Does Polyester Make a Durable Rug?

The Good

• Polyester is an affordable synthetic fiber that boasts some of the carpet world's most vibrant colors. This is because the dyes are added to the liquid molten fiber during the extrusion process, so the color is in the strands. This gives polyester carpets excellent resistance to fading from sunlight, and makes the fibers stain resistant, which should be high on anyone's priority list. It's also one of the softest carpet options available.

The Bad

• In cut pile carpets, the strands are twisted and crimped together. The tighter those twists are, the more durable the carpet will be. The problem with polyester is it doesn't stay twisted very well. As it's walked on, the fibers unravel over time, which is the cause of fraying. The yarns of other fibers such as nylon and wool keep their shapes much longer.

The Ugly

• For all it's goodness, polyester is the least-resilient fiber, behind nylon, wool and olefin. This means with more use, it will lay down -- and stay down. Fibers with higher resiliency fluff back up after something heavy is moved off it. With polyester, marks from chair legs could be permanent if they are left there long enough. Because of this downside, polyester isn't a durable choice for high-traffic areas such as a hallway or living room.

Alternatives

• Wool is more expensive, but quite durable. It has excellent resilience but is more prone to staining. Nylon is the most common carpet fiber. It is durable and resilient. It costs a bit more than polyester, especially if you purchase one where the stain resistance was included in the extrusion process, but it may be worth it. The best thing you can do before you shop is make a list of factors important to you, and bring it with you to discuss with a sales representative.