How Cotton Rugs Are Made

Cotton rugs are one of the most popular rugs in vogue now, and they will always remain in fashion. They are mostly made purely from cotton plants. Cotton is a popular choice for making rugs because of its numerous benefits. Continue reading to learn how cotton area rugs are made.

Why Cotton is Excellent for Rug Making

• Cotton is a natural material that is easy to produce.
• It is environmentally friendly and has a lot of functions. 
• Cotton fibers are soft, fluffy, and durable. 
• Cotton retains dyes very effectively which makes them easy to be made into a variety of colors and designs.
• Cotton area rugs are available in different materials and shapes and can be used in any part of the house.

These attributes make cotton an excellent material for producing high-quality rugs. 

Is cotton rug good? Yes, cotton area rugs are magnificent - they are known for their softness and durability. Cotton, also, is very easy to wash and maintain. You can easily wash cotton rugs with a washing machine. This makes them more suitable for porches or kitchens where they are more prone to stains and spills.

You can use mild cleaning products to clean the larger size cotton rug that is not easy to throw in the washing machine.

There are several methods used in making cotton area rugs to suit your taste and suitable for your living space. So, let us see how they make these great rugs.

How Cotton Rugs Are Made

Rugs have been known and made for centuries among tribal people. They were first made by shepherds who needed heavy clothing to protect themselves from wind and cold. As time went on, those heavy clothes were used as floor coverings.

From traditions such as the Chinese, Moroccans, and the Turkish. Different people around the world have each developed rug-making methods.  Of all these methods, there is very little difference in how they were made.

Nowadays, they are made using both machine and hand. The best way to identify the quality of any rug is through the technique and materials used in weaving the carpet.

Here is a detailed description of making a cotton rug from unprocessed cotton.

1. Raw Cotton is Turned into Yarn

There are several processes and steps required to convert raw cotton material into yarns.

1. The first step is to clean the raw cotton from foreign substances such as seeds, leaves, stems using a cotton gin.
2. Once the raw cotton is placed in the gin, the cottonseed moves through many machines that remove dirt. They also clean and dry the cotton for the proper removal of foreign materials.
3. After cleaning, the workers transfer the cotton to the gin stand and use a saw with sharp teeth to pluck out seeds from the fiber. This technique makes the cotton fiber smoother for easy processing into yarn.
4. Once the fiber is smooth, it is packed into bales for another cleaning activity. Although the cotton fiber is washed during the ginning process, it is not enough to make it clean as it needs to be.
5. So, they are packed out from the bales for another series of washing and drying processes.
6. After thorough cleaning and drying. The workers transfer the fluffy fibers into a carding machine. The job of this device is to loosen and strengthen the fibers. Thereby, turning them into soft and insisted strands called slivers.
7. The slivers are further straightened into thinner strands to improve their strength. After this method, the silver is ready for spinning, which is the last step in making yarn.
8. The spinning machine takes fiber from the sliver, then spins it several times into a strand of yarn. The yarns are then winded into bobbins.

2. The Yarn is dyed

This step involves submerging the processed and clean yarns into a dye bath. This process is made by blending natural and synthetic elements to get the desired color or shades of color.

During the dying process, heat is supplied to the dye solution to allow the fiber to absorb the dye effectively. This also helps in the swelling of the fiber to make it more receptive. The dyed yarn is then passed through a series of drying processes such as the sun and allowed to dry. 

3. The rug making

Once the yarn is dyed and dried, the next is to convert the dyed yarn into the finished product. There are three methods one can make a cotton area rug. The first method is knotting, the second is tufting, and the third method is hooking.

• Knotting: In this method, the artist will firstly sketch the rug design on paper. The yarn’ frame is then prepared by stretching the columns of thread called wraps, which are also made of cotton.

The columns of threads are arranged vertically down the loom on the frame. The weaver starts the process by weaving the yarn on the threads’ column arranged in the loom.

The weaver knits the yarn knot by knot. There are three types of knotting methods. The Turkish knot, the Tibetan knot, and the Persian knot. 

• Tufting: This is another process of rug making. The artist draws patterns on a basic backing material with a stencil, a thin perforated sheet. The basic backing material is mostly made from cotton. The rug is woven by inserting tufts of cotton into the backing material with the aid of a tufting tool.

Latex material is used to cover the main backing material. While the surface of the weave is then sheared to create a dense pile flat surface cotton rug.

• Hooking: This is another method used in making a cotton rug. Once the color, style, and pattern of the rug is chosen, the weaver then starts the weaving process. The weaving is carried out through a framework that allows the weaver to raise and lower their body alongside the length of the rug. 

The weaver moves the yarn back and forth through a cotton backing using a specialized tool. This is the cheapest and most affordable of all the methods used in making cotton area rugs.

Conclusion

A cotton rug is a piece for decorative purposes. And also a work of art that comes with a long history of craftsmanship and luxury.

As you can see from the processes of making cotton rugs. The intricate designs of the carpet are evident in the precision and details that go into the rug-making process.

Whether you are styling your home, loft, or new condo, Rugs by Roo presents a suite of modern cotton area rugs. The designs embody excellence in design.

If you are on the search for a beautiful cotton area rug for your space. Visit Rugs by Roo’s exciting online store to find the perfect rug for you.