Carpet Fiber

 
A Carpet’s Fiber Gives You Valuable Information for Selecting and Caring for Your Carpet
 

Fiber is carpet’s basic ingredient

 
The five basic fibers used in carpets today all have their individual strengths. Even more importantly, they all make excellent carpets. Your ultimate choice will be determined by the characteristics that are most important to you.

Although some carpets are made of blends, most are made entirely of one of the following five fibers:
 

Triexta

 
Mohawk SmartStrand(R) and SmartStrand(R) with DuPont(TM) Sorona(R), both made with new Triexta fiber offers superior durability, stain resistance and softness compared to traditional polyester carpets.The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently announced a significant step forward for fiber and carpet innovation. Previously classified as polyester, the FTC has recognized that PTT fiber, the fiber used in Mohawk SmartStrand(R) carpets and that DuPont sells under the brand name Sorona(R), is worthy of its own subclass called ‘triexta’. With its extreme durability, unrivaled stain resistance and unmatched softness triexta has been determined to be superior to standard polyester and shares little more than a similar chemical structure.
 

Nylon

 
Nylon is the most widely used carpet fiber. Though it has many strengths, the greatest is its…strength. Nylon is incredibly durable and resilient. Because of its resistance to matting and wear, you will never see a visibly worn carpet path in even the busiest spots of your home. Nylon carpet fiber is soft yet strong, shows color brilliantly, and cleans well. Though not inherently stain resistant, most nylons are treated with a stain-resist carpet treatment for protection against household spills and stains.
 

Polypropylene (also Called Olefin)

 
The use of polypropylene in carpet has grown dramatically over the past ten years due to the popularity of Berber style loop carpets. Polypropylene is extremely resistant to stains, fading, and moisture. Polypropylene, a value-oriented fiber, is also notably colorfast because it is solution dyed, which means the color is added during production and not dyed later. The color is such an inherent part of the fiber that you can even clean polypropylene with bleach.
 

Polyester

 
The appreciation for polyester’s versatility as a carpet fiber continues to grow. Polyester offers exceptional softness, making it ideal for thick, cut pile styles. Polyester is also naturally and permanently stain resistant and fade resistant. It has excellent color clarity, color retention, strength, and abrasion resistance. Carpets made from this fiber are easily cleaned and they resist water-soluble stains.
 

Wool

 
The preeminent natural fiber, wool yields a soft, warm, comfortable feel. Although wool does not possess natural resistance to moisture or abrasion, it ages well and is easy to clean. Because it is the most expensive carpet fiber, wool is generally used only in luxury carpets and area rugs.
 
Types of carpet fiber- Triexta, nylon, polypropylene, polyester, wool
 

Where to go from here

 
For additional free help and advice to help you find the best flooring – whether carpets, hardwood floors, tiles or laminates – at the best price, call 505-856-6268 or contact Carpet Source USA today.