If you’re a fiber artist looking to streamline your fiber preparation, investing in a quality drum carder is essential. Two of the most respected names in the fiber world are Ashford and Louët.
. How do their drum carders compare? In this post, we’ll break down the key differences between the two brands, helping you decide which one best fits your needs, workflow, and budget. Alpaca Meadows is a dealer for both companies. Each offers manual and motorized models, and both are designed for long-term use with attention to performance and durability. Whether you’re blending wool or prepping fine fibers, this guide will help you choose the right tool. Let’s explore their features, differences, and which models suit your needs.
Why a Drum Carder?
A drum carder allows you to blend and prep fiber faster than hand carders. It’s ideal for creating batts for spinning or felting and is especially helpful when processing raw fleece. But not all drum carders are created equal.
Ashford Drum Carders: User-Friendly and Versatile
Ashford, based in New Zealand, is known for its well-crafted wooden equipment and accessible pricing. Their drum carders are no exception. Available in 4″, 8″ and 12″ widths, Ashford offers both manual and motorized options. Additionally, Ashford provides options for various fiber types with teeth per inch (PPSI ranging from 72 Fine to 120 Superfine.)
Features of Ashford Drum Carders:
Carding Cloth Density: 72 PPSI (Standard), 120 PPSI (Fine)
Widths: 4″, 8”, and 12” working width
Motorized Option: Yes
Frame: Wooden, smooth operation
Best For: Hobbyists to semi-professionals
Ashford uses PPSI (points per square inch) to describe carding cloth density, which reflects the total number of teeth across a square inch of surface area. Ashford carders are designed to be compact and lightweight, making them easy to store and move around. While smaller than Louet’s 10.5″ diameter drums, Ashford’s 4″ drum is very effective, especially for hobbyists and small-batch carding. What follows are the four different carders that Ashford offers.
Ashford Wild 4″ Drum Carder – Fine 72 PPSI
The Wild Carder excels at textured batts, letting you add ribbons or feathers.
Ashford Standard 8″ Drum Carder – Fine 72 PPSI
Prepare your fibers effortlessly for spinning or felting. Have fun creating and mixing your own blends and colors. This carder is available is 72 or 120 PPSI carding cloth.
Ashford Standard 8″ Drum Carder – Superfine 120 PPSI
The Standard model produces 8 x 22-inch batts, while the Wide (below) ups it to 12 x 23 inches—perfect for larger projects.
Ashford Wide 12″ Drum Carder – Fine 72 PPSI
The 12-inch model is especially useful if you want to produce large batts or work with long-staple fibers. Ashford’s carders are also relatively lightweight, making them easier to move around.
Ashford e-Drum Carder – 72 PPSI, 30cm / 12″ Width
Prepare fiber easily with an electric carder from Ashford. Enjoy creating and carding your batts while the e-carder does the work for you!
Louët Drum Carders: Built for Professionals
Louët, a Dutch company, is known for their high-performance, durable equipment. They take a streamlined approach with birch plywood construction and an enclosed gearbox—no belts, no fuss. Consequently, their carders don’t require teasing fibers, thanks to a larger licker-in drum. Their drum carders feature a 10” wide and 10.5” diameter drum, designed to process larger quantities of fiber in a shorter time. They offer 46 TPI (fine) for textured batts and 72 TPI (extra fine) for smoother preps, with longer teeth for heavier batts.
Features of Louët Drum Carders:
Carding Cloth Density: 46 TPI (Coarse), 72 TPI (Fine), 120 TPI (Coarse)
Width: 4”, 7.5″, and 11.75″ working width
Motorized Option: Yes
Frame: Wood and metal, exceptionally sturdy
Best For: Professionals and high-volume use
Unlike Ashford, Louët uses TPI (teeth per inch) to describe their carding cloth, which counts the number of teeth in a straight line per inch. They offer five different carder sizes, including the two motorized options. Louët’s batts are longer—up to 30 inches—compared to Ashford’s 22-23 inches.
Louët Junior Drum Carder – 4-inch width, 46 or 72 TPI
Louët Standard Drum Carder – 7.5-inch width, 46 or 72 TPI
Louët Standard Drum Carder – 7.5-inch width, 120 TPI
New Fine‑Cloth Option (120 TPI)
No sooner had I hit ‘publish’ on this post than Louët announced a sweet upgrade. They now offer its Standard XL carder (20 cm/7.5″ drum) with a 120 TPI cloth—ideal for alpaca, superfine wool, silk, and other delicate fibers. In the coming months, the Junior (10 cm/3½″ drum) will be available with the same high‑density cloth, giving spinners and fiber artists even more control for ultra‑smooth batts.
Which Carding Cloth for Alpaca?
Both the 120 TPI and 72 TPI cloths can card alpaca, but which is best depends on your specific fiber and end goal.
120 TPI (extra‑fine): Ideal for the very finest alpaca—baby alpaca and laceweight fiber—where you want an ultra‑smooth batt with minimal texture. It excels at opening up tightly crimped fibers and producing a lofty, consistent batt, perfect for fine lace or next‑to‑skin garments.
72 TPI (fine): A more versatile middle ground, the 72 TPI works beautifully on most alpaca fleece, including standard and worsted‑type preparations. It gives good control over fiber alignment without over‑processing, making it a solid choice if you spin a variety of alpaca yarn weights.
If you’re focusing on superfine alpaca and silky smooth batts, go with the 120 tpi. For general‑purpose alpaca carding—especially if you’re handling a broader range of fleece grades—the 72 tpi is your best bet.
Louët XL Drum Carder – 11.75-inch width, 46 or 72 TPI
Louët Standard Electric Drum Carder – 7.5-inch width, 46 or 72 TPI
Louët Electric Drum Carder XL – 11.75-inch width, 46 or 72 TPI
Key Differences
Cloth Density & Fiber Range
Ashford: Offers up to 120 ppsi (pins per square inch), making it perfect for ultra‑fine fibers (baby alpaca, merino, silk).
Louët: Now matches the 120 TPI on its Standard 20 cm drum for extra‑fine fibers, plus retains 72 TPI (fine) and 46 TPI(coarse) options for a broader spectrum—from laceweight to bulky batts.
Teeth Length & Batt Texture
Ashford: Standard teeth length produces well‑aligned batts but can “flatten” heavily textured fibers.
Louët: Longer teeth, especially on the 46 TPI cloth, allow loftier, more textured batts—ideal for chunky wools and art yarns.
Adjustability & Maintenance
Ashford: Highly adjustable drum clearance and quick‑release latches appeal to tinkerers who like to fine‑tune their setup.
Louët: “No‑tease” design and fewer parts make it faster to load and clean—great for spinners who prioritize simplicity and throughput.
Price & Availability
Ashford: Generally more affordable base models, with optional fine‑cloth upgrades.
Louët: Slightly higher price but includes more cloth options out of the box—especially now with the 120 TPI upgrade coming standard on the 20 cm drum, and soon on the Junior.
| Feature | Ashford Drum Carders | Louët Drum Carders |
|---|---|---|
| Drum Width | 4″, 8″ or 12″ wide | 4”, 7.5″, and 11.75″ |
| Drum Diameter | 4″ diameter | 10.5″ diameter |
| Carding Cloth | 72 or 120 PPSI | 46 TPI (Coarse), 72 TPI (Fine), 120 TPI (Extra Fine) |
| Motorized Option | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes – Louet offers two motorized models |
| Frame & Build | Wooden frame with classic look | Wood and metal construction – very sturdy |
| Cleaning Brush | Included with most models | Built-in licker-in drum cleaner on some models |
| Ease of Use | Smooth operation, lightweight, beginner-friendly | Built for heavy use – geared for professionals |
| Maintenance | Simple, user-friendly | More industrial; durable with minimal upkeep |
| Best For | Hobbyists to serious crafters | High-volume, professional fiber processing |
| Price Range | More affordable, good value | Higher-end, premium pricing |
PPSI vs. TPI: What’s the Difference?
Ashford quotes PPSI (Points Per Square Inch), which counts every wire point across a square inch of cloth, giving you total tooth coverage. Louët uses TPI (Teeth Per Inch), which measures how many teeth run along one inch of the drum’s circumference. Neither is “better”—they simply describe density in different ways, and both help you match cloth to your fiber.
Which One Is Right for You?
Choose Ashford if you want:
A wider drum (up to 12″) for very large batts
Proven fine‑cloth upgrades (72 ppsi or 120 ppsi) for ultra‑fine fibers
A lightweight, portable carder with a timeless wooden aesthetic
A more budget‑friendly base model that still performs admirably
Choose Louët if you want:
A larger drum diameter (10.5″) to move more fiber per revolution
Built‑in flexibility with three cloth densities (46 tpi, 72 tpi, 120 tpi) for everything from bulky art yarns to superfine batts
A rugged, low‑maintenance machine designed for continuous, professional use
Motorized models that handle high‑volume carding with ease
Final Thoughts
Both Ashford and Louët drum carders deliver excellent results—your choice depends on fiber type, batt size, portability, and how “hands‑on” you want to be with adjustments. With Louët’s new 120 tpi extra‑fine cloth, it now matches Ashford’s finest offerings while still covering the full spectrum from coarse to ultra‑fine.
Check out Ashford’s official site or Louët’s product page for more details.
Explore More Fiber Prep Tools
At Alpaca Meadows, we offer a selection of Fiber Tools, Hand Carders and Combs, Spinning Wheels, Felting Kits, and Felting Supplies, to support your craft at every level.
