Fabrics and know-how

The hand-woven Aubusson type is entirely handmade and was historically used at the Aubusson Manufactory. Each piece is wove, like a cloth, on horizontal looms. Originally used for wall tapestries in castles, it was adapted in the 18th century for a use on the floor with thicker contextures. Woven backwards, this stitch is usually intended for old drawings from Pierre Frey archives.

Manufactured on vertical looms, the hand-knot Savonnerie type is a craft process that requires extreme meticulousness. This traditional stitch was once used by La Manufacture de la Savonnerie de Paris, from which it takes its name, for the royal residences of the Kings of France. Made of thick cut pile, this stitch is usually intended for antique designs from Pierre Frey archives.

Manufactured on vertical looms, the Nepalese hand-knot is still made today in the Kathmandu valley. The ancestral know-how of this stitch and the fineness of its knots allow renderings of an unparalleled delicacy. The precision of the patterns and the subtly striated effect of its velvet are characteristic of this technique.

Traditional woven rugs are made by hand on looms. These looms offer 2 types of weave structure: flat-woven rugs, which use the side of the yarn for a very soft result, or woven rugs with pile (cut pile or cut/loop pile) which give a thicker and textured result. Whichever is the chosen weaving, this quality is limited to plain, semi-plain and textural effects.

Pierre Frey’s mixed technique is a quality that blends a flat woven that forms the background of the rug, enhanced by large hand-knots that draw the pattern in relief. Traditionally hand-woven and hand-knotted, this technique is intended for simple geometric patterns with a very characteristic textural effect.

The hand-tuft technique is a process invented in the 1950s. The drawing is transferred to a canvas, stretched on a vertical frame. It is executed by hand using an electric gun to form the velvet. The gun projects the wool strands onto the canvas, stitch by stitch. The skill of this work allows almost any type of design. The density can be adapted according to the projects, as well as the material: wool, silk, synthetic fibers... This is the technique which allows the greatest possibilities of texture effects and different finishings.

Pass-tuft takes over the principle of hand-tuft in a more mechanical process. The hand-gun is replaced by a small machine that will apply the wool strands from a complete area at the same time. This technique is only used to produce plain, semi-plain, stripes or checks. Widely used in the Natecru collection, this process nevertheless allows to play with texture effects and offers an infinity of materials (wool, silk...).

Wilton weaving is the traditional carpet weaving process. It is a mechanical weaving, made on jacquard looms. The use of semi-worsted wools gives an unequalled fineness and a luminous shine to the velvet. Made on historical looms dating from the 19th century, the carpet can only be woven in strips with a defined width (usually 2.3 feet), which will then have to be assembled manually by sewing or heat welding during installation.

Axminster weaving was developed in England during the industrial revolution. It is a weaving technique on mechanical looms. It is intended for the production of large quantities, in large widths. The patterns and materials are suitable for intensive use in hotels, restaurants, retail stores or corporate headquarters. The designs are generally composed of repetitive patterns in a limited number of colors, but it is possible to produce large patterns with up to 12 colors.

Digital printing is a contemporary process that complements traditional techniques. It allows to free ourselves from the limitations of the number of colors imposed by dyeing and the level of detail required by traditional weaving. Freed from all technical restrictions, the studio's creativity is fully expressed in powerful designs, with unparalleled renderings. True to Pierre Frey's standards, the printed carpets collection is developed with a European workshop that ensures the best possible printing quality. This process offers three types of 100% polyamide quality: a cut pile, a loop pile and a shiny cut pile.