The face fiber of today’s carpets can represent as much as 60% of a carpet’s total content. And, because carpet fibers often have unique properties that are worthy of end-use considerations, it’s important to have some basic understanding of the various fibers used in carpet constructions.

 

PET (polyethylene terephthalate) is now a generation old category of polyester fiber used in carpet manufacturing. Since it was initially introduced in the carpet industry in the mid 1960s, PET’s image was revitalized in the 1990s when it was engineered to respond better to twist and heat setting, and because PET carpet fiber could be made from recycled content. Today, environmental concerns are in the minds of most individuals in our society, and significant focus has been placed on developing whatever means are available or can be obtained in order to reduce the negative impact we’ve placed on our environment. In response to this, we are also using recycled PET to help reduce solid landfill waste, energy consumption, and the use of dwindling petroleum raw materials.