Moquette project
With the support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Celebrating Britain’s Transport Textile project has uncovered some of the fascinating stories behind the commissioning, design, manufacturing and use of moquette.
What is moquette?
Moquette, which comes from the French word for carpet, is a tough woollen fabric that is used in upholstery on public transport all over the world.
The fabric is produced using a weaving technique known as jacquard and is typically made of 85% wool and 15% nylon. The woollen pile has good thermal properties, making it cool in summer and warm in winter.
Moquette collection
Did you know?
Our collection has over 400 samples of moquette and over 300 photographs from 1920 to the present day showing how moquette has evolved over the years!
Discover moquette on our Collections Online.
A history of moquette
Moquette was first applied to public transport seating in London in the 1920s. At that time, the patterns were produced by the manufacturers. Since the creation of London Transport in the 1930s, designers have been specially commissioned to create stylish, contemporary patterns for the Underground, buses, trams, trolleybuses, and more recently, London’s cable car over the Thames.
How is moquette made?
Camira Fabrics make over 8 million metres of fabric a year for all kinds of spaces and places, from offices to schools, trains to buses, and shops to hospitals.
Here, they show us how they manufacture moquette.
How much do you know about moquette?
Moquette collections care guidelines
Read about the care of moquette collections including instructions on labelling and rolled storage for moquette samples. The guidelines are aimed at collections staff and volunteers at museums or heritage institutions.
About the project
With the support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Celebrating Britain’s Transport Textile project at London Transport Museum has uncovered some of the fascinating stories behind the commissioning, design, manufacturing and use of moquette through the ages.