What is a carpet remnant?
This is a question we are asked all the time. It’s also a phrase that is often confused. So if you’ve ever felt awkward asking about it, you are not alone.
First, “carpet remnants” is the title we have given to any piece or roll of carpet that is sold at a discount. Remnants are typically small pieces of carpet that are left over after an installation or once a fabrication is finished.
Carpets are manufactured most often in 12′ or 13’2″ widths. However, like our customers, spaces are unique so many jobs are either smaller than that dimension or are bigger. This would mean as a buyer, you would have to buy extra material that you don’t necessarily need. A lot of retailers will order excess material, leaving installers with an abundance of material. Most remnants stay with the customer, but often times there is so much that the installer is left with the material. These types of situations are how we get our hands on remnants.
Roll ends are quite different. Roll ends are the excess materials left at the manufacturer. Those same 12’ and 13’2 widths are typically manufactured in rolls up to 200’ long. As retailers order the material, the manufacturers make cuts until the roll is empty. Often times the rolls are depleted to a point where there is nothing sellable left. Anything under 25’ long is then considered a roll end. The roll ends that are warehoused the longest end up being sold to retailers at a discount.
We use “carpet remnants” to keep it simple, but the industry isn’t always as such. In our case especially, we seek out remnants and roll ends from high-end, wool manufacturers. Because of this, we never know what patterns, colors, or sizes will be available. We do try to remain consistent in the timing of our orders. We purchase at least one large remnant package a month which includes dozens of remnants. Our goal is to offer luxury material for less.
Carpet remnants make excellent area rugs and runners. All can be customized for shape, size, and fabrication. We purchase them from mills all over the world/country and from local installers that don’t have the opportunity to sell the remnants on their own. All of this allows us to maintain a unique selection for many types of projects. Here are some jobs we have done with our carpet remnants!
This is how we were able to win “Green Business of the Year Award for Needham”. All these leftover pieces would be put into a landfill. Give yourself a pat on the back for being green!
