TUFTED CARPET

Textile Fibers, Dyes, Finishes,

and Processes

by

Von Moody
Manchester, Tennessee

Howard L. Needles, Ph.D.

Pebble Beach, California

WILLIAMANDREWPUBLISHING
Norwich,NewYork,U.S.A.
Copyright © 2004 by William Andrew, Inc.
No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means,
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tion storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the
Publisher.

Cover Art © 2004 by Brent Beckley / William Andrew, Inc.

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number:
ISBN: 1-884207-99-5
Printed in the United States

Published in the United States of America by

William Andrew Publishing
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Norwich, NY 13815
1-800-932-7045
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10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

NOTICE
To the best of our knowledge the information in this publication is accurate; however the
Publisher does not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy or complete-
ness of, or consequences arising from, such information. This book is intended for
informational purposes only. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not
constitute endorsement or recommendation for use by the Publisher. Final determination
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Moody, Von.
Tufted carpet : textile fibers, dyes, finishes, and processes / Von
Moody, Howard Needles.--1st ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 1-884207-99-5 (alk. paper)
1. Dyes and dyeing--Textile fibers. 2. Textile chemicals. I. Needles,
Howard L. II. Title.

TT853.M66 2004
677'.643--dc22
2004002375
 DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to my wife, Vickie,

and my mother, Theresa.
Preface

Tufted carpet is made by inserting tufts of yarn through a fabric. It is

manufactured by machines that use needles to insert the pile tufts through
the fabric backing. Carpeting is available in numerous pile cuts and lengths.
Colors and surface textures can be varied, and designs can be printed on
them. In North America, about 90% of all carpet is tufted.
The yarns used in tufted carpet are primarily synthetic. Some 97%
of all carpet is produced with synthetic fiber, accounting for some 3.5 million
pounds of plastics used in the United States alone in 2001. The prominent
synthetic fibers and their approximate percent of production are as follows:
• Nylon (59%)
• Polyolefin (polypropylene) (33%)
• Polyester (7%)
• Other fibers (1%)
While the production percentages between these synthetic fiber types do
change from year to year, synthetic fibers are firmly established as the fiber
of choice for carpets based on cost, efficiency of production, performance,
and esthetics.
The tufted carpet industry is a very large industry, both worldwide and
in North America. The people who work in this industry are professionals
spanning a variety functions, bringing with them a variety of skills and

vii
viii Preface

backgrounds. They are chemists, engineers, designers, processors, ma-

chinery and equipment producers and operators, marketing and manage-
ment personnel, and bulk carpet purchasers, including facilities managers
and retail store buyers. This book was written as an intermediate book for
all carpet industry professionals. Its aim is to serve experienced profession-
als with a brief, but comprehensive reference for review of industry
practices. It aims to serve newcomers to the industry by providing a solid
introduction to tufted carpet fundamentals and to serve all industry
professionals as a communication tool.
Part 1 of the book, “Introduction to Carpet Fiber,” covers the
fundamentals of carpet fiber: theory and formation in Chapter 1; identifi-
cation and characterization in Chapter 2; structural, physical, chemical, and
end-use properties in Chapter 3.
The main fibers used in the carpet market today are solution-dyed nylon
bulk continuous filament (BCF) and nylon staple. Multi-coloration of the
face is typical. Commercial end use represented about 47% of the carpet
market in the United States in 2001. Most commercial carpet is made from
BCF. Residential carpet, representing about 53% of United States carpet
production in 2001, is dominantly staple fiber. Usually, it is dyed to a solid
color. Almost 64% of all residential styles are dyed after the carpet is
formed. Over 35% of residential carpet is manufactured from yarn that has
been dyed. The remaining 1%, for the residential market, is solution-dyed
nylon (BCF). This segment may grow when color stability is needed and
from special marketing that the fiber companies and carpet manufacturers
may do.
Part 2 of the book, “Carpet Construction,” covers carpet construction
methods: yarn formation in Chapter 4; primary and secondary backing
construction in Chapter 5; carpet construction in Chapter 6. There are many
methods of making carpet. Originally, carpets were crafted by hand. Simple
looms followed and brought about the development of mechanized looms,
which revolutionized weaving in the late eighteenth century. The tufting
process is an outgrowth of the 1930s chenille bedspread industry. As the
machinery for chenille developed, its products expanded to include mats,
rugs, and carpets. Today, tufted carpet is produced on machines that use
needles to insert parallel rows of tufting into the carpet backing. Machine
variations in the movements of the needles and auxiliary tools, such as
knives, produce the different styles of loop pile.The most popular commer-
cial style is level loop pile with a low pile height. In the residential market,
 Preface ix

cut pile with higher pile heights accounts for 66.6% of all styles.Loop pile
makes up 25% of the styles and cut/loop makes up the remaining 8.4%.
Part 3 of the book, “Coatings, Raw Materials, and Their Processes,”
covers carpet system coatings, raw materials, and their processing: latex
coatings in Chapter 7; polyurethane coating in Chapter 8; cushions and pads
in Chapter 9; polyvinyl chloride plastisol coating in Chapter 10; hot melt
coating in Chapter 11; extrusion coating in Chapter 12; carpet tile coatings
and reinforcements in Chapter 13. Basic carpet qualities of dimensional
stability, adhesion, moisture resistance, fuzzing, aging, flammability, sound
insulation, strength, and so on depend on the coatings, processes, and
cushions and pads that comprise the entire manufactured carpet system.
The industry has developed many reliable practices, detailed in the Part 3
chapters, to ensure these fundamental quality features. Additionally, these
elements remain of interest in research for improved carpeting and manu-
facturing methods.
Part 4 of the book, “Carpet Enhancers,” covers colors, decoration, and
stain and microbial protection: antimicrobial agents in Chapter 14; color,
dyes, dyeing, printing in Chapter 15; stain blockers in chapter 16. Carpet end
users are most acquainted with these advanced features, which have their
own processing methods and conditions necessary for advertising and
warranty claims.
Part 5 of the book, “Performance, Cleaning, and Recycling,” covers
selected standards, equipment, and processing: carpet performance stan-
dards and tests in Chapter 17; maintenance and cleaning in Chapter 18;
recycling in Chapter 19. These are important after-market issues and
consumer concerns of importance to all professionals in the carpet industry.
We would like to thank the tufted carpet industry for the career
opportunities we have had to contribute to this creative, scientifically-
challenging and -rewarding, and economically-important enterprise. We
hope that our efforts with this book convey our interests, knowledge, and
enthusiasm to our many coworkers and that they will be better able to
perform in their own jobs because of it.

Von Moody January 2004

Howard Needles