Mysore.

Report and Analysis of

CARPET INDUSTRY Submitted to,

Prof.J.Balaji

Submitted on,

26th Aug 2011

Submitted by,

Surbhi Malhan (11056)

Ullasa Kumar Jha(11057)

Vanikar Nachiket M (11058)

Vijeth Anburmath (11059)

Vipin Bajaj (11060)

INTRODUCTION

The Handloom sector plays a very important role in the country’s economy, besides being the largest generator of non-farm rural employment. It is one of the largest economic activities providing direct employment to over 65 lakhs persons engaged in weaving and allied activities. As a result of effective Government intervention through financial assistance and implementation of various developmental and welfare schemes, this sector has been able to withstand competition from the power loom and mill sectors. This sector contributes nearly 19% of the total cloth produced in the country and also adds substantially to export earnings. Handloom is unparalleled in its flexibility and versatility, permitting experimentation and encouraging innovations. The strength of Handloom lies in the introducing innovative designs, which cannot be replicated by the Power loom sector. Thus, Handloom forms a part of the heritage of India and exemplifies the richness and diversity of our country and the artistry of the weavers. The Office of the Development Commissioner for Handlooms has been implementing, since its inception in the year 1976, various schemes for the promotion and development of the handloom sector and providing assistance to the handloom weavers in a variety of ways. Some of the major programmes relate to: • Modernisation and Up gradation of Technology • Input Support • Marketing Support • Publicity • Infrastructural Support • Welfare Measures • Composite Growth Oriented Package • Development of Exportable Products • Research & Development The various schemes implemented by the Office of Development Commissioner for Handlooms address the needs of weavers who constitute the disadvantaged social strata and occupational groups, which are at the bottom of the economic hierarchy. Concerted efforts are being made through the schemes and programme to enhance production, productivity, and efficiency of the handloom sector and enhance the income and socio-economic status of the weavers by upgrading their skills and providing infrastructural support and essential inputs. While available statistics indicate an economic sector of considerable size, there is still immense scope for expansion. Any initiative in this direction, however, is hampered by a paucity of detailed ground level data. The generation of such information is an urgent necessity today, since programme formulations for handloom weavers must be based on regional specificities and conditions of weaving.

Major Contributors to Handloom across Globe

Country-wise export data from 2003-04 to 2008-09

S.

No. Country 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09(Prov.)

Rupees

Crores

U.S. $

Million

Rupees

Crores

U.S. $

Million

Rupees

Crores

U.S. $

Million

Rupees

Crores

U.S. $

Million

1 Argentina 5.99 1.35 6.98 1.53 7.20 1.79 10.52 2.33

2 Australia 35.55 8.03 51.08 11.23 62.56 15.54 68.81 15.20

3 Austria 23.47 5.30 27.92 6.13 19.11 4.75 23.7 5.25

4 Belgium 27.50 6.21 33.80 7.43 58.02 14.41 11.56 2.56

5 Brazil 15.80 3.57 17.25 3.79 17.7 4.41 4.69 1.04

6 Canada 41.93 9.47 49.97 10.98 59.33 14.74 40.27 8.92

7 Denmark 21.90 4.95 26.09 5.73 28.36 7.05 18.82 4.17

8 Finland 15.96 3.61 18.74 4.12 16.27 4.04 14.67 3.25

9 France 47.93 10.83 56.96 12.52 56.78 14.11 48.84 10.82

10 Germany 585.35 132.27 698.22 153.52 646.71 160.67 613.24 135.85

11 Italy 38.25 8.64 45.56 10.01 105.94 26.32 25.5 5.65

12 Japan 54.79 12.38 65.04 14.30 59.83 14.86 48.75 10.80

13 Netherlands 30.75 6.95 36.38 7.99 44.02 10.94 19.09 4.23

14 Norway 7.53 1.70 8.81 1.93 8.94 2.22 6.41 1.42

15 Sweden 24.37 5.51 29.03 6.38 46.41 11.53 18.28 4.05

16 Switzerland 15.14 3.42 18.00 3.95 9.13 2.27 26.86 5.95

17 Spain 32.87 7.43 38.95 8.56 82.07 20.39 24.38 5.40

18 U.S.A. 1533.50 346.52 1833.02 403.04 1668.86 414.62 1359.29 301.12

19 U.K. 158.98 35.92 189.25 41.61 183.07 45.48 112.18 24.85

20 Others 364.50 82.36 423.81 93.19 344.42 85.57 212.87 47.20

Total 3082.06 696.44 3674.86 807.94 3524.73 875.71 2708.73 600.06

Bar chart depicting the country wise export share

Pie chart depicting the country wise export

Share of India in the global market

Handloom Sector constitutes a timeless facet of the rich cultural heritage of India and plays

a vital role in the economy of the Country. It has a long tradition par excellence in its

craftsmanship. As an economic activity, the handloom sector plays an important role, next

only to agriculture, in providing employment to a sizable segment of the rural masses in the

State. Tamil Nadu occupies a pride place in handloom sector with maximum number of

handlooms in the Country. Handloom weaving is one of the largest economic activities in

Tamil Nadu. There are 4.13 lakh handlooms located in the State in which 2.32 lakh

handlooms are functioning with 1130 Handloom Weavers Co-operative Societies and the

remaining 1.81 lakh looms are outside the thus providing employment to 6.08 lakh weavers.

All the developmental programmes and welfare schemes of both State and Central

Government intended for the handloom weavers are being implemented through the

Handloom Weavers operative Societies functioning in the State. Co-operative fold, During

the year 2008-09, the Handloom Weavers Co-operative Societies produced lakh metres of

handloom fabrics to a value of Rs.800.61 crore and sold them for the average annual

production of handloom cloth in the State is around Rs.1700 crore and the average turnover

is around Rs.1800 crore, inclusive of export turnover of Rs.875 crore.

The approach of the Government, in the context of opening up of global textiles market, is to

sustain the handloom industry’ and ‘continue to provide livelihood to the several lakh of

weavers who depend on this activity.’ This requires constant skill up-gradation to produce

marketable products, technology up-gradation to increase the productivity and to maintain

quality to compete in the world market besides product diversification through continuous

designing.

Carpet Industry Of India: Weaving Growth for Rural Economy Human Development has been the primary objective behind all man-made enterprises. In

this integrated, globalised world we are constantly striving for betterment in all-round

quality of life. To usher in balanced development, trade liberalisation is much sought after. It

is believed that increased trade will eventually lead to poverty reduction by developing all

sectors of the economy. Trade liberalisation intensifies competition leading to the

establishment of the most competitive, efficient producers in the world market. Carpet

industry in India is one of the oldest and the most popular industries. India has always had a

rich heritage of carpet weaving. However, this artistry is no longer a trade that is still

isolated in villages or towns. Along time, this craft has evolved spreading its wings not only

at the domestic front but also in international markets. Mughals brought the carpet weaving

in India and some of the most majestic carpets in India can be seen in Mughal period. Carpet

industry in India flourished more in its northern parts so major centres of the carpet

industry are in Kashmir, Jaipur, Agra and Bhadoi – Mirzapur. Carpets and floor coverings are

categorised as a handicraft product. A handicraft is a hand-made product that is made using

simple tools. Carpet manufacturing is a long process right from the stage the carpet’s design

is conceived till the time the carpet finds its place at the buyer’s. Lots of thought, patience,

labour, money, and infrastructure are involved in the entire process. The carpet weaving

industry in India is highly labour intensive and it forms a considerable part of the handicraft

industry. It is an almost 100 per cent export oriented industry. The industry provides

livelihood to approximately 2.5 million artisans and earns significant foreign exchange for

the country. Export earnings from carpet industry have been increasing over the years

especially from 1996 onwards and over USD 1200 mm were earned by the industry during

2009-10.

Historical Background and Geographical spread in India:

Carpet industry provides the finest example of how a domestic industry practised at home can be transformed to a full-grown mechanised industry. From the safe confines of home where the carpet was weaved jointly by all the family members, this beautiful piece of handicraft has found its way to industries where it is now produced on a mass scale. Carpet weaving is one of the oldest industries in India. The history of carpet weaving in India

dates back to the 16th century (1580 AD), when Mughal Emperor Akbar brought some

Persian carpet weavers to his palace in Agra. Subsequently Agra, Delhi, Lahore (now in

Pakistan) became the prime production and training centres of Persian carpets.

The Mughals established the art of carpet weaving in the town of Akbarabad or Agra. During

the Mutiny of 1857 the carpet weavers fled from Agra to a village called Madhosingh

between Bhadohi and Mirzapur and started carpet weaving on a very small scale there.

Later with the support from the then Maharaja of Banaras, the art of carpet weaving

flourished in this part of India. Linkages between Trade, Development and Poverty

Reduction Perception Survey It are difficult to determine why the industry is carried on in

these particular places. Its distribution often appears to be capricious. Many a times, a few

weavers have collected in particular locality through the initiative of some local magnates or

by pure accident and the industry has been handed down from father to son and has

persisted despite all difficulties. In some cases the industry has been started either by

released convicts themselves or with the help of their labour. In the medieval times, the

prisoners were taught the art of carpet weaving and they used to weave carpets especially

during the reign of British in India. Many a times emergence of new towns have attracted

weavers like during British India the emergence of the town of Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh

drew weavers from Agra, Aligarh.

Since then, this weaver’s product has been gaining importance not only in providing

employment to people in rural areas but also in earning crucial foreign exchange later for

Independent India. Carpet weaving is looked upon as an industry that helps India in earning

thousands of dollars every year and preserving India’s rich cultural past in its diversified art

form.

The carpet industry is spread over some specific belts in India. The traditional carpet

manufacturing regions are located in Mirzapur, Bhadohi, and Agra in the state of Uttar

Pradesh, Jaipur in the state of Rajasthan and in the Kashmir valley. In the recent times other

parts of India such as Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, Panipat in Haryana are also coming up in

producing carpets as the industry is spreading away from her traditional centres.

Each manufacturing region specialises in producing a certain kind of carpet. Kashmir

specialises in weaving elegant hand-knotted silk and woollen carpets. Agra specialises in

producing high quality hand-knotted Persian, Turkish carpets using natural dyes. The

Bhadohi-Mirzapur belt in the state of Uttar Pradesh produces maximum number of carpets

in India. This region can produce carpets of all designs and quality. Majority of the carpet

weavers are established in this area. In present times, Bhadohi- Mirzapur, Panipat (Haryana)

apart from Jaipur, Agra form the prime carpet manufacturing areas. This growth and the

spread of the industry can be partly attributed to the caste and village system unique to

India. This industry is primarily rural in nature with minimal requirements. From the

beginning, this industry had been dominated by the Muslims and was practised besides

agriculture. Most of the households had a loom at its disposal where in the family

Members could weave a carpet as and when they had spare time. This practise is in use

from the ancient times. Over time this industry had become more modernised though in

essence it still remains the same. The urbanisation of this industry along with its export

worthiness has seen the spread of this industry to Panipat in the state of Haryana, where

the weavers migrated from Bhadohi-Mirzapur. The world –famous hand knotted carpets are

woven in the remote villages of Uttar Pradesh. The carpet weaver has grown as a creator

weaving poetry of myriad designs, with every knot he ties. A carpet weaver’s skills are his

own and the design he evolves are from his mind to be translated into beautiful form with

the help of wool and silk.

Indian carpet industry draws inspiration from countries as diverse as Persia, China, and

Afghanistan in weaving intricate pieces of high artistic value. The speciality of Indian carpets

lies in its exquisite designs with natural and traditional motifs, subtle elegance, attractive

colour combinations and excellent workmanship. Indian carpet industry has travelled a long

distance since the time Akbar introduced carpet weaving in India. They are mainly exported

to USA, Canada, Spain, Turkey, Mexico, Australia, South Africa, Belgium, Holland, New

Zealand, Denmark and many other European countries. The industry, vibrant since the mid-

nineteenth century had to face rough weathers during the World Wars I & II and the Great

Depression of the 1930’s due to recession and a slump in demand. Between 1947 and 1965,

carpet exports ranged from INR 32.2 million to INR 56.6 million. The Linkages between

Trade, Development and Poverty Reduction Perception Survey world market of handmade

carpets is estimated to be around US$ 2.4 billion.

Major carpet belts in India

Bhadoi – Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh

Agra belt in Uttar Pradesh

Jaipur – Bikaner belt in Rajasthan

Panipat belt in Haryana

Kashmir belt

Bhadoi – Mirzapur belt – This region contributes maximum to the carpet production. It is

known for Fashion Oriented, Hand Tufted, Indo-Tibetan carpets and has a major influence of

Buddhist arts and patterns. This belt also specializes in traditional woollen carpets and

durries. Shaggy carpets with longer pile heights are also made here. These carpets are

attractive and cheap.

Agra (Uttar Pradesh) – this place is known for Persian style carpets. Agra designs with

elegance and simplicity surrounded by bold floral borders. Turkman and Abussan varieties

are also famous. They are known for realistic bold pattern.

Jaipur (Rajasthan) – Jaipur is another major centre of Mughal reign and hence carpet

weaving. The carpets are of medium quality. They are known for their innovativeness.

Panipat (Haryana) – Panipat is famous for “panja” durries a kind of floor covering which is in

great demand in India and abroad. Originally it was a traditional item but slowly the product

name came to be recognized beyond Panipat also.

Kashmir- Kashmir is famous for hand knotted woollen and silk carpets. Pure silk carpets of

Kashmir are of very high quality. Kashmir is also called fort of oriental carpets and rugs.

Amritsar- Amritsar carpets are known for their fusion style, fusion of Persian craft and

Indian style. It mostly exports its carpets. This place is also known for Embossed carpets

based on Chinese designs.

Different classes of carpet

There are many kinds of carpets available in India. Each carpet industry is unique and caters

to different segments of society. From the design prospective there are two major designs

available i.e. modern and traditional. Modern designs are more popular in north European

countries where as traditional designs are more popular in southern European countries.

These are the types of carpets available –

Hand knotted woollen carpets

Hand tufted woollen carpets

Hand woven carpets

Pure silk carpets

Staple or synthetic carpets

Hand knotted woollen carpets- these carpets arrived quite late in Indian scenario. They

came with the Mughals and craftsmen were supported by ruling class for some time. Initially

the patterns followed were Turkish and Persian but gradually got Indian zed.

Hand tufted Woollen carpets – these carpets have their pile injected into a backing

material with the help of tufting gun which is itself then bonded into a secondary backing

cloth with the use of latex solution to provide stability then third backing material is used

with and finishing is carried out.

Hand woven carpets- these carpets are rather broad category that includes hand knotted

carpets a well as flat weave carpets. Knotted carpets include the traditional Persian carpets.

Flat weave carpets include wool and cotton durries. The quality of these carpets can be

judged by the tightness of the weave and the density of the knots.

Pure silk carpets – The Persian style craft flourished in Kashmir where the finest quality silk

and the finest quality wool were available. The patterns were to an extent adapted to

Kashmiri art. These carpets are called pure silk carpets.

STAPLE CARPETS – Staple carpets are the carpets which are made up of nylon staple fibre

and nylon carpet BCF filament fibre interventions. All the above measures will ensure

sustenance of the industry.

Share Of Carpet Industry in Market :

The handmade carpet industry in India has about a 1% share of the total Global demand of

Carpets. In recent years the handmade carpet sector has shown great improvement in

relevant areas such as: competitiveness, capacities, delivery time and standardization.

India, with the help of more than 2500 exporters-cum-manufacturer and two million

artisans, is ready for a big leap. Many major chain stores and department stores overseas

are looking to India as a potential direct source for handmade carpets.

Indian handmade carpet industry exports products worth around 3,000 crore INR. The

global market for exports is reported to be around 10,000 crore INR. India’s share of the

volume is the largest, but the value of these products stands third, indicating the realization

of a low unit value. The share of India volume wise highest but value wise India stand third

which indicates Unit Value Realisation is lower.

By comparison, Pakistan’s carpet exports are reported to be valued at around 1000 crore

INR. Interestingly, Pakistan’s business is only in hand knotted carpets and not in other

variety like hand tufted, loom made etc. Diversity and the ability to meet customers’

requirements make India’s potential to increase its volume and value much further. There is

a feeling that India alone can reach the goal of 10,000 crore INR in exports in the coming five

years. Moreover, the large domestic market including meeting/creating the demand for

handmade carpets among consumers including railways, hotels, airports, and corporate

offices may be a boon for the Indian carpet industry. To achieve the projected potential

growth, much effort is required to ensure the resurgence of this vibrant sector in the

interest of artisans and the domestic economy as a whole.

TYPES OF CARPET

Carpet industry’s major products are

hand-knotted and hand tufted

carpets. Hand-tufted carpet market is

growing rapidly. Some of industry

players believe that market is being

shifted from hand knotted segment

to hand-tufted segment. However

many players believe that both

products are targeted at Different

markets. Additionally, hand-tufted

carpets have already entered in to

home-furnishing segment. Following

chart shows the product wise market

share in Indian exports If one dissects

the market, some interesting facts come to fore. The export destinations can be categorized

on the basis of potential.

1. Woven

2. Needle felt

3. Knotted

4. Tufted

5. Flat weave

6. Hooked rug

7. Embroidery

8. Knotted Pile Carpet

Fibres and yarns used in carpet

Carpet can be made from many single or blended natural and synthetic fibres. Fibres are

chosen for durability, appearance, ease of manufacture, and cost. In terms of scale of

production, the dominant yarn constructions are polyamides (nylons) and polypropylene

with an estimated 90% of the commercial market.

1. Nylon:

Nylon is the most common material for construction of carpets. Both nylon 6 and nylon 6-

6 are used. Nylon can be dyed topically or dyed in a molten state (solution dying). Nylon can

be printed easily and has excellent wear characteristics. In carpets Nylon tends to stain

easily because it possesses dye sites on the fibre. These dye sites need to be filled in order

to give Nylon any type of stain resistance. As nylon is petroleum-based it varies in price with

the price of oil.

2. Polypropylene:

Polypropylene is used to produce carpet yarns because it is inexpensive. It is difficult to dye

and does not wear as well as wool or nylon. Polypropylene is commonly used to construct

Berber carpets. In this case, polypropylene is commonly referred to as olefin. Large looped

olefin Berber carpets are usually only suited for light domestic use and tend to mat down

quickly. Berber carpets with smaller loops tend to be more resilient and retain their new

appearance longer than large looped Berber styles. Commercial grade level-loop carpets

have very small loops, and commercial grade cut-pile styles are well constructed. When

made with polypropylene these styles wear very well, making them very suitable for areas

with heavy foot traffic such as offices. Polypropylene carpets are known to have good stain

resistance but not against oil based agents. If a stain does set, it can be difficult to clean.

Commercial grade carpets can be glued directly to the floor or installed over a 1/4" thick, 8-

pound density padding. Outdoor grass carpets are usually made from polypropylene.[7]

Wool and wool-blends Wool has excellent durability, can be dyed easily and is fairly

abundant. When blended with synthetic fibres such as nylon the durability of wool is

increased. Blended wool yarns are extensively used in production of modern carpet, with

the most common blend being 80% wool to 20% synthetic fibre, giving rise to the term

"80/20". Wool is relatively expensive and consequently a small portion of the market.

3. Polyester:

The polyester known as "PET" (polyethylene terephthalate) is used in carpet manufacturing

in both spun and filament constructions. After the price of raw materials for many types of

carpet rose in the early 2000s, polyester became more competitive. Polyester has good

physical properties and is inherently stain-resistant because it is hydrophobic, and, unlike

nylon, does not have dye sites. Colour is infused in a molten state (solution dyeing).

Polyester has the disadvantage that it tends to crush or mat down easily. It is typically used

in mid- to low-priced carpeting.

Another polyester, "PTT" (Polytrimethylene terephthalate), also called Sorona or 3GT

(DuPont) or Corterra (Shell), is a variant of PET. Lurgi Zimmer PTT was first patented in 1941,

but it was not produced until the 1990s, when Shell Chemicals developed the low-cost

method of producing high-quality 1, 3 propanediol (PDO), the starting raw material for PTT

Corterra Polymers.

4. Acrylic:

Acrylic is a synthetic material first created by the DuPont Corporation in 1941 but has gone

through various changes since it was first introduced. In the past Acrylic used to fuzz or pill

easily, this happened when the fibres degraded over time and short strands broke away

with contact or friction. Over the years Acrylics have been developed to alleviate some of

these problems although the issues have not been completely removed. Acrylic is fairly

difficult to dye but is colourfast, washable and has the feel and appearance of wool making

it an ideal rug fabric.

5. Carpet binding:

Carpet binding is a term used for any material being applied to the edge of a carpet to make

a rug. Carpet binding is usually cotton or nylon, but also comes in many other materials,

such as leather. Non-synthetic binding is frequently used with bamboo, grass, and wool

rugs, but is often used with carpet made from other materials.

Carpet Manufacturing Process:

Hand Made carpets:- Hand-made carpets are traditionally more expensive than those made by machines.

Though there are several carpet-making methods, including braiding, hand tying (or hand

knotting), hooking, shearing and tufting, the most common of these are braiding and hand

knotting.

Braided carpets are done by connecting or tying strips of fabrics together. Hand tying or

hand-knotting are usually done on rugs. Countries that are known to produce beautifully

crafted hand-knotted rugs include Spain, Portugal, India, Pakistan, Turkey, Afghanistan and

Japan (among others). Hand-knotted rugs are descendants of Oriental Rugs and can be

made in any shape, size, coloured or design.

Process

The process that creates a hand-made/hand-knotted carpet can be explained as under:

Wool sorting & Washing

Wool is either imported or is bought from nearby markets and is

carefully sorted to pick out unwanted particles. Wool often carries

dust, grease which is removed by washing it thoroughly and is

then sun dried for two-three days.

The Tibetan wool has a strong good fibre length is imported in

scoured form, good lustre and a high resilient value. The New

Zealand wool is of 36 micron, 100 mm barb length and is identified

as type 128. British wool meeting regulatory standards have also

started being available in the market.

Carding

The carding process allows the fibre stand to flow smoothly when

spinning. This is also the stage for blending different wools and to

ascertain the ratio of different origins. Traditionally, carding was

performed by hand and machine carding was introduced when the

industry grew. However hand carded product is still available if a

customer so desires.

Spinning

The carded wool is spun into yarn by using a charkha or a spinning

wheel. The thickness of the yarn depends on the quality of the

carpet and generally a 3 ply yarn is used.

Dyeing

The traditional pot dyeing method has been largely replaced by

machine dyeing in closed Chambers. Dyes containing harmful

substances such as AZO are banned and dye-stuffs from renowned

international manufacturers are used. These dyes have a high

degree of fastness. Depending on the weather, the dyed yarn has

to be dried in the sunlight for one to three days. Pot dyeing and

vegetable (natural) dyeing are still being used by some

manufacturers.

Carpet Knotting

Knotting is an art. Weavers who weave on a regular basis have a

very good speed in knotting. They tend to develop this speed over

a span of time. One or more weavers work on a loom depending

on the size of the carpet. Each weaver makes individual knots row

after row. The designs are chartered out on a graph and a map

reader or another weaver instructs the graphic designs to the ones

knotting the carpet. The dyed yarn is made into balls and scissors,

iron rod, levers; comb beaters are used as tools.

Trimming

The finished carpet is taken off from the loom and the designs &

patterns are trimmed by scissors.

Washing and Drying

The trimmed carpet is washed with the fresh water & chemicals.

The washed carpet is dried in the sunlight up to four or five days.

Final Touches

The dried carpets are given final touches by re-trimming and

stretching, where ever necessary. The purpose is to bring the

fabric woven in level at the surface.

Packing

All washed carpets are rolled and wrapped in polythene sheet and

is sealed at each end. Again, it is wrapped in Hessian cloth and

sewn. Generally, around 14m2 are packed in each bale.

Payment

Export proceeds must be received through an irrevocable letter of credit (L/C) or advance

payment

Machine Made carpet Machine-made carpets are tufted, woven, knitted, flocked or needle-punched. Most

commonly tufting is used for machine-made carpets. Tufted carpets are made on

machines where the yarn is stitched through a pre-constructed backing to form a

loop or a tuft. To hold the loops in place, the back side of the carpet is coated with

latex.

Tufting is the most inexpensive and fastest ways to manufacture a rug. Weavers can

also control the tuft size making it possible to create carpets with varying patterns or

surface textures.

There are three kinds of woven carpets: Velvet, Wilton and Axminster. Velvet is the

least complicated of construction methods. Velvet carpets usually come in one solid

coloured and a tweed effect may be noticed. Wilton carpets are more intricate.

These are manufactured by using a Jacquard loom which can hold up to six different

coloured of yarns. The Axminster method of weaving carpets produces the most

elaborate designs with a wide variety of coloured.

• Knitted carpets are faster to make. In knitting, several sets of needles create loops

and these are stitched together before the backing is applied. Knitted carpets come

in solid or tweed and the pile may be of the same size or of varying heights.

• Flocked carpets are similar to Velvet carpets in appearance. They have a dense cut

pile of short fibres that are imbedded into an adhesive-coated backing.

is unravelled. All yarn that has been dyed is then steamed, washed, and dried.

•

Needle-punching is similar to hand-hooking. Formerly used for indoor-outdoor

carpets, this process is now being used for carpets that are only meant to be placed

indoors as well. In needle-punching, fibres are locked into a packing by using hooked

needles ,which are further compressed.

The process of manufacturing tufted carpets can be explained in the following steps: Step1:Preparing the yarn

• First, the synthetic yarns arrive at the carpet manufacturer either in staple fibre

• The staple fibres, which are an average of 7 inches (18 cm) long are generally loose

and are individual strands that arrive in bales. Several bales are blended together

into one batch in a hopper.

• Then, these strands are lubricated and are spun into long, loose ropes called slivers

by a carding machine. The slivers are then pulled, straightened, and spun into single .

• Both the single-ply staple fibres (now spun into filament) and the bulk continuous

filament is then twisted together to form thicker two-ply yarn suitable for tufting.

• The yarns are then steamed to bulk them, and then heated to 270-280°F (132-

138°C). This heat setting causes the yarn to maintain its shape by fixing its twist.

After cooling, these yarns are wound onto tubes and transported to the tufting

machines.

Step2: Dyeing the yarn

• Generally, most carpets are dyed after tufting yet sometimes the yarns are dyed

first. The methods include putting 500-1,000 pounds (227-455 kg) of fibre into

pressurized vats through which treated dyes are circulated, or passing the fibre

continuously through the bath, or passing skeins of yarn through the vat of dye.

• The yarn can also be put on forms, and the heated dyes can then be forced under

pressure from inside the forms to coloured the yarn.

• Another method passes the yarn through printing rollers, while yet another

involves knitting the yarn onto a form that is then printed with dyes before the yarn

Step3: Tufting the carpet

• At this stage, the yarn is put on a creel (a bar with skewers) behind the tufting

machine and then fed into a nylon tube that leads to the tufting needle.

• The needle pierces the primary backing and pushes the yarn down into a loop.

Photoelectric sensors control how deeply the needles plunge into the backing, so the

height of the loops can be controlled.

• A looped, or flat hook, seizes and releases the loop of yarn while the needle pulls

back up; the backing is shifted forward and the needle once more pierces the

backing further on.

• In order to make a cut pile, a looper facing the opposite direction is fitted with a

knife that acts like a pair of scissors, snipping the loop. This process is carried out by

several hundred needles (up to 1,200 across the 12 foot [3.7 ml width), and several

hundred rows of stitches are carried out per minute. Thus, one tufting machine can

produce several hundred square yards of carpets per day.

Step 4: Dyeing the tufted carpet

• Solid coloured carpeting: For this carpet of several standard roll lengths is sewn

together to make a continuous roll, which is then fed into a vat. The vat is filled with

water, which is first heated before dyes and chemicals are mixed in. The mixture is

then slowly brought to a boil and cooked for four hours approx.

• Another method of making solid coloured carpet is to sew several rows together to

make one continuous roll, which is then fed under rods that bleed the coloured into

the pile. After dyeing, the carpet is then steamed to fix the coloured, excess coloured

is washed off, and the carpet is dried and put on a roll.

• Printed Carpets: In order to make printed carpet of various designs, white carpet

passes under screens in which holes in the desired pattern have been cut. The

desired coloured is squeezed through the

holes in the screen, and the carpet is

advanced 36 inches (91 cm) to a different

screen that applies a new coloured in a

different design through the screen. Up to

eight coloureds can be applied with this

method.

• Another method of dyeing printed

carpet is to pass it under embossed

cylinders that have raised portions in a

design that press colour into the carpet.

Each cylinder provides a different design

for a different coloured. After dyeing, the

printed carpet is steamed, excess dyes are washed off, and the carpet is then dried

and put onto rolls to go to the finishing department.

Step 5: Finishing the carpet

The ends of the dyed carpet are first sewn together to form a continuous belt. This

belt is then rolled under a dispenser that spreads a coating of latex onto the bottom

of the carpet.

At the same time, a strong secondary backing is also coated with latex. Both of these

are then rolled onto a marriage roller, which forms them into a sandwich and seals

them together. The carpet is then placed in an oven to cure the latex.

• The completed carpet is then steamed, brushed, vacuumed, and run through a

machine that clips off any tufts that rise above its uniform surface. The carpet is then

rolled into 120 foot (37 m) lengths that are then packaged in strong plastic and

shipped to either the carpet manufacturer's inventory warehouse or to a retail

carpet store

Pricing of the Industry: Carpet Industry is one of the prime industries that is entirely demand-driven. Indian carpet

Exporters basing on demand are now manufacturing woollen hand tufted carpets that has a

ready demand abroad. It was surprising to learn that exporters did not manufacture for the

domestic market. Demand at home is minimal because of the tropical climate that India has.

Also, carpets are one of the high end furnishing items for a middle class Indian. For example,

we found during our survey, a medium quality, average sized [5 feet by 8 feet] carpet will

cost around INR 25,000- 30,000 [USD 542- 651]. The price of Indian made carpet thus

becomes comparatively high for Indian households. Moreover these days competition from

machine –made Belgium carpets priced at around INR 3000-4000 [USD 65- 87] caters for

demand at home. Different exporters adopt different modes of promoting their products.

Generally they prefer to promote exports by visiting overseas customers frequently,

exhibiting its products in International and Indian Carpet Fairs and approaching foreign

customers with carpet photographs and export promotion catalogues. They regularly

produce new samples for the markets. A hand tufted average sized carpet of 5 feet by 8 feet

can be woven within 2-3 days if two weavers are employed. Following the weaving, another

two-three days goes in washing and latexing (the rear of the carpet is smeared with rubber

to increase the longevity and durability of the carpet). Once the carpet goes through these

processes a final trimming of the carpet’s surface is done to bring about the uniformity after

which the carpet is ready to be packed and exported. The entire process ranges from 7-10

days depending upon the number of hands being employed. Usually, two labourers do

washing and latexing respectively. For trimming an average sized carpet one or two persons

can be employed. Once the carpet is packed, it is loaded onto trucks for its destinations

overseas. Usually, the Mumbai port is used for exporting. Sometimes, to meet urgent orders

exporters send across their goods by air also, in such case New Delhi airport is used for

transit. The transport costs go up when

air transport is availed, hence it is only used in emergency or when delay in delivery

happens because of some management/production glitches. The exporters had negligible

grievance on customs proceedings. They reported that delay in exports because of customs

and other bureaucratic procedures were at a minimum

Production Stage No of labours Rupees

Map/Designing of carpet

(Design + Colour 2 300-1000

Contracted for making a

carpet- Labour Contracto 1 8000-10000

Weaving of Carpets (5

inch by 8 inch)

Weaver/laboure 2 per carpet rate (200-700)

Washing 2 100

Latexing 2 50

4 150

Clipping/Trimmin 2 40

Binding 3 40

Clothing at the bac 2 20

Finishing 2 40

Role Packing etc 2 10

Total 24 11150

Apart from these labour expenses, the manufacturer has to bear electricity expense [carpet industry needs uninterrupted electricity supply especially in the night], transport expenses and other production costs

Growth Opportunities: Carpet industry’s major products are hand-knotted and hand tufted carpets. Hand-tufted

Carpet market is growing rapidly. Some of industry players believe that market is being

shifted from hand knotted segment to hand-tufted segment. However many players believe

that both products are targeted at different markets. Additionally, hand-tufted carpets have

Already entered in to home-furnishing segment. Following chart shows the product wise

market share in Indian exports. If one dissects the market, some interesting facts come to

fore. The export destinations can be categorized on the basis of potential. Following chart

shows some interesting facts about this.

Why Panipat:

Bhadohi can easily claim to be the home of some of the richest carpet exporters in India.

Despite this, there are no proper roadways to and from the city. The road leading to Bhadohi

from the state highway is rickety and gives the traveller a nice bumpy ride into the carpet

city of India. Electricity supply is on an average for 6-7 hours on a day, though most of the

time low voltage prevails. In the evening hours the town is shrouded in darkness, where only

light comes from lanterns, low-voltage bulbs or the car headlights. But as soon as one steps

into the exporter’s mansion, the scene changes. The power supply from the generators

ensures continuous electricity supply in the exporters’ mansions. Apart from road, electricity,

water supply is also irregular. People have wells or deep tube wells for water supply. Though

there are ponds and other water bodies near Bhadohi, but the exporters said that the

chemicals used in dyeing pollutes the water. The State Government is not taking any active

role in improving the infrastructural facilities in this major export-earning city Carpet

Production needs uninterrupted power supply, and the generators provide this power. One

of the exporters engaged in this business for the last 40 years, lamented the misuse of

human and financial resources because of the government’s inefficiency in providing

uninterrupted power supply to Bhadohi exporter. The story is as follows:

On an average, a generator runs for 14-16 hours daily. A medium-sized exporter with two-

three weaving mills under him and one –two dyeing plants needs to install a generator per

unit. This brings the number of generators to five-six generators on an average. The cost of

running the generator per hour comes to eighty rupees (inclusive of all costs, maintenance

etc.). Therefore, per hour the cost multiplies to INR 320 – INR 400 (approximately)]. This

when multiplied with the total number of hours a generator works in a month at the

exporters place comes to a huge amount. The dismal state of electricity is not new, this has

been the situation since the beginning. Staying without electricity has become a part of life

for these exporters of Bhadohi who makes a substantial contribution to India’s export

revenues. However, Panipat has a better power situation than Bhadohi. This can be partly

attributed to the close proximity that Panipat has with the national capital New Delhi. The

Government approved Bhadohi as a special economic zone in the Exim Policy 2002-07.

However, any development as expected in a SEZ is still far off.

Main Market:

Latin America

South America

US

Japan

Australia

Europe It is clear from the chart that the traditional markets like Europe offer small potential for growth though the volumes are high. The scenario may change in future if southern European countries start driving the growth.For most of the players, USA offers a good market based on its size and growth. Also, demand for different kinds of carpets is not widely varying as in the case of other countries. Hence, USA offers an opportunity for both, traditional as well as modern designs. Similar case is for Hand knotted and hand tufted carpets.

Key Market Players: Following are the major importers in the industry:

1. Nourison

2. V. Heinrich

3. Theo Keller

4. Wissenbach

5. Abeth

6. Roubeni

7. Feizy

8. Capel

9. ABC

10. Obittee

11. Kalaty

12. Noonoo

13. Trans-Ocean

14. Beneleve

15. IKEA