Produktion
Natural materials
Kateha uses only yarn in renewable natural materials such as high quality wool, worsted wool, linen and cotton. Partly out of consideration for the environment (all these materials are biodegradable) and partly for the quality and feeling natural materials bring about.
Handtufted rugs
Kateha’s tufted rugs are made by hand. A pattern is drawn by hand or by computer, and enlarged to full-scale. It is then traced onto the base fabric, which is then stretched onto a metal frame. A hand-operated, mechanical tufting gun is used for the hand tufting. When producing the rugs Camelia, Celia, Cirius and Herringbone Wild we use hand operated electric tufting guns.
Handwoven rugs
Kateha quality is the best possible, both as to the skill of the master weavers and to the exclusiveness of the materials. Weaving of larger rugs is mostly performed by two weavers sitting next to each other, and who meet in the middle of the rug. The loom itself is a simple bamboo construction. The warp sits approximately 25 cm up from the floor and can extend over more than ten metres in length.
Handknotted rugs
Kateha is proud to offer hand knotted rugs of high-quality. The knotting is made on a vertical loom according to the “Tibetan Knot” principle. This means that the yarn is knotted around the warp threads and around a rod. When a row of knots is finished and has been beaten tightly, the rod can either be removed, making loops, or be cut open, making pile.
Dyeing
When colouring the yarns, only approved dyes that comply with the EU-legislation are used, from European suppliers. This implies that the dyes are free of hazardous chemicals such as azo and benzidine. The dyehouse’s purification facility uses a closed circular system, so the water from the colour bath can be recycled again and again. After dyeing and washing all yarns are air-dried.
Finishing
All finishing such as edging, pile processing, 3D-sculpturing and pattern cutting is done by hand. Knotted rugs are washed after production. Adhesive is always used on the back of tufted rugs, to fix the yarn to the backing. We use a synthetic latex that complies with The International Wool Secreteriat’s (IWS) regulations. It gives excellent durability.