A Polyester By Any Other Name...

Dobby Tappet · February 20, 2010, 07:13 PM

We should have a test to see how many different actual names for polyester are out there. Sorry Rusty, we can only accept actual names, not accurate ones.

Respectfully,

Dobby

PS: Trivera

Jim McClain · February 20, 2010, 07:34 PM

I really like what you said in another topic. I hope you don't mind me quoting it here:

Dobby Tappet said

Maybe I'm getting old, maybe I'm getting cynical, maybe both or maybe, and I believe this is really the case, maybe I'm getting wiser. Because it seems, without fail, every two or three years someone is coming up with a new version of the greatest fiber ever. Of course, it's not our grand-pappy's polyester, this is NEW! This is molecularly modified, scientifically extruded, superfluously spun, tenaciously twisted, hyper-heat set, crucially cooled, fantastically fibrillated and always-always-always exceptionally over marketed.

The mills send their reps into the field to prey on and recruit the uninformed to peddle this crapola with all the vim, vigor and vitality of a three pecker billy goat on a nut farm. Then, after numerous complaints, claims and a few law suits, without nary a mention in the flooring obituary, the fiber is gone.

But no need to fear, because it's departure happens to coincide with the release of a 'new' version of what has been proven to be an unsuitable flooring fiber, but this, this is not your grand-pappy's polyester, this is NEW! This is exciting!! This is molecularly modified, scientifically extruded, superfluously spun, tenaciously twisted, hyper-heat set, crucially cooled, fantastically fibrillated and this will also be exceptionally over marketed.

What amazes me is, how people in our industry can have such a short memory and be so gullible time after time after time. Polyester as a carpet fiber doesn't work, never has and never will. The absolute only thing polyester has going for it is; it looks nice before it's walked on and it's inexpensive! But then, in an industry that's focus appears to be solely based on price, I guess actual performance really need not be a consideration. Except for the end user, but, by the time they figure it out, we can sell them the next 'new generation' of our grand-pappy's polyester.

We are so smart! Let's call it Smart-Strand

Dobby

PS: The last polyester fiber that I sold was the Trivera {Sp?} fiber in the early 90's. Learned that lesson the hard way and never took that course again. Of course, that's when I really began to learn about fiber technology and why today our 99% of the products in our showroom are wool, silk or some other natural fiber.

rusty baker · February 20, 2010, 07:37 PM

Triexta----Mohawk
Cleartouch-----Shaw
Sorona-------Dupont
Beaulieu's advanced FiberEssence PET Polyester

rgfloor · February 20, 2010, 08:56 PM

Some variations:

PET
PTT
Sorona
SmartStrand

stullis · February 20, 2010, 11:18 PM

Sorona SmartStrand should be on one line.

ortiz34 · February 21, 2010, 07:53 AM

It's all garbage

BCF type 6.6 Nylon for me

Peter Kodner · February 21, 2010, 07:53 AM

Corterra (this is the original PTT, circa 1941)

rusty baker · February 21, 2010, 08:04 AM

Is that the same as Sorona? "Sorona is not a new fiber, it was invented back in the 1940's and was deemed too expensive to manufacture at that time to be able to compete with other carpet fibers. Now that oil is more expensive, all carpet prices have increased enough to allow Sorona to be manufactured at a comparable cost"

rgfloor · February 21, 2010, 08:35 AM

According to the FTC this is what can be labeled as polyester.

Polyester. A manufactured fiber in which the fiber-forming substance is any long chain synthetic polymer composed of at least 85% by weight of an ester of a substituted aromatic carboxylic acid, including but not restricted to substituted terephthalate units,

and para substituted hydroxy-benzoate units,

Where the fiber is formed by the interaction of two or more chemically distinct polymers (of which none exceeds 85% by weight), and contains ester groups as the dominant functional unit (at least 85% by weight of the total polymer content of the fiber), and which, if stretched at least 100%, durably and rapidly reverts substantially to its unstretched length when the tension is removed, the term elasterell-p may be used as a generic description of the fiber.

Interesting article on Corterra:

Polytrimethylene terephthalate PTT yarns - Corterra.

rusty baker · February 21, 2010, 08:46 AM

I still say my generic term "polycrap" describes them all.

Bill Watson · February 21, 2010, 09:57 AM

rgfloor said

[

composed of at least 85% by weight of an ester of a substituted aromatic carboxylic acid, including but not restricted to substituted terephthalate units,

and para substituted hydroxy-benzoate units,

Sounds like what's in my cereal.

ortiz34 · February 23, 2010, 06:32 AM

rusty baker said

I still say my generic term "polycrap" describes them all.

+1

Tandy Reeves · February 23, 2010, 06:58 AM

How about Kodel 501 polyester for you young pups?

Dobby Tappet · February 23, 2010, 07:18 AM

What's the story on the Bliss stuff from Beaulieu?

Dobby

Peter Kodner · February 23, 2010, 08:03 AM

Tandy Reeves said

How about Kodel 501 polyester for you young pups?

Tandy, wasn't the first DuPont nylon carpet fiber 501 also? The first apartment I ever rented I used an old rem in our warehouse- a bight orange tweed in a plush construction. It sure was nice and shiny

Even found this old ad: Toledo Blade - Google News Archive Search