Carpets are constructed from a variety of fibers. All fibers can be divided into two categories, natural and synthetic. Natural fibers are fibers that come from natural sources such as plants or animals. Synthetic fibers are fibers that are man made from materials from the petroleum industry.
The following is the percentage of carpets sold along with the related carpet fiber. Wool is the only natural fiber on the list.
Nylon - 69%
Olefin - 17%
Polyester - 13%
Wool - 1%
Below, you will find the advantages and disadvantages of each type of material.
NYLON
Summary
Nylon is the most popular type of carpet fiber sold because of the good carpet qualities it possesses. Nylon is strong, has both abrasion and wear resistance, and is quite resilient. Nylon accepts dyes very well which provide for many color options. The main disadvantage of nylon is it can get stained by liquid (water based, i.e. cool aid) stains. This is easily corrected by protectors that are applied to the carpet. These protectors are applied when manufactured and applied in our carpet cleaning process. Overall, nylon is a great choice for carpet.
Advantages
- Nylon is lightweight and very strong. The strength does not deteriorate with age.
- It is the most abrasion resistant fiber.
- Nylon is the most elastic fiber. It can stretch up to 33% of its length, and still regain its original shape.
- Nylon is very resilient, it springs back when crushed.
- Nylon is easily dyed which give it a wide variety of colors.
- Nylon is resistant to mildew and all insects.
- Nylon is relatively heat resistant.
Disadvantages
- Nylon can be easily stained by dyes. Although this is an advantage when it is initially dyed, it does leave nylon subject to acid dye stains, the stains in cool aid and other items with bright colors. Protectors are applied to nylon during the manufacturing and also during the cleaning process which corrects this disadvantage.
OLEFIN
Summary
Olefin is strong, resists wear and water based stains. It is an excellent choice for outdoor carpeting. Olefin does not attract water based stains which is a feature often associated with it. Olefin does have some significant disadvantages though. It is not resilient and can be crushed with usage. This must not be confused with its strength. Although the fiber is strong, it is not resilient and will looked "worn" on stairs. For this reason, a significant portion of olefin sold is a Berber. This loop carpet compensates for its poor resiliency. The other disadvantage with olefin is it attracts oily soils. This can be corrected with the application of protectors in both the manufacturing and cleaning process.
Advantages
- Lightest weight fabric available
- Very Moisture resistant. Olefin absorbs 1/10 of 1% of its own weight in water making it very difficult to get a water based stain.
- It is very strong.
Disadvantages
- Not elastic. May stretch permanently under prolonged stress.
- Oleophilic - Will attract oily soils.
- Heat sensitive - Begins to soften at 250*F.
- Deteriorates in sunlight and becomes brittle and may split rather quickly.
POLYESTER
Summary
Polyester is noted for a luxurious, soft "hand" when used in thick, cut-pile textures. Similar to olefin it is strong and abrasion resistant. It also has poor resiliency which means it will not "spring back" as well as a nylon fiber would.
Advantages
- Polyester is relatively strong and abrasion resistant.
- It is unlikely to stretch or shrink.
- Polyester is non-absorbent and resistant to water based stains.
- It is resistant to mildew and insects.
Disadvantages
- Polyester has poor resiliency.
- Polyesters non absorbency limits what can be done in the dyeing process and what can be done visually.
- It has an attraction for oils which makes oily stains harder to remove.
WOOL
Summary
Noted for its luxury and performance, wool is soft, has high bulk, and is available in many vibrant colors. Generally, wool is somewhat more expensive than synthetic fibers. Wool is quite common in area rugs and is also seen as wall to wall carpeting.
Advantages
- Wool is very strong and abrasion resistant.
- Wools can hide soil very well. It soils as easy has other fibers, but its opaque fiber does not reflect a lot of light or magnify soil.
- Wool, due to its natural crimp, provides excellent insulating properties.
- Wool is naturally flame resistant.
- Wool can be dyed easily and can take on vibrant colors.
- Wool responds very well to cleaning using appropriate methods.
Disadvantages
- Wool is an expensive fiber.
- Wool is not comfortable next to the skin.
- Wool can be damaged by some bleach.
- Wool can be stained easily by acid dyes.
CORTERRA (Poly Trimethylene Terepthalate)
Summary
Corterra is a relatively new fiber available. It is similar to nylon in its resiliency and abrasion and wear resistance. Also, like nylon it has excellent clean ability. It is similar to olefin in repelling acid dye stains and does not have any static problems. It seems like this fiber type will grow in popularity and is worth looking into.
