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Carpet Fibres Explained
Each fibre has strengths and weaknesses that must be recognised. This will influence how carpet is to be used and how carpet is constructed. It should be emphasised that there is no perfect fibre and carpet is a fabric that is subjected to incredible abuse through foot traffic, accidental spills, environmental contaminants, and other abuses.
The majority of the carpet sold in Australia is one of the following four pile fibres:
Nylon
Polyester / Chromolon
Wool
Polypropylene (olefin)
Nylon
Nylon is a very durable fibre with excellent performance characteristics.
It?s strengths include:
resiliency
yarn memory to hold twist
carpet cleaning efficiency
stain resistance with stain treatment applied
soil hiding ability
mould and mildew resistance
abrasion resistance
available in both solution dyed and various yarn dyed methods
Nylon is the strongest fibre, making it an excellent choice for the heavy traffic of an active household or commercial facility. It is also the most durable of the synthetics. Most nylon is treated with an anti-static treatment to reduce static. Continuous filament fibres minimise pilling and shedding concerns.
Polyester/Chromolon
Polyester fibre produces some of the most beautiful colorations available. It also is extremely fade resistant and provides excellent resistance to stains. It is not as resilient as nylon however polyester is quite durable and has a strong resistance to wear.
Its strengths include:
non-allergenic
sheds moisture
resists moths and mildew
a lower cost than wool or nylon
polyester fibres can be made from recycled PET bottles
very environmentally sustainable
Polyester is an all-round good choice for residential carpet offering performance and value for money.
Wool
This traditional favourite offers a deep, rich look and feel. It has very good resilience and durability, but is very expensive often twice as much per metre as nylon.
It?s strengths are:
soft to touch
natural looking colours
luxurious look
good resilience
Other synthetic fibres have done an excellent job of duplicating the characteristics of wool. Special care should be used in cleaning wool carpet. Wool is naturally a staple fibre. Although it is naturally stain resistant, it requires a high level of maintenance including mothproofing. Since wool can hold 4-10 times its weight in moisture, it is susceptible to shrinking and mould and mildew growth.
Polypropylene
Polypropylene, also called olefin, and is a fast growing fibre segment. It is a relatively inexpensive fibre, which is easily extruded by most carpet manufacturers.
It?s strengths include:
resistant to moisture
superior stain resistance, with the exception of oil-based stains
superior resistance to sunlight fading
solution dyed construction means it is colour fast
low cost
Polypropylene is great when used in a needlepunch carpet as each layer of staple yarn is needled into each other providing an extremely durable construction. Polypropylene as a tufted carpet has poor resiliency, which can lead to crushing/matting.
Polypropylene cleans very well and most staining is non-existent. It is favoured for outdoor carpeting and basements due to its resistance to moisture, mildew, water damage, staining, pilling, shedding and static.
I tend to steer away from the cheapest now as they are hard and look cheap. If you are only doing the bedrooms the extra cost is not that much. I do agree with the poor resilience of Poly. That drives me mad.