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| The four basic fibers used in carpets today all have their individual strengths.
Even more importantly, they all make excellent carpets. Your ultimate choice
will be determined by the characteristics that are most important to you.
Although some carpets are made of blends, most are made entirely of one of
the following four fibers: |
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| Nylon is the most widely used carpet fiber, preferred primarily
for its strength. Nylon is incredibly durable and resilient.
Because of its resistance to matting and wear, you will never
see a visibly worn carpet path in even the busiest spots of
your home. Nylon carpet fiber is soft yet strong, shows color
brilliantly, and cleans well. Though not inherently stain resistant,
most nylons are treated with a stain-resist carpet treatment
for protection against household spills and stains. |
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| The use of polypropylene in carpet has grown dramatically
due to the popularity of Berber style loop carpets. Polypropylene
is extremely resistant to stains, fading, and moisture. Polypropylene,
a value-oriented fiber, is also notably colorfast because it is solution
dyed, which means the color is added during production and not dyed
later. The color is such an inherent part of the fiber that you can
even clean polypropylene with bleach. |
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| Appreciated for its versatility, polyesters popularity
continues to grow. Polyester offers exceptional softness, making
it ideal for thick, cut pile styles. Polyester is also naturally
and permanently stain resistant and fade resistant. It has excellent
color clarity, color retention, strength, and abrasion resistance.
Carpets made from this fiber are easily cleaned and they resist
water soluble stains. |
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| The preeminent natural fiber, wool yields a soft,
warm, comfortable feel. Although wool does not possess natural
resistance to moisture or abrasion, it ages well and is easy to
clean. Because it is the most expensive carpet fiber, wool is
generally used only in luxury carpets and area rugs. |
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