Hospitality Carpet Co.
Buyer Tips

1) NYLON

A) CONVENTIONAL DYED

Color can be applied before the yarn is manufactured into carpet (pre-dyed) or after the carpet is produced (post-dyed). The chemistry is the same. Dye is bonded to the nylon polymer in a hot bath. Dyes chemically bind to microscopic receptors on the nylon polymer called dye sites. Some examples of conventional dyeing techniques are:

• Piece Dyeing: Color is applied to the carpet after tufting.
• Space Dyeing: Colors are consecutively applied to the same strand of yarn before tufting.
• Yarn Dyeing or Beck Dyeing: Color is applied to the yarn prior to tufting.
• Printing: After tufting, color is applied via a dye jet system to create a multi-colored pattern.

The color characteristics of conventionally dyed fiber are chemically reversible. That is, the chemical bond that fixes color to fiber can be neutralized or broken by end-use conditions such as sunlight or oxidizing agents (bleach, tile cleaner, mildew removers, bathroom cleaners) which are common in the commercial environment. THE RESULT: Gradual or immediate color loss and performance failure.

B) SOLUTION DYED NYLON

Solution dyed nylon utilizes a process commonly known as spinmelting. Inert pigments are combined with raw nylon polymers in the extrusion process. The result is an integrated color and fiber. Because these pigments are not chemically bonded to the nylon polymer, they cannot be neutralized or detached by conventional chemistry - such as oxidizing or bleaching agents.

Crisis Cleaning - Because color is integrated into the nylon polymer itself, it stands up to cleaning agents that would normally destroy the color (such as bleach & oxidizing agents).