The majority of the carpet produced contains one of six pile yarns: nylon, polypropylene (olefin), acrylic, polyester, wool, or cotton. “Synthetic fibers make up more than 99% of the fiber used by the U.S. carpet industry.” Each yarn has strengths and weaknesses that must be recognized and should influence how it is to be used and constructed. Some yarns have very low resiliency and only should be manufactured in high-density loop pile constructions to limit crushing (pile flattening). Other yarns have the tendency to absorb oily soils and other oil-based compounds (including body oils) and should be carefully considered before installing in areas subject to these contaminants. It should be emphasized that there is no perfect fiber and carpet is a fabric that is subjected to incredible abuse through foot traffic, accidental spills, environmental contaminants, and other.
Of the three most commonly used yarns (nylon, olefin, and polyester), nylon is by far the most expensive yarn/fiber and the best all around performer. In comparing price alone, a polyester yarn/fabric could be one-third less than the cost of a comparable nylon product.
Each of the fiber systems used in the manufacture of carpet can be divided into two classifications: staple and bulked continuous filament (BCF). Nylon is produced in both staple and BCF yarn. Olefin is typically produced in BCF only. Polyester is manufactured in staple only; cotton and wool are inherently staple. Staple yarns are yarns that are produced in short lengths and spun and twisted together (like cotton) to form long threads of yarn and tufted into carpet. BCF yarns are actually long filaments of fiber that are plied together to form continuous bundles of fiber. Many lower face weight products and higher end carpet products are manufactured using staple yarns. These yarns can be spun by the manufacturer into any size yarn bundle and provide more styling flexibility. This allows manufacturers to spin very small yarn plies for pinpoint saxonies and very large bundles for shag or cabled yarns. Staple fiber also is used to manufacture the beautiful velvet plushes that signify luxury and comfort.
Are you interested in buying Carpet yarns/fiber for your business? Look no further than Globe Thread Canada.
We deal with all types of Carpet Yarns and are able to supply different qualities and quantities as per your requirements. Below are the types of Yarns we deal with on a regular basis based on market demands. Nylon is manufactured in both BCF and staple fiber. It is the strongest fiber, making it an excellent choice for the heavy traffic of an active household or commercial facility. It’s also the most durable of the synthetics. It is soil and mildew resistant and resilient, but is prone to static. There are two basic types of nylon (type 6 and type 6,6) and each provides different performance characteristics. For many years, type 6,6 has been considered to be the premium nylon fiber, but technological advances in dyeing and twisting processes have narrowed the gap between the two. However, type 6,6 remains the premium nylon fiber used today. Polyester is manufactured in staple fiber only. While it’s not as durable as nylon, it’s quite durable and resists wear. Polyester offers a wide selection of textures and colors. Some of its strengths are While it’s susceptible to pilling, shedding and oil-based stains, it otherwise cleans fairly easily and is enhanced by stain treatments. Some polyester fibers are recycled from plastic pop bottles, so if environmental concerns are a major issue for you, ask for polyester fibers that have been reclaimed from post consumer use products. It is a solution-dyed product, which means color is added during extrusion in its molten state rather than topically applied. (Imagine a carrot vs. a radish). Because of this dye method it has superior resistance to bleaches and sunlight fading. However it has poor resiliency, which can lead to crushing. Color selection is limited due to its dye method. It has poor abrasion resistance and its low melt point can cause fibers to fuse if furniture or other objects are dragged across its surface. Olefins clean very well and most staining is non-existent. Olefin was originally favored for outdoor carpeting and basements due to its resistance to moisture, mildew, water damage, staining, pilling, shedding and static. Now its more widely used for its durability and appearance. Since its dyed before it’s made into a fiber, olefin is extremely colorfast. Constructed properly, olefins provide an excellent value and good performance. Olefin would not work well in a busy airport or school environment, but will perform well in a busy family room. Olefin is manufactured in BCF only. Heat setting is a term used in the textile industry to describe a thermal process taking place mostly in either a steam atmosphere or a dry heat environment. The effect of the process gives fibers, yarns or fabric dimensional stability and, very often, other desirable attributes like higher volume, wrinkle resistance or temperature resistance. Very often, heat setting is also used to improve attributes for subsequent processes. Yarn made by twisting together two or more strands that are often different in fiber and color. To ply yarn, individual singles are spun together with the twist worked in the opposite direction from how the singles were spun. This gives the yarn much more strength, durability and consistency than is seen in a singles yarn. If two singles are spun together you get a two-ply yarn, which is stronger, springier and more textured than a singles. Add another ply and you have a three-ply yarn, and so on, with each new ply adding both strength and density. Parkes says three-ply yarns are perfect for projects that get a lot of wear and abrasion, like sock. Plied yarns themselves can also be plied together, producing what is known as a cable yarn. To make a cabled yarn, singles are spun with the twist in one direction, they are plied in the opposite direction and the plies are plied together in the same direction that the singles were spun, adding even more strength to the final yarn. This makes a very stable yarn with great stitch definition (it’s perfect for knitting cables, for instance). Chenille may refer to either a type of yarn or fabric made from it. Chenille is the French word for caterpillar whose fur the yarn is supposed to resemble. The chenille yarn is manufactured by placing short lengths of yarn, called the “pile”, between two “core yarns” and then twisting the yarn together. The edges of these piles then stand at right angles to the yarn’s core, giving chenille both its softness and its characteristic look. Chenille will look different in one direction compared to another, as the fibers catch the light differently. Chenille can appear iridescent without actually using iridescent fibers. The yarn is commonly manufactured from cotton, but can also be made using acrylic, rayon and olefin.Nylon
Nylon is a very durable fiber with excellent performance characteristics. Its strengths include:
Polyester
Polyester fiber produces some of the most beautiful colorations available. It also is extremely fade resistant and provides excellent resistance to stains. However it does have poor resilient properties and thus is susceptible to crushing. Polyester fabrics are generally sold in heavy face weights with high-density construction. Avoid high pile heights with low-density construction. These products tend to flatten and “ugly” out. Also look for high twist levels rather than “blown” yarns. Loose twists (blown yarn) tend to untwist and the yarn tips tend to fuse together creating a matted appearance.
Polypropylene
Polypropylene, also called olefin, is the fastest growing fiber segment in use today. It is a relatively inexpensive fiber, which is easily extruded by most carpet manufacturers. Its strengths includeSuperior Stain Resistance with the exception of oil-based stains
Low Cost
Resistance to Sunlight Fading
Polyester Heat Set Yarn
Ply Yarn
Piling on the Plies
Other Options
Chenille Yarn