CARPET FIBERS

During carpet manufacturing, natural or synthetic fiber is converted to yarn and tufted, or locked into a backing to form the pile or surface that you walk on. There are four major types of carpet fiber - nylon, polypropylene (olefin), polyester, and wool; the most popular being nylon.

NYLON

A highly desirable fiber because of its exceptional durability, versatility, and reasonable pricing. It can be dyed in an endless variety of colors and made into numerous styles and textures. Nylon is commonly used in residential and commercial applications. 

POLYPROPYLENE

Also known as Olefin, polypropylene resists fading, generates low levels of static electricity, is favorably priced, and can be engineered in outdoor applications.
Due to its manufacturing process, polypropylene inherently resists stains. This is because it is "hydrophobic" and does not absorb stains as readily. It also does not absorb dyes, so it must be subjected to a process called "solution dyeing."
While the yarn is still liquid, the colors are added. Then the yarns are extruded with the color locked in. It's more stain resistant and fade resistant as a result. When used in specific carpet constructions, this yarn will perform as well as most resilient fibers.

POLYESTER

Used in residential and a few commercial applications, polyester has good color clarity, colorfastness, and resistance to water-soluble stains. The best polyester yarn comes from "food-grade" PET Polyester fiber, which is considered to be better quality than "carpet-grade" polyester fiber.

WOOL

Wool is the most expensive of the fibers we've included here. It is a natural fiber with moderate soil and stain resistance. It possesses a durable, luxurious "hand", with reduced visible soil due to fine, light-scattering characteristics. Wool also absorbs color very easily and can produce some very rich looks not possible in artificial fibers.