A History of Tufted Rugs

Prototype. Chapter text drafted from the research notes and not yet checked at the archives. Images awaiting permission are marked.

Nylon carpeting [tufted nylon bath mat and lid cover]

Nylon carpeting [tufted nylon bath mat and lid cover]

Image · not yet checked at the source · Image permission pending

Made by
E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company (product information photograph); mats by Neddletuft [sic]
Date
1955 (year approximate)
Held by
Hagley Museum and Library
Collection
DuPont Company Product Information photographs (Accession 1972.341), Series V. Man made fibers, Subseries C. Nylon
Number
1972341_1332
Size
1 photographic print : b&w ; 8 x 10 in. or smaller
Themes
Nylon & synthetic fibers (DuPont), Machine tufting & Dalton

Cite this source

E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company (product information photograph); mats by Neddletuft [sic]. “Nylon carpeting [tufted nylon bath mat and lid cover],” 1955 (year approximate). 1972341_1332, DuPont Company Product Information photographs (Accession 1972.341), Series V. Man made fibers, Subseries C. Nylon, Hagley Museum and Library. digital.hagley.org/1972341_1332.

Research notes

Photograph with caption. Hagley summary: "This soft, luxurious bathmat and matching lid cover are tufted with DuPont nylon. They are described as machine washable by the manufacturer and since nylon does not absorb dirt, should stay clean longer. The Neddletuft mats and covers are usually fluffy and come in array of glowing colors all with an attractive faint sheen imparted by the frosty looking nylon fibers." (Brand spelled "Neddletuft" in the catalogue; probably "Needletuft", not confirmed.) Catalogue title is "Nylon carpeting"; bracketed words added to tell it from 1972341_1333. Why it matters: tufted bath mats were a main product of the Dalton-style tufting industry between bedspreads and broadloom; this shows DuPont promoting nylon for tufted mats around 1955 (Hagley's approximate date). Found: Hagley Digital Archives, search "nylon carpet", 2026-10-28.