What is triexta carpet fiber?
What Is Triexta? Triexta is a synthetic carpet fiber made from polytrimethylene terephthalate, which has some similarities to polyester.
Is triexta as durable as polyester?
In fact, many in the industry consider triexta to be as durable as nylon carpet fiber, which has long been considered the king of synthetic carpet fibers. The appearance of triexta is more similar to nylon than to polyester. Polyester has a higher luster, giving it a shinier look than other fiber types.
What is triexta?
Triexta is a synthetic (manufactured) material developed by DuPont. While it shares many characteristics with polyester, triexta has several important differences in its chemical makeup that makes it a subclass of polyester.
Does DuPont still make triexta?
Today, DuPont continues to be the sole producer of triexta and Sorona. Mohawk Industries uses triexta/Sorona to make the SmartStrand carpet marketed to consumers. Stain resistant: Triexta carpet is engineered to resist stains not on its coating, but within its very fiber.
Is Triexta better than polyester?
Triexta is also called PTT, a subclass of polyester. Triexta is considered more durable and resilient than polyester carpet. Even though the fiber lacks a long track record, some industry experts also consider its performance superior to nylon. Triexta is cost-competitive with both nylon and polyester.
Is Triexta carpet polyester?
Triexta is a synthetic (manufactured) material developed by DuPont. While it shares many characteristics with polyester, triexta has several important differences in its chemical makeup that makes it a subclass of polyester.
Is Triexta carpet environmentally friendly?
Triexta carpet is also environment-friendly since they are made from more corn sugar and not petroleum hence are safe even in the house not only on the outside environment, there will be fewer chances of volatile organic compounds being released inside your home, it is an advantage since volatile organic compounds have ...
Is Triexta the same as SmartStrand?
Triexta is a relatively new carpet fiber to the market that you'll see called several different names. Sorona, SmartStrand, or PTT are all different names for triexta. For now, the primary manufacturer of triexta carpet is Mohawk, under the name SmartStrand.
Is Triexta as good as nylon carpet?
Quality and Durability Nylon is more resilient than triexta, meaning that it bounces back from compaction more quickly. According to Mohawk, the manufacturer of triexta carpets, triexta is as strong as nylon. So a triexta carpet will perform as well as, or better than, a nylon carpet of equivalent quality.
How do you clean a Triexta?
For professional cleaning, Mohawk's triexta cleaning guidelines recommend only water rinse extraction and dry compound extraction. For dry compound, I suggest using an oleophilic absorbent and the softest brush available. For water rinse extraction, Mohawk recommends keeping the pump pressure under 300 psi.
Is Triexta carpet good for stairs?
In order to appeal to a number of scenarios throughout the home, carpets come in many materials, from natural fibers like wool and sisal to synthetics like nylon, polyester, triexta, and olefin. Of these, a synthetic nylon carpet may be your best bet for safety, stain-resistance, and strength on stairs.
What is the most sustainable carpet?
Carpet made from natural, renewable fibers tend to be the most environmentally friendly and include sisal, seagrass, coir, organic cotton, jute, organic wool and bamboo. The materials used to create these carpets are biodegradable and don't require a lot of fertilizer and pesticides to produce.
Does SmartStrand carpet off gas?
Mohawk SmartStrand Polyester carpets are consistently lower in offgassing since they are treated with fewer chemicals. I would say this one is extremely low VOC.
How long has Triexta been around?
Also, nylon has been in the market since the mid-1950s, making it more durable, while triexta became available in 2009, making it relatively newcomer. Nylon carpet is the current king of durability.
Is SmartStrand nylon or polyester?
SmartStrand (Triexta) Think of it is a blend between polyester and nylon fibers.
What is the softest most durable carpet?
Nylon is known to be one of the softest carpet materials and it's also very durable, making it a desirable option.
PTT vs. PET
The root chemical for triexta (PTT) is the same as that for polyester (PET), so originally, triexta was defined as a polyester. However, it differs so significantly from polyester in terms of the final product that DuPont, along with Mohawk Industries, lobbied to have the differences recognized by approving a new generic name for PTT.
FTC Classification
In 2009, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) officially recognized triexta as a new generic name for PTT, a subclass of polyester.
Characteristics
There are several reasons why triexta stands out from polyester. The first is that triexta is recognized as being more durable and resilient than conventional polyester. In fact, many in the industry consider triexta to be as durable as nylon carpet fiber, which has long been considered the king of synthetic carpet fibers.
Appearance
The appearance of triexta is more similar to nylon than to polyester. Polyester has a higher luster, giving it a shinier look than other fiber types. Triexta, like nylon, has a more matte finish.
Stain Resistance
Triexta is naturally very stain resistant. Many spills can be cleaned with only water, rather than using a spot cleaner.
Softness
Another advantage to triexta is that it is significantly softer than both polyester and nylon. Its softness is due in part to the fact that it does not have chemicals applied to the fiber for stain protection.
Environmental Advantage
One of the most appealing aspects of triexta is that it is available in an environmentally friendly version. In attempting to lower the cost of producing it, DuPont began using biotechnology based on fermentation of corn glucose. This replaces the use of petroleum in the production of the fiber, up to 37 percent in DuPont Sorona.
What Triexta Carpet Actually is?
DuPont is the company that invented the triexta under the brand name Sorona. This is the same company that previously invented nylon fiber in 1939.
Triexta Carpet vs Nylon
Triexta carpet has the same qualities as nylon such as durability, appearance, long-lasting, and resilience. But the only difference between them is cost, triexta carpet is less expensive than nylon.
Popular Triexta Carpet Brands
Currently, these brands are known as one of the most popular brands that produce triexta fiber carpets.
Conclusion
As Mohawk claims triexta fiber will be more sustainable than all other fiber types in the next 10 years or maybe in less. So, if you trust the brand you can go with the triexta fiber over nylon and polyester synthetic fibers.
FAQs
Triexta fiber is considered softer underfoot than nylon and polyester. Because it doesn’t use any chemical application to be more stain-resistant and sustainable. It is naturally stain-resistant and sustainable.
Quality and Durability
Both nylon and triexta are available in carpets of many different qualities. Thus, carpets made with one fiber are not going to be unilaterally better than carpets made with the other fiber.
Warranties
In terms of the warranties offered on the two types of fibers, triexta typically comes out the winner. Warranties vary depending on the quality of the carpet and the manufacturer, but overall, triexta warranties are generally longer and more comprehensive than nylon warranties on carpets of similar quality.
Cost
Generally speaking, triexta is less expensive than nylon. Once again, that is not to say that all nylon carpets will be more expensive than triexta carpets. However, because the nylon fiber itself is more costly to produce than the triexta fiber, a given nylon carpet will likely be more expensive than a triexta carpet of equivalent quality.
Environment
The vast majority of triexta in the marketplace is sold under Mohawk’s SmartStrand label, which features rapidly renewable corn glucose in place of petroleum (up to 37 percent). This benefits not only the outside environment but also your indoor environment, as there will be fewer volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released from the carpet.
Stain Resistance
Triexta is inherently stain resistant, as the fiber itself is hydrophobic (meaning it tends not to absorb water-based substances). The fiber can often be cleaned with just water, which could be seen to add to the environmental benefits of triexta, as it reduces the potential use of chemical-laden spot treatment products.
Overall
Triexta has several advantages over nylon, with the exceptions being resilience and durability. In the coming years, as more and more triexta carpets reach an advanced age, nylon's durability advantage over its rival will be reinforced or relinquished.
An absorption comparison
Polyester and triexta are oleophilic—that is, they like oil. When a material likes oil, it generally does not like water. The relationship between being hydrophilic and oleophilic is like a seesaw; when one characteristic goes up, the other comes down and vice versa.
The protector issue
In the past, many fluorochemical protectants have not bonded to triexta, but advancements are being made to overcome this problem. The second generation of triexta was introduced in December 2014 with a protector called Nanoloc ®, which Mohawk said was the first protector compatible with SmartStrand.
Advice for cleaning triexta
My recommendation is to note the contrast and to follow the manufacturer’s specifications. If using water rinse extraction, or hot water extraction, do not use a mechanical brush agitator or a motorized wand. Adjust the pump pressure down, use glides, and avoid high-performance rinse solutions that are based on sticky surfactants.
Fiber identification
How do you tell the difference between polyester and triexta? The end user may know, but if not, what about testing? The chemical and burn tests for each fiber yield the same results.
The commercial market
For the commercial market, triexta has an approximate 2.5% market share. However, in 2009 it made up less than 1% of the residential market. It is likely to grow.
Some final questions
For years we have studied the generations of nylon and have considered it to be the focal point of cleaning. We have discussed at length the rules of cleaning and care. Are the alkalinity rules and the compatibility issues associated with cationic surfactants relevant to polyester and triexta?
IICRC-Approved Instructor and a Senior Practicing Inspector
James “Jim” B. Smith is an IICRC-approved instructor, a senior practicing inspector, and part of the voting consensus of the IICRC S1OO cleaning standard. He has been in the cleaning industry since 1975. For more information, visit www.carpetinspector.com/jbs or email [email protected].
Ptt/Sorona/Smartstrand
PTT vs. Pet
- The root chemical for triexta (PTT) is the same as that for polyester (PET), so originally, triexta was defined as a polyester. However, it differs so significantly from polyester in terms of the final product that DuPont, along with Mohawk Industries, lobbied to have the differences recognized by approving a new generic name for PTT.
FTC Classification
- In 2009, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission(FTC) officially recognized triexta as a new generic name for PTT, a subclass of polyester. Basically, that means that the chemical structure of the two fibers is similar enough that triexta could not become an entirely new classification of fiber (in the way that polyester or nylon is), but that PTT and PET are different enough that PTT could no…
Characteristics
- There are several reasons why triexta stands out from polyester. The first is that triexta is recognized as being more durable and resilient than conventional polyester. In fact, many in the industry consider triexta to be as durable as nylon carpet fiber, which has long been considered the king of synthetic carpet fibers.
Appearance
- The appearance of triexta is more similar to nylon than to polyester. Polyester has a higher luster, giving it a shinier look than other fiber types. Triexta, like nylon, has a more matte finish.
Stain Resistance
- Triexta is naturally very stain resistant. Many spills can be cleaned with only water, rather than using a spot cleaner. The primary reason for triexta’s high level of stain resistance is that the fiber is hydrophobic, meaning that it does not absorb moisture. Triexta has actually been used in the clothing industry longer than it has been used in the carpet industry – in the clothing industry trie…
Softness
- Another advantage to triexta is that it is significantly softer than both polyester and nylon. Its softness is due in part to the fact that it does not have chemicals applied to the fiber for stain protection. Even the looped Berber styles, which can have a tendency to feel rough when made of nylon or olefin fiber, feel soft to the touch and very comfortable underfoot.
Environmental Advantage
- One of the most appealing aspects of triexta is that it is available in an environmentally friendly version. In attempting to lower the cost of producing it, DuPont began using biotechnology based on fermentation of corn glucose. This replaces the use of petroleum in the production of the fiber, up to 37 percent in DuPont Sorona. As a renewable resource, corn glucose is much more sustai…
Cost
- The cost to produce triexta is lower than that of nylon, so triexta, generally speaking, is very competitively priced. It is typically priced somewhere between polyester and nylon, although the high-end SmartStrandSilk styles may be more expensive.
Warranty
- Triexta, like almost all fibers, is available in various qualities and price points. However, even the entry-level qualities of triexta feature impressive warranties from the manufacturer, so overall triexta offers good value for the money.