Fiber Selection
The esthetics and performance of carpet is similar to the fabric in your clothing. The type of fiber used, the construction of the cloth, and the color all play a role in the styling, cost, and performance of that garment.
All carpet yarn is manufactured from a Staple or Continuous Filament (BCF) fiber.
Staple fiber is a series of short, 6 to 7 inches in length, strings spun together to form one continuous filament. Several of these are twisted together to form a strand of yarn.
BCF fiber is a continuous filament manufactured as one long string. These are twisted and heatset together to form a strand of yarn.
Both of these processes create yarns that produce carpet products with distinctly different looks and characteristics.
A Description of Common Carpet Fibers
Nylon
The most frequently used carpet fiber, highly desirable due to 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.
Branded Nylon
Brand name fiber such as Solutia WearDated®,and Honeywell Anso® usually indicates additional yarn testing and/or additional soil and stain treatments have been added.
Polyester
Used in residential and a few commercial applications, polyester has good color clarity, colorfastness, and resistance to water-soluble stains. All of Mohawk's polyester yarn comes from our state-of-the-art plastic bottle recycling facility. This "food-grade" PET Polyester fiber is considered to be better quality than "carpet-grade" polyester fiber.
Polypropylene
Also known as Olefin, this fiber 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. When used in specific carpet constructions, this yarn will perform as well as most resilient fibers.
Wool
The most expensive of the fibers listed here, it is a natural fiber with moderate soil and stain resistance. Durable, luxurious "hand", reduced visible soil due to fine, light-scattering characteristics.
* assuming nylon is treated with a stain resistant chemical.
** assuming treatment with a soil resistant chemical.
The esthetics and performance of carpet is similar to the fabric in your clothing. The type of fiber used, the construction of the cloth, and the color all play a role in the styling, cost, and performance of that garment.
All carpet yarn is manufactured from a Staple or Continuous Filament (BCF) fiber.
Staple fiber is a series of short, 6 to 7 inches in length, strings spun together to form one continuous filament. Several of these are twisted together to form a strand of yarn.
BCF fiber is a continuous filament manufactured as one long string. These are twisted and heatset together to form a strand of yarn.
Both of these processes create yarns that produce carpet products with distinctly different looks and characteristics.
A Description of Common Carpet Fibers
Nylon
The most frequently used carpet fiber, highly desirable due to 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.
Branded Nylon
Brand name fiber such as Solutia WearDated®,and Honeywell Anso® usually indicates additional yarn testing and/or additional soil and stain treatments have been added.
Polyester
Used in residential and a few commercial applications, polyester has good color clarity, colorfastness, and resistance to water-soluble stains. All of Mohawk's polyester yarn comes from our state-of-the-art plastic bottle recycling facility. This "food-grade" PET Polyester fiber is considered to be better quality than "carpet-grade" polyester fiber.
Polypropylene
Also known as Olefin, this fiber 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. When used in specific carpet constructions, this yarn will perform as well as most resilient fibers.
Wool
The most expensive of the fibers listed here, it is a natural fiber with moderate soil and stain resistance. Durable, luxurious "hand", reduced visible soil due to fine, light-scattering characteristics.
| | Nylon | Nylon | Olefin | Polyester | Wool |
| | (filament) | (staple) | (filament) | (staple) | (staple) |
| Durability | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Good |
| Resilience | Excellent | Excellent | Fair | Fair | Excellent |
| Stain Resistant* | Very Good | Very Good | Excellent | Very Good | Very Good |
| Soil Resistant** | Very Good | Very Good | Fair | Good | Very Good |
| Cleaning | Very Good | Very Good | Very Good | Good | Very Good |
| Available Colors | Excellent | Excellent | Fair | Very Good | Fair |
| Pilling & Fuzzing | Excellent | Fair | Very Good | Fair | Fair |
| Resistance to Household Cleaners | Very Good | Very Good | Excellent | Very Good | Good |
* assuming nylon is treated with a stain resistant chemical.
** assuming treatment with a soil resistant chemical.
| Fiber Type | Definition | Characteristics |
| Nylon | Fiber-forming substance of any long-chain, synthetic polyamide having recurring amide groups as an integral part of the polymer chain." | Durable, resilient" |
| First used in 1959 in carpet. | Abrasion-resistant. | |
| Offered as BCF or staple. | Versatile in coloration possibilities | |
| Used in residential and commercial applications. | Favorably priced. | |
| Produced as a solution-dyed fiber or white yarn to-be-dyed. | Must be treated to be stain and soil resistant. | |
| Accounts for 65% of all face fibers in carpet. | ||
| Polyester | Made from terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol. | Color clarity |
| Offered primarily as a staple product, although some BCF in being produced." | Colorfastness | |
| Used in residential and commercial applications. | Resistant to water-soluble stains. | |
| 100% of Mohawk's Polyester is PET Polyester, manufactured from recycled plastic bottles." | Noted for luxurious ""hand""." | |
| Polypropylene | Fiber-forming substance of any long-chain synthetic polymer composed of at least 85%, by weight, of ethylene, propylene, or other olefin units." | Resists fading. |
| (Olefin) | Offered primarily as BCF with some staple product available. | Inherently stain resistant. |
| Primarily sold as solution-dyed or pre-dyed fiber. | Limited color selection. | |
| Can be engineered for outdoor applications. | Generates low levels of static electricity. | |
| Chemical, moisture, and stain resistant." | ||
| Favorably priced. | ||
| Wool | Natural fiber. | Luxurious ""hand""" |
| Offered as staple yarn. | Durable | |
| Inherent resilient property | ||
| Scaly character of fiber scatters light and reduces visible soil. | ||
| Largely self-extinguishing when burned. Will char rather than melt and drip |
