Which carpets have the least amount of chemicals added?

Jilly · August 24, 2009, 02:20 PM

We are adding to our home and would like to have carpeting installed in our bedroom. I am looking for carpets that do not have the stain resistance chemicals applied to them. We have a small child and I don't like the idea of him down on the floor breathing in the chemicals.

The SmartStrand brand mentions that the stain resistance is engineered in and therefore there are no chemicals added. I am leaning towards that brand because of that. Also, it does seem very soft. Most of what I read is positive about SmartStrand but a lady from a local carpet store told me she's heard numerous 'claims' filed about it.

Also, are there different kinds of padding? Some less toxic than others? If I ask my installer to unroll the carpet and pad to let it 'breathe' before installing do you think they would do that? Or not, and just say they did?

Thanks for any advice!

Barry Carlton · August 24, 2009, 03:18 PM

I've used wool pad under wool carpet.

The pad had virtually no odor at all.

b

Dobby Tappet · August 24, 2009, 04:08 PM

To answer your last question first. The installer would ventilate the carpet if they told you they would if they have any integrity. The question is, do they? You see, the thing is, integrity is not something one can measure in degrees. Either someone has it or they do not. Chances are, if you suspect they might not, odds are, they don't.

As for ventilating or allowing carpet to 'breathe'; this is not an unreasonable request and it is one we have done several times. Generally, we schedule the installation for a Monday, unroll he carpet on Friday afternoon and allow it to breathe over the weekend. It does require some additional labor as the carpet must be unrolled and re-rolled, but in our business, we roll and unroll carpets everyday, it's really no big deal and a small effort that means a lot to our special customers, like you!

With regards to your search for carpet, having a carpet without a bunch of chemicals is a really-really good thing. After all, why would anyone want to cover the floor of their home with a thick layer of plastic fuzz held together with glues and fillers that has been sprayed with chemicals?

That doesn't sound homey or inviting to me at all.

What does worry me is why you would believe that in order to have a chemical free carpet you would have to sacrifice stain protection? Hasn't any one taken the time to share with you the natural stain and soil protection that is naturally built into the wool fiber? Protection that, unlike the synthetic counter parts, can never be washed away and remains for the life of the fiber! Of course, no one probably ever shared with you that wool is also the most resilient fiber on the planet either. Or that the more resilient a fiber is, the longer it retains its original appearance.

Geepers, if they never shared this with you, they probably never shared with you the fact that wool is an opaque fiber. Which is just a fancy word to describe that wool fiber absorb and spread light instead of reflecting it like the synthetic fibers do. But why should anyone care about this? Only because of a very common condition known as 'surface yarn abrasion'.

When synthetic yarns are subject to abrasion, like from being walked on and stuff, the light refractive properties of the fiber become altered. Basically, the little plastic yarns get scratched. When this happens, the yarns reflect light differently. And where do surface yarns experience abrasion? That's right, in the areas we walk, also known as the 'traffic areas'

Still not sure if you've seen this? Have you ever had a carpet cleaned and, despite the carpet being cleaned evenly, the traffic lanes still appear to be a different 'less lustrous' color? That's because, thanks to the abrasion of the plastic yarn, it is!

Did anyone talk with you about wool truthfully and objectively? Or, when you make the inquiry the response you received was 'wool is expensive' or 'no one buys that around here' or some other non-sense. because the truth is, wool is the ultimate carpet fiber. It has been used successfully in rugs for over two thousand years! It was natural then and it's still natural today.

Yes, wool does cost more at the time of purchase, but, do you know what, it doesn't cost that much more and when we factor in the production costs and levels of energies consumed to bring the product to your floor, not only is wool a better healthier value for your home, long term, it is also a better healthier value for our planet.

Yes, in case you hadn't guessed, I am a wool sales person. But, I will say this, I do not promote the use of wool because its green and is a healthy choice. I promote the use of wool because it is a better fiber. If DuPont or Monsanto could produce the perfect carpet fiber, they would create wool. Fortunately, for all of us, the perfect fiber already exists in a natural and renewable form. Can anyone say Baaaaahhhhh?

Seriously, if you would like more information on wool, the Wools of New Zealand has a great website at:

Wools of New Zealand --- US Branch

I do hope this information helps and I do wish you well in your search for a safe and healthy home.

With kindest regards,

Dobby

Barry Carlton · August 24, 2009, 04:20 PM

Dobby,

Open another tab to the site you want to link to, click the address bar at the top of the page, copy with 'ctrl' and 'C' buttons, close the tab, and click 'ctrl' and 'V' in your post. And as they say "Voila"

b

TFP Admin · August 24, 2009, 05:55 PM

He was trying to make the link pretty, Barry, but that also made the link unclickable. I fixed it and made it pretty too.

Dobby Tappet · August 24, 2009, 09:24 PM

Thank You!

Dobby

Peter Kodner · August 24, 2009, 09:43 PM

Every time I see an interesting new thread that darn Dobby Tappett has already posted my answer in a much more eloquent manner

Jilly, the master has given you very good advice and if you look at some woven qualities, the only chemical would be a sizing applied to the back of the weave. The other materials used in the weaving can be obtained in a natural organic fiber (jute & cotton). I think you will find that going this way will eliminate any need to air the carpet before installation as well.

This said, I do have to take some exception to your referring to the chemicals used in carpets and pads as toxic. This is a misconception at best, and in the hands of a few people over the years, has been totally incorrect, undocumented and very damaging to our industry. To the best of my knowledge, there has never been any illness directly attributable to carpeting. There has been much conjecture but no reproducible evidence. In every "sick building syndrome" case I have ever followed, and I have followed many, other materials have been the cause or the building HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) system has been faulty or improperly maintained.

Although I'm sure nothing I have said will alter your perception, I would be happy to elaborate on the safety of carpeting if you wish.

Peter

cproader · August 24, 2009, 09:49 PM

Peter Kodner said

Every time I see an interesting new thread that darn Dobby Tappett has already posted my answer in a much more eloquent manner

Peter

........ya can imagine how I feel tryin to make any sense after the Dobster has spoked........

Dobby Tappet · August 25, 2009, 07:10 AM

Geepers you folks are embarrassing me now.

With regards to the correlation between the use of plastics and chemicals and possible toxicity of carpets, Peter is absolutely correct. My position on natural material is really quite simplistic. It is, if we can find a product that will perform as well or better than it's synthetic counterpart naturally, go natural. Personally, this applies to food, medicine, home furnishings and building materials. Again, that's me personally.

Professionally, the use of natural fibers has been proven to out perform and out last it's synthetic competitors in every application except when placed in a land fill. Again, it's not that chemicals and plastics are bad, it is only that they are not better and if we can get a better product naturally, the fact that it is natural and renewable only makes it even more better'er.

As for the cost; the cost of a product is not defined at the point of purchase. True cost can only be assessed when we weigh the performance, benefits, impact and satisfaction of the product over its expected life. The impact of a product in its after life rests in the eye of the beholder.

Respectfully,

Dobby

ortiz34 · August 27, 2009, 08:02 AM

Try looking into Bliss Healthy home
I just started selling it and am excited and I am a big stainmaster carpet guy

Carpet, Flooring, Bliss by Beaulieu, Durable, Kid-Friendly - Blissful Carpet.

Dobby Tappet · August 27, 2009, 12:08 PM

It has been my observation and personal opinion, that; every couple of years, a company comes out with a 'new' angle to sell their polyester carpet. This is not your grandma's polyester, this is _______ TaDah! Then, after the initial launch and promotional hype, everyone realizes it's still a fiber that only exists because a less expensive fiber has yet to be found. Because, if P.E.T. was ever sold based on it's performance, it wouldn't be sold. That's just my opinion.

However my question is, with all due respect, albeit with a healthy does of skepticism;
What is it about this P.E.T. fiber that appeals to you, besides the marketing?

Respectfully,

Dobby

BTW: Welcome to the FloorPro site and I know I am not alone when I say 'I hope you will visit & post often'. Because our strength as a community and an industry comes from our diversity of experience and opinions, not a single vision. so again, welcome!

Tandy Reeves · August 27, 2009, 12:24 PM

Great observation Dobby. It is my understanding that Jilly is looking for less chemicals not a fresh baked test tube full.

mcbrides · August 27, 2009, 01:34 PM

Jilly, I have to throw in with Dobby; if it were MY home and MY small child crawling around on it, it would be WOOL. The beauty of it is that the wool carpet will still look like a million bucks when your child's children are crawling around on it ...

Deb

Floorguy · August 28, 2009, 08:06 AM

Woven, not tufted wool, to get away from the latex in the backing.

A woven construction, using wool fiber, is about as non-toxic as it gets, and I would bet it is more "greener" than most any flooring produced.

Jeff Short · August 28, 2009, 02:21 PM

I agree with the consensus, wool is a natural fiber, therefore it has the least added to it. And, while being expensive, it is a superior wearing product.
I do wonder regarding SmartStrand... "a lady from a local carpet store told me she's heard numerous 'claims' filed about it."
1 Does this lady sell the product?
2 Has she herself written any claims on it?
3 What is the nature of these claims she refers to?
4 Have these claims been properly inspected?
I am assuming you are referring to the Sorona product, about which I can't speak more highly. In five years (and thousands of square yards) of selling it, we have had no claims. Zip, zero, zilch. As a twenty year carpet sales professional, I would say it is the finest of the synthetic yarns available.