Primary backing

a woven or nonwoven fabric through which the yarn is inserted by the tufting needles.

Secondary backing

Fabric that is laminated to the back of the carpet to reinforce it.

Berber

A loop-pile carpet that offers great durability, a full comfortable texture and a casual, informal look. Often, these carpets incorporate flecks of color that contrast with the primary hue. The term Berber has expanded to include many level and multi-level loop carpet styles.

Binding

A special stitch, band, or strip sewn over a carpet edge to protect and/or decorate it.

Bulked Continuous Filament (BCF)

Strands of synthetic fiber (such as nylon or olefin) that have been formed into bundles of yarn. The fibers have undergone a texturizing procedure that makes the formerly straight filaments either kinked or curled.

Bulking

Also known as crimping or texturizing. Bulking imparts texture/fullness to the fiber or yarn during production. Bulking is done to increase the coverage and bloom the yarn will have in the carpet face. Bulking also adds to fiber resiliency ("spring back"). (See "Texturizing.")