Man Made Fibres Used in Carpeting

Acrylic

Acrylic fibres were first used as carpet yarns around the late 1940s. They disappeared around 1988 due to the competition from other fibres, but were reintroduced to the market around 1990 in Berber styling.

Acrylic carpeting is very similar to wool, and sometimes referred to as man made wool. Acrylic carpets have wool like appearance, hand feel, but are more spot resistant, much easier to clean, and not damaged in the ways that wool is. They are resistant to moisture, fading, mildew, crushing and staining; however, they aren't recommended for high traffic areas.

Nylon (Polyamide)

Nylon fibre was introduced first by the DuPont Chemical Company in 1938. Several years later, after a great deal of development, nylon became the first synthetic fibre to be used in the entire carpeting industry.

Nylon is generally regarded as a highly versatile fibre type that can be used to make virtually any style and colour of carpet, and is particularly good for high traffic areas. Although it is one of the most expensive types of synthetic fibres, it is still cheaper than wool.

Polyester

Polyester fibre was first introduced into the garment industry roughly in the 1950s. By the late 1960s, polyester was introduced into the carpet industry as a face yarn. In hand, feel, and appearance it is similar to nylon, although it doesn't possess the same resiliency.

Polyester carpet fibre gives a soft feel and a lustrous appearance, along with a good depth of colour. It is mildew resistant and non-allergenic and is an ideal product for bedroom and bathroom carpets. However, although polyester is fairly resistant to water-soluble stains (not oil-based stains) and it quite durable, it flattens more easily than other fibres, such as nylon.

Polypropylene (Olefin)

Polypropylene (Olefin) is the latest of the synthetic fibres to be adopted to carpets. Manufactured using synthetic fibres, polypropylene fibres have many similar properties and benefits as nylon fibres.

Polypropylene yarn contains anti-static properties and also possesses excellent colourfastness properties, with a low risk of fading. It is a strong fibre that has very good wearing and stain resistant qualities, and offers very good value for money for the budget conscious consumer.

Rayon

Rayon (also known as viscose) is a synthetic fibre that is produced from natural cellulosic fibres of wood pulp or cotton. The material is put through several chemical treatments which help to turn it into a synthetic fibre. Primarily, rayon is used for location rugs because of its silk like appearance. It can be damaged by acids, has low resistance to abrasion and flattening, and is also prone to cellulose browning.