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Choosing the right carpet for your situation is a difficult process if you do not understand the different carpet fibres available to you as there is a wide variety to choose from. 

Whether your home or commercial property is contemporary or classical, carpet has an abundance of advantages over flooring types. Make sure that you consider the following: Durability, Colour, Practicality, Safety, Texture and Comfort.  Carpet is hard wearing and can withstand heavy traffic to retain its original state longer. Using the right carpet can make a room as you have so many colour options and styles available to you that you do not get in the other floor coverings. There are literally over a million colours to choose from with varying styles and combined with the right choice of pile, you can get that exact feel that you are after.

There are 5 different types of carpet fibre and each has its own strengths based on the type of situation that they are likely to be used. Some fibers have very low resiliency and only should be manufactured in high-density loop pile constructions to limit crushing (pile flattening). Pile fiber represents greater than 80% of the cost of most residential carpet; therefore differences in price between carpet styles usually can be attributed to differences in fiber. 
 

Carpet Fibres

The esthetics and performance of carpet is similar to the fabric in your clothing. The type of fiber used, the construction of the cloth, and the color all play a role in the styling, cost, and performance of that garment.

All carpet yarn is manufactured from either a Staple or Continuous Filament (BCF) fiber. Staple fiber is a series of short, 6 to 7 inches in length, strings spun together to form one continuous filament. Several of these are twisted together to form a strand of yarn.

BCF fiber is a continuous filament manufactured as one long string. These are twisted and heatset together to form a strand of yarn. Both of these processes create yarns that produce carpet products with distinctly different looks and characteristics.

WOOL

Wool is thought of by many as the Classic Carpet Fibre and believed to be the finest quality fibre available. It is a natural fibre that has a natural resistance to burning, creating a safer covering that protects in case of fire. A wool fibre carpet is warm in winter and cool in summer and is also naturally moisture resistant, recovering well from spills and handles wet cleaning easily. Wool carpet will also withstand wear and tear in high traffic areas such as hallways, loungerooms and reception areas. 

The most expensive of the fibers listed here, it is a natural fiber with moderate soil and stain resistance. Durable, luxurious "hand", reduced visible soil due to fine, light-scattering characteristics. 

WOOL BLENDS

Wool blends are not only cheaper to produce than 100% wool blends they also increase stain resistance by blending different percentages of synthetic fibres, from 50/50 wool/synthetic to 80/20 wool/synthetic to create a super yarn. It is believed that 80/20 is the optimum and most successful blend giving the most advantages of both fibres. The two yarns are spun together to give one fibre that can be used as a rugged and hardy flooring that is cheaper than its full wool cousin. 

NYLON

Nylon is a synthetic fibre and is the most popular carpet fibre currently produced today. In the production process several different treatments are added to create a more stain resistant, moisture resistant and wear resistant fibre. This fibre is outstanding in its ability to resist high traffic wear and tear, resist loss of pile fibre and its remarkable ability to recover from pile crush. It will retain its colour for an extremely long time and will resist stains as well as any covering. 

The most frequently used carpet fiber, highly desirable due to its exceptional durability, versatility, and reasonable pricing. It can be dyed in an endless variety of colors and made into numerous styles and textures. Nylon is commonly used in residential and commercial applications. 

SOLUTION DYED

This fibre is a synthetic fibre that is processed in a special way. The fibre is melted and a solution dye is added then it is respun and cooled into a new fibre with the colour penetrating all the way to its core. This fibre is one colour all the way through. It is not white on the inside like a normal Nylon synthetic dyed carpet fibre. This fibre retains its colour for life. 

POLYPRPLENE (Olefin)

This is the newest of the synthetic fibres on the market. All fibres are dyed using the Solution Dyed process above. This fibre retains excellent wear and tear properties and is good in high traffic areas, it is highly moisture resistant making it great for spills and cleaning, has very low static build up and resists stains and bacteria greatly improving health risks. 

Also known as Olefin, this fiber resists fading, generates low levels of static electricity, is favorably priced, and can be engineered in outdoor applications. Due to its manufacturing process, polypropylene inherently resists stains. When used in specific carpet constructions, this yarn will perform as well as most resilient fibers. 

Polyester

Used in residential and a few commercial applications, polyester has good color clarity, colorfastness, and resistance to water-soluble stains. All of Mohawk's staple polyester yarn comes from our state-of-the-art plastic bottle recycling facility. This "food-grade" PET Polyester fiber might be considered to be better quality than "carpet-grade" polyester fiber. 

Types of Carpet

Understanding a few simple basics about carpet construction will help you make the right choice for your lifestyle and budget. 

Textured Plush

• Most decoratively versatile cut-pile carpet
• Textured surface helps hide footprints and vacuum marks
• Adds casual beauty to any room
• Looks great between vacuuming
• Preferred style for busy households
• A great "whole-housecarpet

Saxony

• Refined cut-pile surface
• Luxuriously smooth, soft finish
• Beautiful with traditional interiors
• Adds distinctive elegance to any room
• Ideal for living and dining rooms
• Shows subtle highlights and accents

Berber Loop-Pile

• A wool-like look and rugged loop surface
• Natural, hand-crafted appearance creates a warm, personal atmosphere
• Tight loop texture helps hide footprints and vacuum marks
• Subtle patterns fit a variety of room styles
• Ideal choice for contemporary to country to cottage furnishings

Berber Cut-Pile

• A new berber look with all the wonderful color and interest of traditional loop berbers
• The great plush "feelof thick, cut pile carpet
• Beautifully crafted and colored yarns add personality to any room
• Very versatile decoratively, ideal for casual rooms, kids' rooms, etc.
• Subtle color flecks help hide soil that might appear between cleanings

Cut/Loop

• Carved definition with cut-and-loop pile
• Accent colors spice up floor surfaces
• Multicolor effects hide soil and stains
• Looks great between vacuuming
• Choose from soft tonals to bolder color combinations

Carpet Quality

Fibre, Twist & Density.

The three most important factors to determining carpet quality are its fibres, its twist and its density.

Density is determined by how many fibres there are in a particular squared area of a carpet. This can easily be determined by bending the carpet and viewing how close together the pile is made. The closer together the strands of the fiber are together at the base of the carpet, the more dense the carpet and the better quality. Higher density improves resistance to crushing and matting.  The density is important as it effects how the carpet, over time, is going to look and perform and the higher the density, the better the durability.

Another factor determining the quality of a carpet is its twist factor. The Twist level is the amount of twist that two or more piles of fible are given. The more twist in the carpet, the less dense the carpet needs to be. So high twist level and a high density level add up to a high quality carpet. A twist level of 6 per inch is a good quality and it can go up from there. More Information on fibres can be found on the fibres page under the carpet menu.

 

Here are some general terms for understanding how carpet is made and how to judge carpet quality. Remember, the best way to ensure that you get a high quality, durable carpet is to ask our Holistic Flooring Carpet Expert.

Carpet Durability

The measure of how long your carpet will look and feel good. Ideally, carpet will retain its original texture and appearance for years to come. Durability depends on finding the right balance of three important factors defined below:

Fibre

During carpet manufacturing, natural or synthetic fibre is converted to yarn and tufted, or locked into a backing to form the pile or surface that you walk on. There are five major types of carpet fibre; the most popular being nylon. Ideal for carpeting, nylon is a man-made fibre that is wear-resistant, resilient, and provides brilliant colour.

Twist

The twist of the fibre is the way the fibre filaments are spun into yarn, and how the yarn is in turn twisted upon itself. Twist is usually locked into the fibre with a steam or heat-setting. The tighter the twist, the more the carpet will resist changes in appearance and texture.

Density

Density describes the amount of pile in the carpet and how close the tufts are to one another. In general, the more dense the carpet the better the quality. Check density by pressing your fingers on the carpet and trying to reach the backing. It will be difficult to reach the backing of a very dense carpet. With the tufts facing outward, bend the carpet into a U shape to see how much of the carpet backing shows. The less backing you see, the more dense the carpet.

Carpet grading - Australian Carpet Classification Scheme (ACCS)

For peace of mind, look for carpets that have been graded by the Australian Carpet Classification Scheme (ACCS). Carpets are classified under the ACCS labelling system according to their durability and appearance retention. Carpets graded by the ACCS carry distinctive labels featuring a star system that provides guidance on the likely appearance retention and performance properties of the carpet.
The more stars the better the carpet's durability and appearance retention properties.
All ACCS graded carpets carry a minimum two-year performance warranty, supported by the manufacturer or supplier.

The yellow and blue labels identify carpets that have been graded for residential use. Residential ratings can have a maximum of six stars. The Star system of rating allows you to quickly decide which carpet is suitable for your needs.

The gold and black labels identify carpets graded for contract or commercial use. Contract ratings can have a maximum of four stars.  Some carpets will carry both Residential and Contract gradings.

Be sure to look for the numbered ACCS label - these carpets have been tested by NATA accredited laboratories and assessed by the ACCS Panel of carpet experts. Beware of untested claims of carpet's suitability for different uses.