Triexta Carpet VS Polypropylene Carpet

Triexta is the newest synthetic fibre on the market. While it’s been around for a few years now, it’s still very recent compared to other synthetic carpets that have been around for decades. This includes nylon carpet, polyester carpet and of course polypropylene.

If you’ve ever wondered just how well something new like triexta compares to an old timer like polypropylene, here’s our ultimate guide that compares the two. You’ll easily come to a decision regarding which one you should buy for yourself after reading.

What is Triexta Carpet?

The newest synthetic carpet fibre on the market today, Triexta was developed and is manufactured by DuPont. Unlike other synthetic carpets, it is made out of Polytrimethylene Terephthalate or PTT for short. As we’ll see shortly, this gives triexta some unique properties that other synthetic carpet fibres do not have.

Like other synthetic carpet options, triexta is engineered to have great durability, stain resistant properties and is soft to the touch by synthetic standards. It’s also more-or-less in the same price range as its synthetic counterparts.

What is Polypropylene Carpet?

Often considered the cheaper option of synthetic carpets, polypropylene is often chosen for those who want to save as much money as possible. It doesn’t prioritize comfort or luxury, but it has great stain resistance and water resistance as well.

Being that it isn’t meant to show off elegant renovations, many people opt to install polypropylene carpets in storage rooms or children’s bedrooms.

Triexta Carpet versus Polypropylene Carpet

Now that we’ve introduced our two main carpets, let’s see how they fair in direct head-to-head comparisons in the most important areas that determine a carpet’s quality.

Durability and Resilience

While synthetic fibres are generally known for their durability, polypropylene is unfortunately the exception. Being a cheaper synthetic fibre, it is not a good option for areas with a lot of foot traffic. It’s best used for installation in rooms that aren’t going to hold a lot of people at once, like the bedroom of an infant or child.

Additionally, it can crush fairly easily and lose its original shape and texture. This makes it not a great option for rooms with lots of heavy furniture. Again, this makes it a better choice for playrooms, children’s bedrooms or storage rooms in the basement.

Triexta is fortunately a different story. Not only does it have a level of durability that matches nylon carpets or polyester, but actually exceeds that level. There’s no question that if you want a carpet that will hold strong over the years, triexta is the way to go.

Winner: Triexta is stronger and lasts much longer than polypropylene.

Comfort and Softness

Once again, polypropylene is known as the cheap synthetic option, so there’s only so much comfort and luxury you can expect from a carpet fibre such as this.

While polypropylene isn’t uncomfortable per say, it’s not really known for softness either. This is especially true when you take into account the fact that it is pretty much guaranteed to wear down over the years.

Triexta on the other hand is very soft underfoot for a synthetic. While it will never be as plush as wool, many people consider it the softest of all man made carpet fibre fabrics, including nylon and polyester.

Winner: Triexta is much softer than polypropylene.

Stain Resistance

One of the best benefits of triexta is its inherently stain resistant build. It doesn’t require extra chemical compounds to achieve this either. Triexta is known to offer the most stain protection out of all carpet fibres.

One downside of triexta carpets is that they are unfortunately oil absorbing, so you will want to keep those substances away from this carpet fibre at all costs.

Polypropylene on the other hand is a naturally water resistant material but does not offer the same stain resistance that triexta carpet fibres offer.

Winner: Triexta is much more stain resistant than polypropylene.

Cleaning and Maintenance

All synthetic carpets are easy to clean. That’s part of what makes them so appealing to so many people. And luckily, both polypropylene and triexta are pretty simple to clean. All that’s necessary is periodic vacuuming and scrubbing with soap and water to remove any non-water spills.

Keep in mind that because triexta is a new carpet fibre, some people recommend going for vacuums with soft bristles and cleaning it with warmer instead. Because Triexta is a relatively new carpet fibre on the market, no one is exactly sure how it’s going to age over a few decades, in terms of performance and maintenance.

Winner: Tie – Both are easy to clean and maintain.

Pricing and Budget

This area is no contest – polypropylene is by far the cheapest of all synthetic fibres and it’s not even close. They average around $40 – $50 per square metre for supply and installation.

That doesn’t mean that triexta carpets are unaffordable. usually coming in a very similar price range.

But if you are working on a tight budget or simply want to save as much money as possible, there is no doubt that a polypropylene carpet is going to offer the most savings possible. This makes it very popular in rental properties where you might change the carpet between tenants.

Winner: Polypropylene carpet will always be cheaper than triexta carpet.

Environmental Friendliness

Triexta is considered the most renewable synthetic fibre as they are sourced from corn sugar as opposed to petroleum. In fact, it is 37% glucose whereas polypropylene is completely manufactured from fossil fuels. Polypropylene is moderately green, as it doesn’t release toxins into the air and is known for having a relatively small carbon footprint. Despite that, the new version of triexta has heavily reduced the amount of chemical treating it receives thanks to its new fermented corn glocuse manufacturing method. As a result, it is definitely a far more sustainable and environmentally friendly option.

Winner: Triexta carpet is more sustainable and planet friendly than polypropylene.

Conclusion – Should You Get Triexta or Polypropylene?

There’s a reason why polypropylene carpets are such bestsellers all around the world. They are undeniably the most affordable option on the market. If saving money is a big priority for you, then you can’t go wrong with polypropylene carpeting. They are a great choice for rental and investment properties.

To discover more about polypropylene carpets and whether they are suitable for you, we’ve constructed an ultimate guide that explores the advantages and disadvantages.

On the otherhand, triexta carpets have a lot more going for them. They have impeccable stain resistance, they are the comfiest that synthetic fibres have ever been, they are astonishingly durable. If you’re interested in acquiring the most cutting-edge synthetic carpet the world has seen so far, do yourself a favour and get some triexta carpeting instead.

If you wish to learn more about the pros and cons of triexta carpet fibres, we have a complete guide full of information.

Contact FloorVenue for Further Carpeting Needs

We hope our triexta vs polypropylene article has been helpful in getting you to decide which option you prefer. But if you still have any remaining or follow-up questions, please feel free to contact us at FloorVenue at any time for advice or consultation.

FloorVenue has been covering Sydney’s homes and businesses for over two decades running. We’ve started from humble origins as a family run hard flooring business and eventually expanded to carpets, commercial vinyl flooring and even tiles. We’d love to share our 20 years of expertise and help you make the right decisions for your individual circumstances.