What Is Compound Fabric Material for Carpets?

Bulked Continuous Fiber or Staple

• Carpeting is made of bulked continuous fiber or short staple fibers. Bulked continuous fiber is preferred for carpets facing for wear and rough treatment from pets as the fibers are longer and wear less. Staple fibers are short and bulky. Olefin or polypropylene carpeting is usually BCF. Olefin is ideal in high-moisture areas where cheaper replaceable carpeting is suitable. Wool is a short staple fiber. Nylon has evolved to become a favored carpet fabric, and it can be either BCF or staple fiber composition.

Nylon and Polyester

• Nylon wears well and has been in use since the 1930s. Originally produced by DuPont, nylon is now in the fourth, fifth or sixth generation. Fourth-generation nylon is used in cheaper carpets in combination with ScotchGard or Teflon to protect from stains. These products require retreatment over the life of the carpet. Fifth-generation nylon improves the stain-resistant qualities, but this carpet is dyed and treated after completion. The compound fabrics in fifth-generation nylon aren't the best available. Nylon 6, or the sixth-generation nylon, is the most stain-resistant compound carpet fabrics available for the home at time of publication. Nylon 6 is dyed and treated during the manufacturing process.

  PET polyester is stronger than olefin but isn't as strong as nylon. This carpet is less expensive than nylon and provides a soft plush carpet of cut pile.

Wool and Other Materials

• Wool is a natural fiber not duplicated in the textile mills. Wool carpeting repels water, doesn’t crush easily and doesn’t create static electricity. Wool carpeting requires special cleaning products and care and is expensive.

  Cotton carpeting is easy to clean, but cotton carpet does not wear well. Cotton is ideal for area rugs in low-traffic areas, and area rugs are often made of compound fabrics. The top surface of wool or cotton carpet may have stain protection and a water-repellent finish. The back may be bonded with a skid-resistant surface.

Compound Fabric in Carpeting

• Some manufacturers use a combination of fibers on the front surface. Olefin or polyester blended with nylon produces a stronger carpet fiber blend than olefin or polyester alone. Because wool is an expensive carpet product, it's often combined with a percentage of nylon or olefin to reduce cost. These compound fibers bond to yet another fiber on the back to make the carpet thick, strong and durable. The carpet fibers have layers of treatment on the back. Most carpets have a bonding agent between a primary fiber backing and a secondary fiber backing layer to add durability.