Show ELENS ELL NS H INTS OME by helen bergstrom home demonstration agent wool continues as the preferred fiber for soft floor coverings because of its long wear high resilience ease of cleaning and beautiful soft colors obtainable by dyeing to maintain the dwindling supplies of wool other fibers are being used those used most are rayon nylon and cotton carpet rayon being used today is just as strong just as long wearing and ju just st as serviceable vi as wool manufacturers claim in some respects it is better chii than wool ettes it takes the pye dye better nylon fibers cost two to three times as much per pound as carpet wool because carpets use a large poundage of fiber per yard the difference in price puts percent nylon carpet in the luxury class so little of this nylon can bo be used in low priced carpets that the product loses its feel pile and thickness it loses those qualities that make it feel and look like a real carpet all nylon carpets are used by airlines they want a very lightweight carpet with long life when a consumer buys carpet in a store low pile light weight and long wear may not be as important to her cottons color line has been a great selling factor for color carpet cotton carpet in the better grades compares favorably with wool or wool and rayon that does not include the low price cottons but those of con and price levels similar to wool another selling point for cotton of course Is its cotton rugs are easy to clean the main disadvantage of cotton is that it shows soil there also is a tendency to mat the pile crushes and stays crushed just as the foundation of a house is important to the construction st of the whole house so the backing of carpet is important imp or it holds the pile yarns for decades manufacturers have used jute for the backing of the carpet much of it has been imported from india american buyers now are no longer dependent on jute kraft cord is being used instead it Is a strong durable backing ma aerial made from cellulose fibers derived from wood pulp here in the united states and engineered by a special process just for carpets it Is making strong inroads into the position formerly held by jute |