To help you, we have created a list of regular carpet terms below with their explanations that have been used throughout the site.
80:20
The 80% wool 20% nylon mix, developed by Brintons in the 1950s; the softness of wool combined with the strength of nylon creates the perfect carpet yarn.
axminster
Brintons is the world's leading manufacturer of axminsters, a way of making woven carpets that offers great pattern definition. Most axminster carpets are patterned.
berber
Traditionally berbers were made from natural-coloured wools, but what we refer to these days as a berber is a heather with a 'homespun' appearance.
brinset
Plain carpet is prone to show random shading effects beyond those you'd normally expect from foot traffic. Brintons developed the Brinset process, which is used during manufacture to eliminate the risk of these effects. The Brinset guarantee is valid for 2 years from the installation of the carpet.
heather
Carpet yarn made from more than one fibre colour, giving a flecked, multicoloured effect.
pile
The pile is the bit you stand on. 'Total pile weight' refers to the amount of yarn used to make the carpet. Deep-pile carpets feel more luxurious, while more rows of yarn are harder-wearing.
tufted
Tufts of yarn are punched through a backing membrane and secured by latex. Tufting is a less time-consuming, and therefore less costly process than weaving, but it does mean the construction of the carpet isn't as solid.
twist
A type of carpet that uses yarn with a higher twist than usual, to create a textured surface.
velvet
Staighter than twisted yarn, with the cut ends at the top, giving a soft, velvety surface.
wilton
The oldest method of weaving, offering limited colour choice but a variety of textures. Ideal for producing textured plains.
woven
A traditional process where the pile and backing yarns are woven together, offering unrivalled strength and stability. You can spot a woven carpet by the warp and weft threads on the reverse. Both axminster and wilton carpets are woven.
