A punch needle is a manual tool used for

embroidery Embroidery is the art of decorating Textile, fabric or other materials using a Sewing needle, needle to stitch Yarn, thread or yarn. It is one of the oldest forms of Textile arts, textile art, with origins dating back thousands of years across ...

rug making A carpet is a textile floor covering typically consisting of an upper layer of pile attached to a backing. The pile was traditionally made from wool, but since the 20th century synthetic fibres such as polypropylene, nylon, and polyeste ...

that creates a field of tightly-packed loops of thread or yarn on a

woven fabric Woven fabric is any textile formed by weaving. Woven fabrics, often created on a loom, are made of many threads woven in a warp and weft. Technically, a woven fabric is any fabric made by interlacing two or more threads at right angles to one ano ...

substrate. The tool generally consists of a hollow needle with an angled opening attached to a wooden or plastic

handle A handle is a part of, or an attachment to, an object that allows it to be grasped and object manipulation, manipulated by hand. The design of each type of handle involves substantial ergonomics, ergonomic issues, even where these are dealt wi ...

. The needle's eye is drilled just above its tip, rather than at its base, as with most sewing needles. Yarn is threaded through the hollow needle via an opening at the top of its handle, and out through the eye. A punch needle stitch is made by forcing the needle through the weave of the fabric, creating a loop that is kept in place by

friction Friction is the force resisting the relative motion of solid surfaces, fluid layers, and material elements sliding against each other. Types of friction include dry, fluid, lubricated, skin, and internal -- an incomplete list. The study of t ...

. The tool is held so that the eye of the needle stays on the opposite side of the direction of the stitch. Punch needle embroidery is typically worked from the front of the fabric. On the other hand, punch needle rug making is usually worked from the back. Examples of traditional crafting techniques that use punch needles include "

New England New England is a region consisting of six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York (state), New York to the west and by the ...

Style" rug hooking,

Russian Russian(s) may refer to: *Russians (), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *A citizen of Russia *Russian language, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages *''The Russians'', a b ...

punch needle embroidery, and

Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

bunka shishu. Mechanical rug tufting, often achieved with a tufting gun, also creates a similar effect to manual punch needling. In 2022,

sportswear Sportswear or activewear is athletic clothing, including footwear, worn for sports activity or physical exercise. Sport-specific clothing is worn for most sports and physical exercise, for practical, comfort or safety reasons. Typical spor ...

company

Nike Nike often refers to: * Nike, Inc., a major American producer of athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment * Nike (mythology), a Greek goddess who personifies victory Nike may also refer to: People * Nike (name), a surname and feminine giv ...

announced they would be using punch needle technology to create a more sustainable alternative to fleece.

References

{{Reflist Rugs and carpets Textile arts Embroidery equipment