Comparing Carpet Fibers
Understanding the basics of carpet fibers is a key factor when selecting the right carpet for your home or business.
Here is a overview of some common carpet fiber types and it’s characteristics.
Nylon Carpet Fibers
Nylon carpet fibers are one of the most versatile of all carpet fibers. Nylon fibers provide outstanding durability and is known to recover during professional steam cleaning or also known as hot water extraction. It is a commonly used carpet fiber and can be found in a variety of cut pile and loop pile styles of carpet. Nylon carpet fibers also comes in a variety of colors. Though nylon may not be the most stain resistant by nature, most carpet manufactures add some type of stain resistant treatment such as Shaw Floors R2X patented technology to repel and resist against spillage and soil. Some higher-end nylon carpet fibers are treated with stain-resistant coating to each filament of their nylon fiber.
Polyester (PET) Carpet Fibers
P.E.T, short for Polyethylene Terephthalate, is a type of polyester fiber used to make a lot of popular carpets today. Polyester carpet fibers offer softness and color clarity and is naturally stain and fade resistant.
However, there are different levels of performance when it comes to polyester carpet fibers. High performance polyester carpet fibers or PET(recycled), provides higher durability from daily foot traffic and abrasion. Polyester carpet fibers can also withstand extreme conditions such as harsh sunlight to help protect against fading.
If you compare PET polyester carpet fiber to nylon carpet fiber, you’ll see that polyester has many more benefits like:
Polypropylene (Olefin) Carpet Fibers
Olefin is a synthetic (manufactured) material. It’s also known as polypropylene, a type of thermoplastic used to make a wide range of household products, medical devices and more. Because it’s derived from plastic, olefin carpet is best installed in places subject to moisture or water damage. Polypropylene is inherently stain and fade resistant to a certain degree. It is not as resilient as nylon or polyester fibers and is more commonly used in loop, Berber style construction.
Olefin by nature wicks moisture, so in turn this helps discourages mildew and mold. It is often used for outdoor carpet fibers and is a ideal choice in basements with high moisture readings.
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