P.E.T. (Polyethylene Terephthalate) Carpeting

January 3, 2009 5:50 PM

Does anyone have any experience with P.E.T. (Polyethylene Terephthalate) Carpeting?

We are re-carpeting our family room. I am new to the whole carpet game as my preference is for hardwoods, but this room has to be carpeted. So, I know little to nothing about carpeting other than what I can find online.

I came across P.E.T. carpeting ( (Polyethylene Terephthalate - which is made from recycled soda pop bottles, ketchup bottles, etc.). Along with supposedly being a option that is 'green', it is supposed to be very stain & moisture resistant, better for people with allergies, and (bonus!) cheaper than some of the other options. But I have heard that it sheds initially and has a higher flash point than nylon.

Economy is key - spending $1K on carpeting a room is more attractive than spending $3K or 4K right now. And while I could go with a remnant, I haven't been able to find any that I like.

So, my question is has anyone had any experience with this sort of carpeting? Good or bad, any info that you can provide would be helpful. Thank you!

posted by inquisitrix to home & garden (2 comments total)

No experience with it, but you WANT a higher flash point. That means it has to be hotter in a fire before it combusts. More time to get out of the house, and to extinguish the fire, before it turns into a fuel.

(If the difference is really 1k to 3-4k, I'd certainly try it. This is just me, but I can vacuum up a lot of shedding before that price differential is no longer worth it...)

This makes it seem like there is little downside.
posted by gjc at 8:13 AM on January 4

There are a few advantages to PET (polyester) carpet vs. nylon.
1) It's inherently stain resistant. As a result of this it requires less stain-resistant treatment (fewer chemicals) and tends to be easier to clean.
2) Many of the PET products contain some recycled content, but usually not much.
3) It's cheaper than nylon.

Biggest disadvantage:
Weak texture retention-it tends to crush and mat down much faster than nylon giving it a "worn out" appearance.

By contrast, nylon is a much more resilient fiber. It's texture retention is much greater, meaning it's going to look better longer.
However, it is not a stain-resistant fiber which is why it requires a stain-resistant treatment (more chemicals).
Since you're considering green options, there are a few companies who are using more recycled nylon that can also be fully recycled back into carpet. Anything with the ANSO branded nylon will fit this.

Another carpet fiber to consider is one from DuPont called Sorona. It's a much new fiber than nylon and polyester that has the key advantages (inherently stain-resistant; great texture rentention) of both. It's also very soft.
And for greeness, many of the products with the Sorona fiber have some renewable resource content.

You also mentioned concern about shedding. Both nylon and PET can have this issue. To avoid shedding look/ask for a carpet that has bulk-continuous-fiber content (BCF). Think of this as one long piece of fiber. The alternative (and that which tends to shed) is called staple fiber. Think of it as little bits of fiber bonded together. If you do get a staple fiber carpet you will get quite a bit of fuzz in the vacuum the first few times you vacuum the floor. Eventually it will minimize, but there will always be some shedding. Think of it like a new pair of blue jeans; at first their is a lot of lint, but after a few rounds it becomes less and less.

Hope this helps.
Feel free to message with any additional questions/concerns.
posted by nickthetourist at 11:20 AM on January 4