Kardiert

Kardiert is a German term used in textile processing to describe fiber material that has undergone carding. Carding, the process behind kardieren, is a mechanical step that disentangles, cleans, and aligns short and loose fibers while removing impurities. The result is a continuous sliver or web of fibers that can be further processed, typically to spinning.

In wool processing, kardierte Wolle is a fluffy, crimpy fiber mass with a loftier texture than combed fibers. It forms the basis for carded yarns used in warm garments, blankets, and felt. Carding also plays a role in cotton and other bast fibers, producing carded cotton or carded blends. Carded cotton yarns are generally softer and fuzzier than combed (gekämmte) yarns and are common in casual, durable fabrics.

The term kardiert may appear on product labels or technical specifications to indicate the conditioning stage of the fiber before spinning. Carding differs from combing, another preparatory step that aligns fibers more strictly and yields a smoother, stronger yarn known as worsted or combed yarn.

Historically, carding machines became central to the textile industry during the Industrial Revolution, enabling mass production of spun yarns from short-staple fibers. Today, carding remains a standard step in wool and cotton processing, as well as in synthetic fiber blends.