Nylon Carpet

Nylon is a very strong synthetic fibre that is well known for its durability and ease of maintenance. It has excellent texture retention and is very resilient making it the most popular type of carpet fibre today.

The resiliency of nylon is due to its unique chemical structure. Steam cleaning ‘reactivates’ or ‘revives’ the hydrogen molecule in the fibres to allow the carpet to retain its shape.  A dye is added into the synthetic solution during the process of nylon fibre production. This locks the dye within the fibre and make the carpet fade- and stain- resistant.

Nylon carpet fibres take two forms, Nylon Type 6 and Nylon Type 6.6. Type 6 is often added to wool to create a woolrich carpet with increased wear resistance, particularly in lower pile weights and densities.

Polypropylene Carpet

One of polypropylene carpets main advantages is that it looks similar to wool and it's the main reason why many carpet manufacturers use it in the production of area rugs and Berber-style carpets. It also has good stain-resistance because of its hydrophobic characteristics.

Polypropylene carpet does not have the resiliency of nylon or other types of carpet fibres.  It does not hold up well in high traffic areas and that is why this type of carpet is best reserved for areas of low traffic. While polypropylene is stain-resistant, it is important to note that it is not soil-resistant. It's main drawback is its ability to attract oils because of its oleophilic property.

The hydrophobic and oleophilic properties of polypropylene make it ideal as a marine and outdoor carpet. It is great to use it in the basement because it is mould-resistant and it is fast drying.

Polyester Carpets

Polyester carpet fibres are very popular because of its exceptional stain resistance, affordability, lustrous appearance, and their vibrant appearance.  It's main chemical compound is polyethylene terephthalate or PET

One of its main strengths is the closed-cell nature of its fibres. This structural characteristic allows polyester fibres to keep stains out, even without stain treatment. Polyester is also more eco-friendly than other synthetic carpet fibre types.

The only drawback about polyester is that its durability is not as noteworthy as nylon. It is for this very reason that polyester carpets should only be used in areas of the home with low traffic. The good news is that recent advances in polyester technology have somehow closed the durability gap between nylon and polyester.

Triexta Carpet

This is the latest type of synthetic carpet fibre, made by the same company that invented the nylon fibre. It bears a very close chemical semblance to polyester, having the same terephthalate base. The only difference is that polyester has a polyethylene bound to the terephthalate molecule. The terephthalate of Triexta is bound to a polytrimethylene compound.

The chemical difference gives Triexta a few advantages over polyester carpet fibers. It is more resilient and durable. Some say that Triexta is as durable and strong as nylon carpet fibres. Triexta is also more resistant to staining and soiling compared to nylon. Another advantage of Triexta is its softness. In fact, it is almost like wool in terms of softness. There is also an eco-friendly version of this carpet fibre type.

The main disadvantage of Triexta carpet fibre is that it is not as vibrant as polyester.

Wool Carpet

While it is the most expensive type of carpet fibre, many people still pick natural wool over any other type of carpet fibre material. It is a very durable material. A well-maintained wool carpet can last many decades.

However, wool is second only to nylon in terms of resiliency. It does not retain its texture as well as nylon does. Also, wool requires a very strict maintenance regimen to keep its integrity. Only a professional cleaning service will suffice when it comes to wool. This is because this fibre is quite susceptible to shrinkage if not maintained in the correct manner.

Wool is also not very resistant against stains as it is an absorbent material. It does have good soil resistance. Wool carpet fibres are also resistant to flame. You will only see a burn mark in the carpet. The absorbent nature of wool also makes it a good alternative natural humidifier