Carpet Fiber Types
Natural Fibers
Wool (Pros)
1. Excellent at hiding soil (no reflect/refract)
2. Strong elasticity, resilient
3. Excellent insulator
4. Moths only eat dirty wool
5. Good absorbency for dyeing
6. Naturally flame retardant
7. Releases soil well
Wool (Cons)
1. Very expensive
2. Fibers distort easily under high heat
3. Stains easily because of absorbency
4. Chemically sensitive above 8.5 pH and below 6.5 pH
5. Staple yarn/can cause to fuzz
6. Dissolves in bleach
Silk (Pros)
1. Very strong fiber
2. Lightweight, but can stretch up to 20%
3. Good insulator
4. Naturally flame resistant (up to 330 degrees); over 170 can cause untwisting of fibers
Silk (Cons)
1. If stretched, only retract 2%
2. Sensitive to bleach and high alkalinity
Cellulosic Fibers
Cotton (Pros)
1. Strong, and increases in strength when wet
2. Absorbent, good for dyeing
3. Static resistant
4. Heat resistant
Cotton (Cons)
1. Absorbency leads to slow drying
2. Easily stained
3. Easily mildewed
4. Highly flammable
5. Prone to shrinkage, browning, yellowing
Jute (Pros)-Used primarily in backings and entrance mats
1. Strong and elastic
2. Inexpensive
3. Good dimensional stability
Jute (Cons)
1. Prone to shrinkage when wet
2. Alkaline sensitive-browning and brittleness
3. Highly Flammable
4. Prone to mildew
5. Need to use absorbent powder to clean
Synthetic Fibers
Nylon (Pros)
1. Excellent Strength
2. Good elasticity-stretches and regains its shape and strength making it good for traffic areas
3. Very abrasion resistant, even over wool
4. Static resistant
5. Heat sets very well
6. Good resiliency, the best of all fibers
7. Nonabsorbent-retains less than 8% of its weight in water allowing for faster drying
8. Mildew resistant
9. Responds well to professional cleaning
10. Inexpensive to manufacture
11. Good dye acceptance, re-coloring is cheaper than replacement
Nylon (Cons)
1. Good dye acceptance means it stains easily
2. Acid dyed; bleach, sun fading, and urine can cause color loss
Polyester (Pros)
1. Disperse dyed, resistant to bleaching, fading, and soiling dyes
2. Very heat resistant (Melts between 480-550 degrees)
3. Stain resistant (water-based)
4. Low absorbency-quick drying
Polyester (Cons)
1. Difficult to dye, must be solution dyed
2. Not resistant to oily stains, can be permanent
3. Can lose crimp leading to tangling and matting
Olefin/Polypropylene (Pros)
1. Very moisture resistant, only absorbs 1% of its weight in water
2. Very difficult to stain
3. Great for stadiums, pools, or other outdoor applications
4. Chemical/bleach resistant
5. Solution dyed/resistant to fading
6. Lightweight, only common carpet fiber that floats in water
7. Very strong
8. Good cleanability and soil releasing
Olefin/Polypropylene (Cons)
1. Not resilient, can cause crushing, matting, permanent indentations
2. Because it will lie down, it shows soiling faster
3. Very heat sensitive, can soften at 170 degrees, melt at 300
4. Hot solution hoses and quick connects can melt or distort
5. Shows jet marks if too hot
6. Susceptible to friction, moving furniture by dragging can cause burn marks or streaks
7. Difficult to dye because of low absorbency
Acrylic (Pros)
1. Wool like properties; soft, lightweight, dull appearance
2. Stronger and more lightweight than wool
3. Solution dyed so more colorfast than wool
4. Good cleanability and soil release
Acrylic (Cons)
1. Low abrasion resistance, scratches easily, shows more soiling
2. Poor resiliency, can lead to nap reversal and permanent indentations
3. Acrylic is alkaline sensitive, can lead to browning
Rayon
Rayon is regenerated cellulose fiber in which purified wood pulp and cotton linters have been converted into xanthate, which has been dissolved in diluted caustic soda. This solution is pumped through a sulfuric acid bath to solidify the fibers. The resulting rayon fiber is easily dyed with bright and vivid colors, and it is also resistant to mildew. Rayon is seldom used, however, due to the fact that it is neither resilient nor strong. It is often used in mop heads. It does tend to stain easily, and most rayon fibers will likely bleed during cleaning. The most likely place a carpet cleaner will encounter a rayon carpet (if at all) is in some small (8x10 or smaller) accent or decorator rugs.
Acetate
Acetate is seldom used in carpet due to its poor resiliency and wear characteristics. It is characterized by a soft, silk-like hand, and a lightweight, fast-drying, high-lustered and inexpensive carpet.
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