Axminster CarpetsManufacturingAxminster wool buyers regularly attend wool auctions held by the British Wool Marketing Board which handles all the fleece wool in the UK on behalf of 80,000 sheep farmers. Two thirds of the wool grown is used in quality carpet production and Axminster Carpets Ltd incorporates more that 90 per cent British wool in their carpets. The buyers want to purchase particular types of resilient, hardwearing British wool most suited to Axminster carpet weaving. Before an auction, they select and value from many sample bales of wool. They are looking for colour and the length of the staple, but in particular, for strength and bulk. These characteristics distinguish British wool as a premier carpet fibre and have contributed to the worldwide reputation enjoyed by Axminster Carpets Ltd for the appearance, quality and wear of its ranges. At Buckfast Mill, on the southern edge of Dartmoor, the raw wool is sorted according to fibre Iength and colour. White wool will be dyed in lighter colours, or left natural, while tinted fleeces will be dyed in darker colours. The wool fleeces are mechanically stretched out or 'opened' to a more uniform mass, before blending the most suitable mix of wool for carpet weaving. A six stage washing process removes dirt, grease and other impurities. This process is enhanced by the abundance of clean water from the crystal clear streams of Dartmoor. The wool is dried and any dust is extracted, before it is blown into large storage bins, to relax and regain its original structure. It is then lightly lubricated, baled and left to condition process before the next process - carding. Carding is a precisely monitored operation using a series of progressively finer spiked roIlers to comb out the wool fibres into a fine, uniform web. Carried along an array of narrow conveyor belts, the layer of wool is divided into narrow strips, or 'slubbings'. It is these strips which are roIled into fragile strands before being loaded on to the spinning frame. The slubbings are then spun at more than 5000 rpm into a single ply 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 wound into hanks, before a final washing to enhance the dyeing technique. Colourfast dyes are used to produce delicate subtle shades and colours. The composition of the dye, its temperature and the immersion time of the hanks are Once dried, the hanks are allowed to cool and condition naturally before being wound onto more manageable 'cones' and packaged for despatch to our weaving looms at Axminster. Several thousand kilos of yarn make this journey every working day. The carpet is brushed to remove any foreign matter, and squared for alignment and symmetry. After further steaming to burst open the lush woollen pile, a coating of vinyl is applied to the back of the carpet to assist tuft retention and ease cutting and fitting. Further brushing is followed by a second and final tip shearing operation to ensure a smooth, level finish. To ensure perfection, a meticulous final examination is carried out by our most senior inspectors using a specially illuminated, tilting table. Barcode identification enables us to trace the carpet's processes and materials, at this, and every other production stage. We are justifiably proud of the superb quality control and manufacturing standards in an Axminster from Axminster. Large stocks of carpets are held at our warehouse, and their movements and allocations are controlled by a computerised management system. Carpets are cut and sized to order requirements, before rolling and final packaging. The carpets are finally dispatched by our own fleet of vehicles, ensuring prompt and reliable delivery direct from the factory to Axminster Carpets Ltd approved stockists across the UK. Fitting an Axminster carpet to BS 5325 is vitally important. We recommend that you use a quality underlay such as Axfelt 65 which complies to BS5808. Daily vacuuming with an upright beater-bar type of cleaner is essential for maintaining your carpet's appearance and the integrity of its pile. If you have a loop pile carpet, it should be cleaned with a suction head only. If your carpet becomes stained, you will find lots of detailed help in the 'Caring for your carpet' section on this site. If you have any doubts about a stain, you should have your carpet cleaned professionally. |