Oriental Rugs Dictionary
Cotton
Cotton is a natural plant fiber widely used in textile production. In oriental carpets, cotton is commonly used for the foundation of the rug, including the warp and weft threads, while wool is typically used for the pile. Cotton provides strength and stability to the structure of the carpet. Fiber from the seed pod of the plant Gossypium herbaceum. The use of cotton in the foundation of pile rugs is a common and very old practice. Undyed cotton is used rarely for small areas of pile rugs where its hard white appearance provides contrast. Cotton is not generally used as an allover pile fiber because of its tendency to mat. Cotton is grown throughout the Middle East and Asia. Egyptian cotton is known for its long staple, only exceeded in length by Georgia Sea Island cotton. Staple length varies from 3/8 to 2 1/2 inches. Cotton fiber has the cross section of a flattened tube. It is naturally twisted, and this characteristic makes it easy to spin. The main use of cotton in carpet weaving industry is for the foundation, however there are a group of items made in India both flatweaves and pile carpets all cotton.
