Your Guide To Carpet and Rug Fibers

There are many choices to make beyond the look of your carpet, such as the fiber the carpet is made of. Most carpet manufacturers consider the carpet fibers they use when designing a particular carpet, as the design and fiber often dictate the use of the carpet or rug.

Here’s a look at fibers commonly used for carpets and rugs and their main features.

Nylon
Nylon is a fiber commonly used for carpets and rugs, equalling approximately 65% of all fiber found in carpets. That’s because nylon is wear-resistant and can endure heavy weight. That makes nylon the perfect choice for virtually any area in the home, even heavy traffic areas.

Acrylic
Acrylic is very similar to wool in its appearance and feel; however, acrylic is much less expensive when compared to wool. It’s also resistant to mildew and moisture and is therefore the fiber of choice for bath rugs.

Polyester
Polyester is a soft carpet fiber that cleans easily. It is also resistant to water-soluble stains. These features make polyester an excellent choice for living space areas.

Olefin
Olefin is a strong, stain resistant fiber. It’s easy to clean and resists the wear of traffic. Another wonderful feature of olefin is that it’s mildew and moisture resistant. Olefin has many of the bonus features other fibers have and is therefore a good fiber choice of carpet for virtually all areas in the home.

Wool
Wool fiber offers real comfort. It’s a soft carpet with high bulk that still retains high performance. The only drawback to purchasing a wool fiber carpet is that wool can be more expensive than synthetic fibers.

Blends
Then, of course, there are the blends of fibers frequently used to constitute carpets. Blends combine the various features of specific fibers to meet the needs of certain traffic areas in the home. For example, a wool and nylon carpet unites the look and lavishness of wool with the durability that nylon offers, making this blend a perfect choice for high-traffic living space areas.