Believe it or not, you need a guide to synthetic carpet fibers to help you choose the best carpet you are going to use to cover your floors.
Synthetic carpet fibers are increasingly popular for so many reasons. It has been the biggest portion on the wall-to-wall carpet market. Its popularity is even higher than any other types of carpet available on the market.
Basically, understanding the carpet fibers is much of advantage to help you recognize the carpet.
In general, people keep selecting synthetic carpet for its effective cost, durability, strength and stain resistance.
Understanding carpet fibers will lead you to learn the four major types of fibers used in carpeting.
Each fiber come with its own characteristics to make it look more appealing than the other fiber types for particular use.
Remember, all fibers are available in carpet yet they have their own qualities depending on the factors, one of which is carpet fibers.
In this article, you will be directed by this guide to synthetic carpet fibers to understand the four basic types of fibers.
Nylon Carpet Fibers
Nylon is one of the most popular synthetic fibers for carpet. It has been best described as the ultimate carpet fibers so many years.
In general, Nylon offers the strength along with the high resilience. Resilience is the ability of carpet fibers to bounce back after being flattened.
This high resilience feature of Nylon makes it be a very durable carpet.
Apart from its advantages as a man-made carpet fiber, Nylon has also some downside.
In this case, carpet with Nylon fibers offer much higher price than the other synthetic carpet fibers.
It is also less resistant though it has been added with the protection that is stain treatment.
Due to either good characteristics or the bad ones, you can definitely figure out whether or not you are going to purchase a carpet with nylon fibers.
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Polyester Carpet Fibers
The second type of synthetic carpet fiber polyester. Polyester is also best known as polyethylene terephthalate or PET.
In the world of carpeting, polyester proves to be very versatile used for carpeting in a long period of time.
Historically, polyester is described to have a lower quality than nylon. This is due to the fact that polyester fiber is not as strong as nylon fiber. Compared to nylon, polyester is also less resilient.
However, as the technological advancement is developed to produce polyester with a better quality, the result shows that polyester today is more durable than it has been in the past.
This means that polyester was not strong in the past but it is highly durable in the present.
A big benefit you can derive of using carpet with polyester fiber is the built-in stain resistance.
Another bonus you can also obtain from this type of fiber is the natural and recycled materials that is used to produce the fiber.
This makes carpet with polyester fiber is more environmentally friendly than the nylon counterparts.
So, the guide to synthetic carpet fibers argued that you may feel doubt about this fiber due to its less strength in the past.
However, make sure that you consider polyester due to its better improvement in the present. This is much important to take a view of something.
Triexta Carpet Fibers
Triexta is the third synthetic fibers that is considered the newest one as well.
In the carpet industry, Triexta comes with lots of buzz. In 2009, Triexta is officially recognized by Federal Trade Commission as the generic name for Polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT). This makes the triexta new to fiber classification.
Basically, triexta comes from the same root as polyester. However, there are some key differences that prove triexta to be more resilient than the standard polyester.
Again, compared to polyester, triexta is much softer though there are also some many kinds of carpet with the soft polyester.
Truly, triexta is designed and produced within the biotechnology to utilize corn glucose in the process of manufacturing. This makes the carpet more eco-friendly and releasing less off-gasses.
Hence, it is best considered that triexta can be the perfect choice due to its eco-friendly feature, making it good for environment.
Further, the less off-gassing will also be good for health. This is one of the reason why people start using carpet with triexta.
One big question is: is triexta better than nylon?
Compared to nylon, triexta is more durable than nylon. However, it is less resilient than nylon. According to the manufacturer, both triexta and nylon have the same qualities in performances.
Truly, it is just difficult to compare triexta to nylon. Nylon is formerly dominating the role in carpeting industry while triexta is considered new.
This way, triexta was newly launched in 2009, thus, it is relatively new comer.
Further, other advantage you can derive from purchasing carpet with triexta synthetic fiber is warranty offered.
In this case, the warranty will be given depending on the carpet quality you are going to choose.
Compared to Nylon, triexta comes with the longer warranty. Further, its warranty is also more comprehensive than the nylon’s.
For prices, triexta is considered less expensive than the other synthetic fiber. Basically, the production cost of carpet with triexta is also less expensive, making the overall cost is less expensive, too.
Other benefit of purchasing carpet with triexta synthetic fiber is the fact that there will be a fewer VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) released from the carpet.
Keep in mind that VOC is chemicals that do affect the health of both people and environment.
So, if triexta comes with the less VOCs, it means that it has a fewer risk of health issues caused by VOCs.
Olefin Synthetic Carpet Fibers
Olefin is the next synthetic carpet fibers that is also much considerable in understanding the guide to synthetic carpet fibers. Olefin is also called polypropylene.
This kind of fiber is commonly found in looped styles of broadloam carpet such as Berber and area rugs.
This is due to the fact that carpet with olefin fiber looks nearly similar with the carpet made of wool.
Due to the wool-like appearance, olefin carpet fiber is valued more in carpet industry.
This is why it is used in looped Berber styles and in area rugs which are both usually made of wool.
In this case, olefin’s finish is vary ranging from the low luster (matte) to a high sheen.
Basically, olefin is considered less durable than the other synthetic fibers. Carpet with olefin fiber is also limited in its availability. The resilient feature is not quite important in forming olefin carpet.
However, olefin can appear to be a good synthetic fiber because of its stain and fade resistant feature. Typically, olefin synthetic fiber is well-suited to areas that are prone to spills.
Considering that this type of synthetic fiber comes with the good resistance, it doesn’t absorb liquid. Thus, olefin carpet is added with solution-dyed.
The color is also added to the fiber in the process of manufacturing if the solution-dyed doesn’t have open dye sites.
Due to the fact that olefin makes the carpet highly resistant to stain, the bleach will never affect the color of the fiber.
One of the downside of carpet with olefin synthetic fiber is the fact that it is not soil resistant.
What is soil resistant?
Poor soil resistance in olefin carpet will make the carpet uneasy to clean especially from the oily spills.
Thus, it is much recommended that you use carpet with olefin fibers in areas which is susceptible to spills of oily liquids.
In the other words, don’t use this kind of carpet in the kitchens or dining rooms.
In residential applications, carpet with olefin synthetic fiber will fit much the areas with the low-traffic.
However, if you use it commercial places, it is more recommended that you install it on the light to medium commercial applications.
Now if you have carpet with olefin synthetic fiber, you had better wear shocks or slippers to reduce the oil transfer from the bottom of your feet.
However, this is actually a good advice for all types of carpet with the different synthetic fibers.
What about using olefin carpeting for outdoors? Will it be possible?
Based on the guide to synthetic carpet fibers, olefin carpeting is often used for outdoors and marine carpet. This is due to the fact that olefin is hydrophobic.
When the fiber gets wet, it can dry quickly and easily. It is not easily growing mold and mildew because of the moisture.
So, we can definitely use olefin carpeting in areas with the level of moisture, cannot we?
Read Also: Cleaning Pet Stains From a Carpet : Step by Step
Selecting a Synthetic Carpet Fibers
Whatever type of synthetic carper fiber you choose to select the carpet, make sure you look over both the advantages and disadvantages.
In fact, there is no fiber that is so perfect. However, along with the proper selection and pay attention to the guide to synthetic carpet fibers, you will be able to choose the right carpet with the proper synthetic fiber to meet your requirements.
