Chenille Rugs

Invented by the French, refined in Scotland and made popular by the Americans.

Chenille weaving techniques were introduced by the French in the 1700s, the name chenille literally means "caterpillar" in French referring to the soft and fuzzy finish to the fabric. Alexander Buchanan refined the manufacturing process in the 1830's and manufactured shawls in Paisley, Scotland with great success. This technique was further advanced by James Templeton and William Quigley who registered a patent for weaving cords of chenille into carpets and mats. Templeton successfully manufactured tufted carpets with looms that were able to imitate the look as well as the quality of hand-woven carpets. Although Chenille can be made from a number of fibres including, polyester, wool, viscose or polypropylene, Chenille is most commonly associated with cotton as with our Louis de Poortere  rugs where cotton is used, sometimes with other fibres such as wool or polyester with stunning effect.