Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1908-02-28

PAPER RUGS AND CARPETS.


Marked Success IN Use Of New Fibre
Used Also for Clothing.
Several months ago there appeared
In American trade papers a brief de
scrlption, taken from a German news.
paper, of the appearance of garments
for men and women the principal con.
stltuent of which was paper. At the
request of the department of com
merce and labor, American consular
officers In Saxony, in which section
Of the German empire the paper fab.
rlcs were located. were instructed by
the department Of state to inquire in.
to the correctness Of the reported dis.
covery. In response the following re-
port has been furnished the bureau OF
manufacturers. with samples Of the
paper textiles.
TO the ingenuity Of a wellknown
Saxon inventor and manufacturer,
Herr Emil Claviez. is due the produc-
tion of a paper yarn, termed 'xyone,
that has been successfully used in a
wide range Of textile fabrics. The
utilization of paper wood fibre iii this
new and practical way and the ex-
treme cheapness of the new material
compared with other yarns now in
use is really a remarkable achieve
ment. 1t should be said that this is
not hap-hazard discovery, but rather
the logical result of years of palms.
taking study and experimentation.
After the final development OF the
theory at first in mind into tangible
material for all manner of uses in
textile industries, the paper thread
and yarn, loose or tightly spun, of all
thicknesses, have since been woven
into almost every conceivable fabric
and tested and retested, until the in
vention has become an important
commercial success. The paper yarn
has extraordinary wearing properties,
and as the full scope Of its usefulness
has probably not been determined, it
will, in all likelihood. lend itself to
other purposes yet to be discovered.
among the various fabrics in
which the greatest amount of work
has thus far been accomplished is the
making Of rugs and carpets, and at
the factories Of the inventor paper
floor coverings are woven in great
quantity, and are already being ex-
ported to the United States and else
where with marked success. Here
the yarn of heavier quality woven in
to beautiful designs, is found to pos
sess advantages over certain classes
of floor coverings. It can be turned
out in any thickness as rugs, mats or
carpets. These are elastic to tread,
do not retain dust readily and are
easily cleaned by beating or washing
without fear of injury. Unpalatable
to moths, they are not eaten by these
insects. The paper floor coverings
naturally do not possess the proper
ties of rich Persian carpets, but are
adapted to uses to which Oriental
rugs can be Ill put. Although they
can be made in pile, they are at
present anufactured chiefly after
the manner of an ingram carpet, but
in finely wrought artistic patterns
They are clean and fresh, and partic-
ularly suited to summer home and
veranda use.
"The spun paper fibre has been
woven into outing hats for men and
women. Canvas shoes and slippers
have been made of it at nominal cost.
Some idea of its adaptability for tow
els may be gathered from the fact
that last year alone 100000 pieces
were made and sold, and it is likely
that not one purchaser in a hundred
but thought he was buying linen tow
cling at bargain prices. These are
wholesaled at about % cents a dozen,
medium size. It should not be
thought that the new fibre is put up
on the market as a crafty imitation,
but makers of many sorts of textiles
have found ii so serviceable that they
use it for mixing with other thread
and yarn or weave it alone.
wonderfully successful have been
the essays in making wall hangings
and furniture coverings. When used
for mural decoration the material
may be either nailed or applied, with
paste, and the delicate coloring that
the paper fibre takes renders the tap
estries singularly .efast4-v.- FOR up
holstering fTeranda furniture the ma
terial has ban unusual advantage be
yond its meslts of decoration, because
1t is not subject to injury by light or
dampness or even by rain.
"Fo rcertain grades Of wearing ap
parel the new paper fibre is also
found to be admirable" New York
Herald.