Moquette
Encyclopedia
Moquette is type of fabric with a thick, dense pile. It is a particularly versatile and hard-wearing material, predominantly wool with a small percentage of polyester. Moquette is renowned for its attractive, hard-wearing, durable, and fire-resistant qualities, hence it is commonly used for carpeting and upholstery.
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. It is still woven in Yorkshire using traditional techniques.
. It was made for the banquet room in Mount Vernon
, where it can still be seen.
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 Rail and the many Rail companies, there were some 10 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
.
Origin
Moquette originated in France, where it was wovenWeaving
Weaving is a method of fabric production in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads are interlaced at right angles to form a fabric or cloth. The other methods are knitting, lace making and felting. The longitudinal threads are called the warp and the lateral threads are the weft or filling...
by hand. The standard width was a Flemish ell
Ell
An ell , is a unit of measurement, approximating the length of a man's arm.Several national forms existed, with different lengths, includingthe Scottish ell ,the Flemish ell ,the French ell...
of 27 inches. There were two finishes: moquette velouté, which had a cut pile like English Wilton
Wilton, Wiltshire
Wilton is a town in Wiltshire, , England, with a rich heritage dating back to the Anglo-Saxons. Today it is dwarfed by its larger and more famous neighbour, Salisbury, but still has a range of notable shops and attractions, including Wilton House.The confluence of the rivers Wylye and Nadder is at...
, and moquette bouclé, which had an uncut pile like Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
carpet. It is still woven in Yorkshire using traditional techniques.
Examples
The most famous moquette in the USA is the one sent by Louis XVI to George WashingtonGeorge Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
. It was made for the banquet room in Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon
The name Mount Vernon is a dedication to the English Vice-Admiral Edward Vernon. It was first applied to Mount Vernon, the Virginia estate of George Washington, the first President of the United States...
, where it can still be seen.
Moquette is also famous for being used on London Transport's vehicles, particularly the seats of London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
's Tube trains. During the decades of the Rail and the many Rail companies, there were some 10 moquette manufacturers in the UK. As a result of the nationalisation of the railways after the Second World War and then the Beeching cuts
Beeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
of the early 1960s, the number of available customers plummeted. By the mid 1960s, there were just two suppliers, one of which was Courtaulds
Courtaulds
Courtaulds was a United Kingdom-based manufacturer of fabric, clothing, artificial fibres, and chemicals.-Foundation:The Company was founded by George Courtauld and his cousin Peter Taylor in 1794 as a silk, crepe and textile business at Pebmarsh in north Essex trading as George Courtauld & Co...
.