#10 - CONSTRUCTION AND FIBER CONTENT

 BCF Nylon Carpet

I chose to research BCF Nylon Carpet. BCF stands for Bulked Continuous Filament. This carpet is made from continuous strands of nylon that are formed into yarn. These fibers are texturized, which changes them from straight fibers to kinked or curled fibers. This increases the bulk of the carpet, which also increases the wear resistance. Since BCF fibers are continuous, they won’t shed loose fibers as staple fiber carpets do. When BCF carpet is being created, the fibers are twisted to create yarn for the carpet pile. The tighter the twist, the more the carpet will resist crushing and change in texture. After the fiber is twisted into yarn, it can be treated with heat to lock the twist in place. This process helps prevent crushing and unraveling. After the yarn is twisted and heat-treated, it is attached to the carpet backing. The density of the carpet is controlled by the amount of yarn used and how close the tufts are. The tufted carpet can then be dyed by being saturated with liquid dye. It is finally treated with a solution that helps set the color. BCF nylon carpet is 100% carpet, but BCF can also be made from other products, such as polypropylene and olefin. Nylon makes up 75% of carpet used today. It is known for having the best performance. It has soil and stain resistance, fade and heat resistance, and appearance retention. It also comes in a wide variety of colors and styles. 

Wool Carpet

I also chose to research wool carpet. Wool is the original staple fiber used in carpet. Most of the wool used in carpets today comes from New Zealand, Argentina, and the United Kingdom. Wool isn’t always white. It is a natural material and ranges in color from white to black. Wool has many good qualities, such as cleaning well and aging gracefully. Wool is also known as one of the most expensive carpet fibers and makes up less than one percent of all carpet used today. Wool carpet is often made in a 3-step process. The first step is tufting. This is when the wool yarn is woven into a primary backing material. Most primary backing materials are made of woven polypropylene. A tufting machine resembles a very large sewing machine. The second step is dying. One process of dying is yarn dying. This is when color is applied before the tufting process. Another process is known as Beck or batch dying. This is when the tufted carpet goes through vats of color and water for several hours. Continuous dying and screen printing are other processes for adding color. The final step of construction is the finishing process. This is when a latex coating is applied to both the carpet and the backing. Shearing is another process that helps the carpet appear more finished. The carpet is then carefully inspected before being sold. 

One Step Further:

For my One Step Further, I looked more into the carpet shearing process. Carpet shearing is when the surface of a carpet or rug is trimmed to create an even level surface. It also removed inconsistencies and can emphasize design details. Large-scale machines are used that remove pilling and fuzz. Shearing is a crucial process for creating a carpet that appears more finished. It also makes the carpet much softer to the touch. It can help enhance the dyes used in the design and show off the pattern. Carpet shearing can also improve the performance and wear of the carpet. It can also help lessen the required maintenance for the carpet. Carpet shearing is a small but extremely important step in the carpet construction process. 

Extra Credit Links:

-https://www.levis4floors.com/pages/carpet-how-its-made

-https://blog.egecarpets.com/academy/carpet-construction-and-what-to-consider

-https://www.levis4floors.com/pages/carpet-how-its-made 

-https://sellerstextileengineers.com/products/carpet-shearing/ 

-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7rWE40Tjmc