With a big emphasis on all things ‘natural’ you’d be forgiven for thinking that this is ideally the best all-round type of fibre. However when it comes to carpets, things aren’t always that simple. There are in fact many factors to take into consideration when thinking about what to opt for and criteria such as budget/cost and durability will play a big part in your decision making process. That said let’s take a quick look at the common most types of carpet in circulation today.
Synthetic Nylon
This is probably the most common fibre used to make carpet. In terms of manufacture it’s relatively easy to dye and to print and is pretty durable too. Therefore it’s ideal for places with high levels of traffic such as hallways or lounge areas. Finally, it has the benefit of being reasonably priced. The only real downside of nylon is that it is prone to staining unless treated with a stain resistant product.
Polypropylene
Otherwise known as ‘Olefin’ carpets, most rugs of this type are made using the Berber (loop/pile) method. Under normal circumstances, large looped polypropylene carpets aren’t good in high traffic areas and are subject to matting. Therefore they’re better suited for casual domestic use. However commercial grade, shorter looped polypropylene carpets are especially good in high traffic areas and are much more resistant to staining, However they do suffer when spills involve oil-based liquids.
Polyester
One of the main benefits that polyester carpet has is the ability to repel water. The result is that it won’t stain as much as other types of carpet. It’s a relatively cheap material as far as carpets go however it is prone to matting and crushing making it not particularly ideal for busy or high use areas.
Acrylic
This was invented back in 1941 by Dupont and was marketed as the material that won’t fade. As a result it’s often used in imitation grass. Acrylic is also used in carpet making, and as well as being good for areas that are frequently exposed by the sun, it’s fairly resistant to staining as well. On the downside, it is prone to fuzzing and piling and doesn’t have the shelf life that natural fibres have. That said, acrylic does have a very similar look and feel to wool.
Natural
Wool
As far as carpets go, wool pretty much ticks all the boxes that you want in a carpet. It’s naturally stain resistant and the fibres have the ability to bounce back when walked upon. It can easily be dyed and patterned and the result is a truly great carpet that feel very luxurious under foot. Perhaps the only box it doesn’t tick is the cost. It’s more expensive than any of the other synthetic types, but in terms of durability, it’s second to none. In order to get round the sticky price point and just to confuse buyers you can also purchase wool blend carpets which consist of 80% wool and 20% synthetic and is cheaper and even more durable than pure wool.
So there you have it, an insight into the many different types of fibres, synthetic and natural. Which one would you opt for? It would be interesting to know!
For further information on the right type of carpet for you contact Carpet Cleaning Kings. We’ve been cleaning the carpets of the residents and businesses of Brisbane for many years and as such we like to think that we know a thing or two about how to get the best out of any carpet. Give us a call on 1300 7000 75 for a competitive quote today.
