Moquette

Moquette derived from the French word for carpet - is a type of woven pile fabric in which cut or uncut threads form a short dense cut or loop pile. As well as giving it a distinctive velvet like feel, the pile construction is particularly hard wearing and ideally suited to contract performance applications such as daily use on public transport. Its upright fibres form a flexible, non-rigid surface, which are constantly displaced to give hard wearing properties and anti-stain benefits^[1]. Traditional moquette fabrics are made from a wool nylon face with an interwoven cotton backing.

Origin

Moquette originated in France, where it was woven by hand. The standard width was a Flemish ell of 27 inches. There were two finishes: moquette velouté, which had a cut pile like English Wilton, and moquette bouclé, which had an uncut pile like Brussels carpet.^[2] It is still woven in Yorkshire using traditional techniques. A long-standing moquette manufacturer is Holdsworth Fabrics which dates back to 1822.^[3]

Examples

The most famous moquette in the USA is the one sent by Louis XVI to George Washington. It was made for the banquet room in Mount Vernon, where it can still be seen.^[2]

Moquette is also famous for being used on London Transport's vehicles, particularly the seats of London Underground's Tube trains. During the decades of the many railway companies, there were some ten moquette manufacturers in the UK. As a result of the nationalisation of the railways after the Second World War and then the Beeching cuts of the early 1960s, the number of available customers plummeted. By the mid 1960s, there were just two suppliers, one of which was Courtaulds. The other continues to be Holdsworth based in Huddersfield.

See also

• Mockado
• Carpet
• Fabric
• Upholstery
• Weaving

References

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