How are tufted carpets made?

In the context of floor covering, tufted carpets are manufactured by inserting tufts into a prewoven backing using vertically reciprocating needles. As these needles push through the backing, loopers hold the yarn in place below the fabric.12

The pile is formed as the carpet moves away from the looping elements; the loops remain intact for loop-pile carpets, or they are severed to create cut-pile carpets. The height of the pile is determined by the rate at which the yarn is fed from a creel, a process that can be controlled mechanically or electrically to create various patterns.1

Following the initial construction, finishing processes are essential. Missing pile is often corrected using a portable "gun" with a reciprocating needle, and the surface is sheared to a uniform level. Finally, synthetic backing compounds are typically applied to ensure the tufts are securely bound and to provide the carpet with necessary stiffness.3