Hicksville, N.Y.—In the last three years or so, soft fibers have become
commonplace in the residential carpet industry, and, as a result, ultra-soft
carpets have soared in popularity. Probably the hottest trend in carpet today,
soft fibers have re-energized the broadloom segment, a category that had been
struggling over the last few years due to the growing popularity of hard surface
options such as ceramic, laminate and hardwood. “Traditionally, solution-dyed
products haven’t felt as soft as other nylon fibers,” said Bob Ringer, vice
president of research development for Shaw Industries. “They were too harsh for
the residential consumer. But technology has advanced. New fiber and yarn
engineering allow us to make yarn systems that are soft to the touch, yet
provide the durability and performance needed in today’s demanding
environments.” The Shaw Fibers division is leading the soft trend with its
branded soft fibers, noted Ringer, the newest of which is EverTouch SD
solution-dyed nylon. EverTouch SD broadloom offers the following:
• The advantages of solution-dyeing, such as stain-resistance, colorfastness
and the ease of maintenance;
• Enhanced stain and soil resistance protection from Shaw’s patented R2X
system;
• Definitive softness, and
• Value.
Ringer noted that color is an inherent part of EverTouch SD and other
solution-dyed nylon. “The color is actually built into the fiber before
extrusion. Carpets made with solution-dyed yarn keep their color clarity and are
resistant to harsh sunlight and atmospheric contaminents.” According to Ringer,
there are distinct differences—in addition to softness—between EverTouch SD and
other solution-dyed nylon products. “We have examined our yarn system and
comparable systems very closely, and test results show that Evertouch SD styles
with R2X outperform competitive solution-dyed nylon samples with respect to soil
resistance and stain removal.”
EverTouch SD joins Shaw’s existing brand fibers, all of which have passed
rigorous testing, perform well, and form the backbone of a growing family of
exceptional yarn systems, noted Ringer. Soft fibers have made their way into
Shaw’s Sutton division as well. Touted as high-style products that offer
ultra-soft yarns and patented stain and soil resistance, Sutton’s Five-Star
Studio Collection are crafted from two of Shaw Fibers’ most advanced yarn
systems—EverTouch SD and Comfortouch—and protected with the mill’s patented R2X
stain and soil repellent system.
“Sutton programs have long served our customers with simple-to-tell,
simple-to-buy formulas, and the division is noted for innovative leadership in
patterned and loop styling,” said Kurt Paulson, Shaw’s director of product
marketing. “The Five-Star Studio collection continues Sutton’s tradition of
creating a pleasurable shopping experience. The two new Shaw fibers present
additional benefits to customers.” Aside from Shaw’s EverTouch, other soft
fibers making a name for themselves the past few years are In vista’s Tactesse,
DuraSoft from Solutia and Anso Caress from Honeywell. “Driven by the mills’
request, we’ve seen the majority of our new introductions in the last three
years be in Anso Caress, our soft fiber,” said Ann Merino, Honeywell nylon
residential merchandising and brand marketing manager.
“There hasn’t been a lot of interest from the mills in creating new styles
that aren’t soft. I believe a lot of this runs parallel with the popularity of
hard surface flooring. Soft carpet is very important because it is the complete
opposite. That’s one of the reasons consumers love it. And you see where carpet
has maintained is the bedroom and other areas where we want it soft.” Merino
noted, Honeywell “sells all three products to that market—staple, filament and
chip, our resin that goes into mills’ private extrusion of the soft products. We
can [meet the demand] of the soft trend in any style. The growth of new products
has definitely been in the better goods. The lower weights are not really that
important. At the builder level, that’s probably where there is the least amount
of interest for the soft products.”
“The important point to get across to both the mills and the retailers is
that soft isn’t just one product,” she explained, “it’s different deniers,
different cross sections and different lustre levels. We even have it with and
without our CrossBond technology. So there is a whole range of soft feels and
looks and appeal that you can cover. “It doesn’t have to be that old squishy
soft,” she explained, “it can still have some structure to it. If there is any
one hesitation it is on performance. And, if you can talk about a CrossBond
technology as part of the soft aspect, what a great story that you can have it
both ways.” With multi-dye levels, noted Merino, “we are seeing some really
exciting styling from Blue Ridge, in particular, where it is taking advantage of
the Monet color technology, get ting depth, textures and cross overs. They are
commercial machines but with soft fiber and that is what makes them residential
products, or ‘resomercial.’ And that is what makes carpet keep moving into areas
of the family room and areas where soft comfort can combine with performance.”
—Louis Iannaco
