divided into narrow strips of parallel fibres known as slubbings. The slubbings are then rolled into delicate strands before being spun at high speed to form a single thread of pure woollen yarn. By twisting the strands together as two or more ply, additional strength and density is acquired by the yarn, affecting the eventual weight and quality of the finished carpet. The yarn is reeled into bundles called hanks, before Colourfast dye is used to produce delicate and subtle shades and colours.
Three distinct materials make up the composition of an Axminster 100 carpet; Jute, a strong cord for the 'weft' and Cotton twine for the 'warp' make up the base, while the Pure New Wool yarn makes up the tufts or pile of the carpet. The weaving process takes place when the jute weft is carried through the cotton warps by a large needle. This anchors the tufts of the carpet in position. As the tufts are inserted fine reeds pack the woven rows tightly together. Each loom will produce 3 to 5 yards of carpet every hour under the watch full eye of the highly trained weaver, a traditional skill handed down over the generations here at Axminster.
After weaving, each carpet is subjected to a series of
intensive inspections and finishing regimes.
The carpet is lightly steamed then brushed and
sheared to produce a fine level finish.
Both sides of the carpet then undergo a rigorous initial inspection where any minor faults are detected. These are then corrected by hand in the picking department before moving on to a large passing table where it is lit from behind for further inspection. To improve tuft retention, a thin layer of vinyl is then applied to the back of the carpet before moving on to a final steaming to burst open the lush woollen pile, brushing and shearing. It is then subjected to a final inspection on a specially tilted table which is lit from all sides to ensure an even surface, before being given the 'Axminster Carpets made in Devon' seal of approval prior to delivery to one of our Axminster Carpets Preferred Stockists.
There are thirty stages of operation from 'fleece to floor' and our level of quality control and manufacturing standards ensure that with a little help from its owner, the centuries of tradition, quality and workmanship woven into a genuine Axminster Carpet will ensure retention of its good looks and luxurious character through a lifetime of service.
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Axminster Carpets LTD. 150 East 55th Street, New York, New York 10022 1-800-356-5013
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