Question from Jackie DeGayner
Hi Debra,
I was shopping for area rugs today and ran into rugs made with Triexia.
I looked it up and it looks good on paper.
What is your take on it.
www.rugsandcarpets.about.com/od/Carpet-Fibers/a/Carpet-Fibers-101-Triexta.htm
Debra’s Answer
I don’t have any personal experience with this fiber. It seems to have some pros and cons.
The chemical name is polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT). I couldn’t find anything on the health effects.
It is a subset of polyester, which by itself has low toxicity. It contains 20% to 37% renewable material from non-food biomass, which is a step in the right direction, but is still primarily petroleum.
This looks to be a fairly nontoxic material, though petrochemical. Check the rug for any toxic finishes, such as stain-resistance.
