Abstract

Jute is a natural fibre which is used to make different type of products due to low cost, easy availability and eco-friendliness. However, the stiffness and harshness of jute fibre affect the use of jute in many products like pile yarns in hand knotted carpets. In this research, a study has been done on the application of jute pile yarns in Persian hand knotted carpet. Three types of commercial yarns (wool, untreated jute and woollenized jute) as well as three types of chemical treated jute yarns (hydrogen peroxide bleached, softened bleached and woollenized yarns) have been applied as pile yarns in Persian hand knotted carpets. Cost–benefit analysis of hand knotted carpets shows that manufacturing cost of wool carpet is lower than others. The contribution of manpower charges is higher than material cost during carpet manufacturing. Hand knotted carpet shows the lowest pile abrasion loss and highest compression recovery when wool is used as pile. Wool hand knotted carpet shows higher compression than untreated and treated jute carpets.

Conclusions

Although jute is cheaper material as compared to wool but it creates problem in knotting and cutting of pile during manufacturing of hand knotted carpets. However, material contribution of total carpet manufacturing cost decreases when jute yarns were used as pile. Manufacturing of Persian hand knotted carpet is more labour intensive because contribution of man power charges is much higher than material. Persian hand knotted carpet shows the lowest pile abrasion loss and highest compression recovery when wool used as pile. Jute hand knotted carpets show lower compression than wool carpets.