Article Number : 4368 |
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| Date | 4/8/2009 10:16:40 AM |
| Written By | LGM & Associates Technical Flooring Services |
| View this article at: | //floorbiz.com/BizResources/NPViewArticle.asp?ArticleID=4368 |
| Abstract | Emails of consequence rarely show up in your in box at 4:45 on a Friday afternoon. But March 20 was different. A press release stating that Mohawk and DuPont’s three-year quest to convince the Federal Trade Commission to establish a polyester subclass for its SmartStrand PTT fiber was finally granted... |
| Article | Emails of consequence rarely show up in your in box at 4:45 on a Friday afternoon. But March 20 was different. A press release stating that Mohawk and DuPont’s three-year quest to convince the Federal Trade Commission to establish a polyester subclass for its SmartStrand PTT fiber was finally granted. It obviously wasn’t easy. To establish a new subclass, it must be proven that: 1. The fiber has the same general chemical composition as an established generic fiber category. 2. The fiber has distinctive properties that make it suitable for uses for which other fibers under the established generic name would not be suited, or would be significantly less well-suited. 3. These properties are important to the general public. 4. These properties are the result of a new method of manufacture or the fiber’s substantially differentiated physical characteristics. According to the FTC, Mohawk and DuPont succeeded in proving the fiber, now with the generic name triexta, is demonstrably different than PET. Not every company agreed with the ruling. There was one opposition of the subclass designation. The company questioned the testing methods, stating that their own tests proved no discernable difference between PTT and PET and/or there were no distinctive properties important to the general public. The ruling was certain to create a stir. To the best of my knowledge, DuPont is currently the only North American producer of PTT fiber. (PTT Poly Canada on March 3 ceased operations.) DuPont has an exclusive with Mohawk. Hence, the ruling gives Mohawk a competitive advantage. Now, when a consumer asks a retail salesperson exactly what SmartStrand is made of, he or she can now say, triexta. “What is triexta?” “It’s a fiber, you know, like nylon is a fiber.” It gives the retailer a new story. And we all know how this industry needs stories. And if the retailer is smart, he or she will tell the story of how this new fiber has such distinctive properties that the FTC just granted it its own class of fiber—the first fiber extension since nylon in 1959. Hello triexta, good-bye polyester. The consumer may never know triexta is polyester. Which may or may not be a good thing. What do I think? Well, if this results in one more carpet sale, it’s a good thing. Especially in this day and age. But retailers must not forget about the other fiber stories. PET polyester is a very solid product at an equally solid price point. It’s the industry’s growth area; the quality improves every day. And then there’s nylon, which still commands market leadership due to its reputation for superior resilience, durability and stain resistance. Last but not least, there’s wool, a natural fiber whose luster, color, dyeing characteristics and versatility make it luxurious and sought-after. So every fiber has a story. It’s just up to the retailer and salesperson to tell it. |