Carpet fiber and how the carpet is constructed affect the appearance, performance, and value of your carpet. During manufacture, fiber is converted into yarn, which is tufted or woven to form teh pile - the surface you see and walk on.

Lima Carpet's showroom carpet samples are labeld to identify fiber content. Most carpet styles are made entirely of one fiber type - nylon, olefin, or polyester. Some styles may contain blends of these fibers.

There are two fiber classes - natural, such as wool, and man-made, such as nylon, olefin, and polyester. Each has different characteristics. The following can help you make the right choice for your needs.

Nylon continues as the ideal carpet fiber. Its many attributes combine to provide outstanding durability, performance, resilience, and appearance. Nylon lends itself to an unlimited variety of styles and colors at reasonable prices.

Polyester fiber produces carpets that are soft to the touch but not as resilient as carpets of nylon. Polyester is best suited for low traffic areas.

Pile (also called polypropylene) is often used in indoor/outdoor carpet and in loop-pile carpets. Due to its relatively low resilience, its use should be restricted to areas of low traffic.

Wool, of course, is a natural fiber and presents a beautiful appearance in carpeting. However, wool may not be as resilient as man-made carpet fibers and is quite a bit more expensive.