Tufting unit and tufting machine

Tufting unit for a tufting machine, wherein the tufting unit has the following:

• a yarn infeed installation for simultaneously feeding a number of yarn strands in parallel, wherein said yarn infeed installation unwinds the yarn strands from respective yarn packages during the feeding of the yarn strands;
• at least one insertion element;
• a yarn transport gripper which is configured for transporting a respective free end of the yarn strands away from the yarn infeed installation such that each insertion element is in each case assigned one yarn strand,
• wherein said yarn transport gripper pulls the yarn strands through the yarn infeed installation and unwinds the yarn strands from the respective yarn packages;
• and
• a cutting unit which is configured for cutting the yarn strands such that, for each yarn strand assigned to an insertion element, one yarn portion that is assigned to the respective insertion element remains,
• wherein each insertion element is configured for inserting the respective assigned yarn portion into a substrate that is situated below the tufting unit, and
• wherein the insertion element, during movement thereof, unwind/unwinds the yarn strands from the respective yarn packages.