Materials Guide
Carpet is described in the language of its fibres. These are the materials named across our product pages, and what each one actually does for a floor. If you are weighing one against another for a specific space, ask us — the right answer depends on the traffic, the light and the budget.
Natural fibres
- Wool
- Strong, soft and naturally resilient. The mainstay of long-lasting carpet, and the fibre most used in hospitality-grade Axminster.
- Silk
- Adds a luxurious sheen and holds fine detail, so it is used to pick out intricate work in decorative carpets.
- Mohair
- A lustrous goat-hair fibre, used where a bright sheen and a crisp surface are wanted.
Plant-based fibres
- Bamboo silk
- A smooth, elegant fibre made from bamboo cellulose. Gives a silk-like finish with eco-friendly credentials.
- Botanical silk
- A sustainable alternative to silk that combines durability with much of the same visual appeal.
Synthetic fibres
- Nylon
- Highly durable and wear-resistant. The usual choice for high-traffic offices and commercial floors.
- Polypropylene
- Cost-effective and moisture-resistant, suited to general-purpose applications.
Blends
- Wool and silk blends
- Strength from the wool, luxury from the silk — balanced performance with visual richness.
- Wool-nylon blends
- The softness of wool with the strength of nylon, for durability without losing the hand.
Backings
- Bitumen or PVC backing
- The stable base of a carpet tile. It keeps the tile flat, makes it hard-wearing and lets a single tile be lifted and replaced.
Which construction uses which fibre
| Product type | Construction | Best suited to | Design freedom | Durability | Indicative lead time | Minimum order |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hand-Tufted | Yarn tufted into a backing by hand, then sheared and finished. | Luxury hotels, offices, residential and institutional interiors. | High — patterns, shapes, colours and textures made to order. | High. Suits decorative and high-traffic areas alike. | Faster than hand-knotted; confirmed on quotation. | On request |
| Hand-Knotted | Every knot tied by hand, at the knot density the project calls for. | VIP suites, boardrooms, palaces, museums and heritage interiors. | Highest — each carpet is one of a kind. | Highest. Withstands heavy use and lasts generations. | The longest of the five; hand work sets the pace. | On request |
| Axminster | Woven on Axminster looms for consistent, repeatable pattern. | Hotels, airports, malls, corridors, ballrooms and conference halls. | High — intricate patterns reproduced exactly over large areas. | Very high. Engineered for heavy foot traffic, with strong colour retention. | On request | On request — loom width sets the practical minimum. |
| Carpet Tiles | Modular tiles on a bitumen or PVC backing. | Offices, retail, schools, universities and government facilities. | Moderate — pattern comes from how the tiles are laid. | High, and a damaged tile is replaced on its own rather than the floor. | On request | On request |
| Custom & Bespoke | Produced hand-tufted, hand-knotted or Axminster, whichever the design needs. | Branded hospitality, headquarters, private villas and cultural buildings. | Unlimited — pattern, colour, texture, shape and size. | Follows the construction chosen. | Set by the construction chosen and the design stage. | On request |
| Mosque Carpets | Woven with defined prayer rows (saf) and mihrab-arch or geometric star motifs. | Mosques, prayer rooms and Islamic institutions of every scale. | High — designs, colours and sizes matched to the hall. | Built for heavy daily use, in halls that see five prayers a day. | On request | On request |
Lead time and minimum order depend on the design, the area and the finishing required. Send us the drawings or the BOQ and we will come back with both.