KENYA STANDARD                                                            DKS 779: PART 1: 2020  
                                                                                                                                   ICS 59.080.60  
 
……………..  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
Specification for carpets  
 
Part 1.  Tufted carpets  
 
 
  
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   KEBS 2020      Second  Edition 2020 
  
TECHNICAL COMMITTEE REPRESENTATION  
 
 
The following organizations were represented on the Technical Committee:  
 
Chalange Industries  
Prisons Depa rtment  
Sarova Hotels  
Kicomi (1983) Ltd.  
Kenya Textile Training Institute (KTTI)  
Mount Kenya Textiles Ltd.  
East Africa Bag & Cordage  
Rift Valley Textiles Ltd.  
Kawan Enterprises Ltd.  
Spinners & Spinners  
Ministry of Finance and Planning — Price Control Depart ment  
Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute (KIRDI)  
Kenya Defence Forces (KDF)  
Intertek International Ltd  
Cotecna Inspection Kenya  
Kenya Bureau of Standards — Secretariat  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
REVISION OF KENYA STANDARDS  
 
In order keep abreast of pro gress in industry, Kenya standards shall be regularly reviewed. 
Suggestion for improvements to published standards addressed to the Managing Director, 
Kenya Bureau of Standards, are welcome.  
 
 
© Kenya Bureau of Standards, 2015 
 
Copyright. Users are reminde d that by virtue of section of the Copyright Act, Cap. 130 of the Laws of Kenya, copyright subsists in all 
Kenya Standards and except as provided under section 7 of this Act, no Kenya Standard produced by Kenya Bureau of Standards 
may be reproduced, stored  in a retrieval system in any form or transmitted by any without prior permission in writing from the 
Managing Director.  
 
 
 
  
  
   
 
 
 
 
 
Specification for carpets  
 
Part 1.  Tufted carpets  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
KENYA BUREAU OF STANDARDS (KEBS)  
 
Head Office :  P.O. Box 54 974, Nairobi -00200, Tel.: (+254  020) 605490, 602350, Fax: (+254 020)  604031  
E-Mail: info@kebs.org,  Web:http://www.kebs.org   
 
Coast Region     Lake Region          Rift Valley Region  
P.O. Box 99376, Mombasa -80100   P.O. Box 2949, Kisumu -40100        P.O. Box  2138, Nakuru -20100  
Tel.: (+254  041) 229563, 230939/40  Tel.: (+254 057) 23549, 22396        Tel.: (+254 051) 210553, 210555  
Fax: (+ 254 041 ) 229448    Fax: (+254 057) 21814   
 
 Foreword  
 
 
This Part 1 of this Kenya Standard was prepared by the Technical Committe e on Textile 
Floor/Wall Coverings and Furnishings under the guidance of the Textile Industry Standards 
Committee, and it is in accordance with the procedures of the Bureau.  
 
The standard specifies minimum requirements for tufted carpets used for covering f loors.  
 
In the preparation of this standard, reference was made to the following documents:  
 
JIS L4405 -1982   Tufted carpets.  
 
IS 5884 -1970   Specification for wool tufted carpets.  
 
Acknowledgement is hereby made for the assistance derived from these docume nts.     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
  
 
KENYA STANDARD                 
 
 
1.0 SCOPE  
 
This Part 1 of KS 779 Specifies the requirements for tufted carpets to be used in floor coverings.  
 
2.0 Normative References : 
 
The following standards were used as normative references.  
 
KS ISO 10 5-B01:2014 - Textiles — Tests for colour fastness — Part B01: Colour fastness to 
light: Daylight  
KS ISO 105 -B02:2014 - Textiles — Tests for colour fastness — Part B02: Colour fastness to 
artificial light: Xenon arc fading lamp test  
KS ISO 105 -X12:2016 -Textil es — Tests for colour fastness — Part X12: Colour fastness to 
rubbing  
KS 776:1987 -Glossary of terms relating to burning behaviour of textile and textile products  
KS 835 -2:1989 - Methods for test for textile floor coverings - Part 2: Determination of 
constru ctional details  
KS 835 -3:1988 - Methods of test for textile floor coverings - Part 3: Determination of 
delamination strength of secondary backing  
KS 835 -4:1989 - Methods of test for textile floor coverings - Part 4: Determination of burning 
behaviour  
KS 835 -7:1990 -Method of test for textile floor Coverings -Part 7: Determination of turf withdrawal 
force  
KS 835 -9:1988 - Methods of test for textile floor coverings - Part 9: Determination of colour 
fastness to shampooing  
KS ISO 10361:1990 -Textiles floor covering - Production of changes in appearance by means of 
Vettermann drum and Hexapod tumbler testers.  
KS ISO 1833 -Textiles — Quantitative chemical analysis (all parts)  
KS ISO 2424:2007: Textile  floor coverings — Vocabulary   
 
  
 
 
3.0 Definitions  
 
For the purposes of this Kenya Standard, the de finitions given in KS ISO 2424  and KS 08-776 
shall apply.  
 
 
4.0 TYPES OF PILE  
 
The piles of tufted carpets shall be classified into the five  types described below by 
shape:  
 
(i) cut pile;  
 
(ii) combined cut pile and loop pile;  
 
(iii) level loop pile;  
 
(iv) unlevel cut pile;  
 
(v) any other pile combinations  
 
 
                
5.0 REQUIREMENTS  
 
5.1 Materials  
 
5.1.1 The fiber composition of pile yarn should be as declared . Blended pile yarns s hall be  as 
declared on the label marking subject to a tolerance of   5 per cent. This shall be tested 
in accordance with the relevant part of KS ISO 183 3. 
 
5.1.2 Pile yarns shall not contain recovered wool.  
 
 
5.2 Tuft Withdrawal Force  
 
The tuft withdrawal force of pile yarns shall comply with the requirements given in Table 
1. This shall be teste d in accordance with KS 08 -835: Part 7.  
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
TABLE 1. TUFTED WITHDRAWAL FORCE REQUIREMENTS  
 
 
 
NEEDLE GAUGE  
  
TUFT WITHDRAWAL FORCE IN 
NEWTONS (Min.)  
 
 
12.7 mm  



21 
 
4.76 mm



163  
 
3.97 mm



325  
 
3.18 mm



81  
 
2.54 mm



101  
 
1.98 mm



641  
  
 
35 
 
 
29.4 
 
 
24.5 
 
 
19.6 
 
 
14.7 
 
 
9.8 
 
5.3 Delamination Strength  
 
            The delamination strength of secondary backing materials shall be not less than 0. 5 N/mm. 
However, if the tufted carpets are lined with a non -textile backing or if they are not lined at all, 
they are exempted from this requirement.  The delamination strength shall be tested in 
accordance with KS 08 -835(5) Part 3.  
 
5.4 Colour Fastness  
 
The colour fastness requirements of the pile yarns shall be as given in Table 2.  
 
 
            TABLE 2. COLOUR FASTNESS REQUIREMENTS  
 
 
 
AGENCY   
NUMERICAL 
RATING (Min.)   
TEST METHOD   
 
  
Light   
5  
KS ISO 105 BO1  
KS ISO 105 BO2  
 
 
Dry rubbing  
 
  
4  
KS ISO 105  X12  
 
 
Wet rubbing  
  
3  
KS ISO 105 X12  
 
Shampooing   
3  
KS 08 -835 
Part 9  
 
 
 
5.5 Burning Behavior  
 
The burning behavior of tufted carpets when exposed in a horizontal position shall be as 
given in Table 3.  
 
 
This shall be tested in accordance with KS 0 8-835: Part 4  
 
TABLE 3. BURNING BEHAVIOUR  
 
 
 
PARAMETER   
REQUIREMENT  
 
 
Damaged length in millimetres , 
(max)  
  
100 
 
Flame spread time in seconds , 
(min)   
20 
 
 
 
5.6 Mass of Pile  
            The requirements of the mass of effective pile per unit area tha t can be shorn away from 
the substrate shall be as specified in Table 4. This shall be tested in accordance with KS 
08-835: Part 2, Clause 6.  
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
TABLE 4. MASS OF PILE REQUIREMENTS  
 
 
FIBRE 
COMPOSITION   
TYPE OF PILE   
 (Clause 4.0)   
MASS IN g/m2 
(Min.) 
 
Wool and wool 
blends   
All  
800 
 
Other s 
  
Level loop pile   
380 
 
Others   
500 
 
 
5.7 Wear  
        The wear of tufted carpets due to impact, friction and pressure shall be as given in Table 5. 
This shall be tested in accordance with KS ISO 10361  
 
TABLE 5. WEAR REQUIREMENTS  
 
 
FIBRE COMPOSITION  
  
TYPE OF PILE  
(Clause 4.0)   
PER CENT LOSS IN 
THICKNESS AT  
13 000 
REVOLUTIONS 
(Max.)   
PER CENT LOSS IN 
MASS AT 13 000 
REVOLUTIONS  
 
(Max.)  
 
Wool and wool blends   
Level loop   
25  
 
16  
Others   
  
30 
 
Others  
  
Level loop  
  
25  
 
12 
 
Others  
  
30 
 
 
5.8 Pile Height  
    The pile height above primary backing of tufted carpets shall be not less than 5 mm. This 
shall be tested in accordance with KS 08 -835: Part 2 Clause  7. 
  
 
 5.9 Dimensional Tolerances   
    In case o f carpets sold as piece goods (for example, broad loon and body carpet) a tolerance 
of  2 per cent on declared value of width shall be permitted. In case of carpets sold as 
squares and rugs, a tolerance of  2 per cent on declared values of length and wid th shall be 
permitted.  
 
The dimensions shall be tested in accordance with KS 08 -835: Part 2.  
 
6. PACKAGING  
 
6.1 The tufted carpets shall be rolled and tied securely to form a compact roll.  
 
6.2 The rolled carpets or rugs shall be wrapped in such a manner s o as to avoid damage 
and soiling.  
 
 
7. MARKING  
 
The tufted carpets shall bear the following information in legible and indelible marking on 
a label securely attached to each piece or roll:  
 
(i) manufacturer’s name, address or registered trade mark;  
 
(ii) the marking ‘Tufted Carpet’;  
 
(iii) type of pile;  
 
(iv) fibre composition and proportion of pile material;  
 
(v) length and width dimensions in metres or centimetres;  
 
(vi) net and gross mass in kilograms;  
 
(vi) year of manufacture.  
 
(vii) country of  manufacture