For the first time there’s an affordable carpet that that will stand up to 25 years of wear and tear. Known as SmartStrand or Ecoplus, Triexta is the first new carpet fibre on the market in over 50 years and it wears better than any other carpet fibre we’ve come across.
The manufacturers think Triexta is so good that they’ve given it a 25-year warranty. As this new carpet type has only been in the market for five years, we haven’t come across a 25-year old carpet that justifies the warranty, but the verdict from the E-Dry team is this is an exceptionally well-wearing, stain resistant carpet. At $800 to $1500 per room, including installation, it works out to be a great long-term investment.
Triexta carpet was initially developed by DuPont, the chemical manufacturer famous for developing Nylon. It has the same general chemical composition as Polyester but is much more durable and resilient than, with a softer feel.
In 2009, Triexta was recognised as a new fibre type and officially categorised as a sub-class of Polyester, making it the first new fibre used in carpet manufacturing since the introduction of Nylon 50 years ago.
The manufacturers have gone to great lengths to prove how durable this new carpet type is, including laying it in a zoo enclosure for three weeks and then having it cleaned. Here’s a YouTube video of the results. I’ve cleaned thousands of carpets over the last 20 years and I was certainly impressed.
The Eco+ warranty guarantees carpet replacement if there is more than 10% wear in the first 15 years after purchase, with a scaled down warranty for the following 10 years. E-Dry thinks that’s a great deal! 15 year old carpets don’t generally wear too well, so a replacement guarantee on such an affordable carpet is great value.
This is one of the most stain resistant carpets we’ve come across, but it’s not bullet-proof. Eco+ and SmartStrand carpets are 'hydrophobic', meaning they don't absorb water. They are made of solution-dyed carpet fibres without dye sites, making it nearly impossible for permanent dyes, such as food colouring, to stick to the fibres. The Eco+ warranty doesn’t cover oil-based, acidic or caustic stains. If you treat stains like these quickly, you’ll generally be able to remove them.
When cleaned regularly, this carpet looks great, but it attracts dark oily stains that are typical with food being dropped on the carpet. These spots clean out easily with professional cleaning, which is why a condition of the warranty is to have the carpet cleaned every 12 – 18 months.
Warning: Some of our customers have been told by carpet salespeople that Eco+ and SmartStrand carpet should only be cleaned with cold or fresh water. This is totally incorrect and against the manufacturers’ recommendations and warranty requirements.
Carpets like the Eco+ silk range look and feel great, with the exception of a slight oily feel when they’re new. We think it’s this oily feel that makes these carpets a little hard to vacuum when they’re new. Our experience is that the oily feel will wear off over time and the carpet will be easy to vacuum. In the meantime, we recommend adjusting the height of your vacuum head.
E-Dry verdict: We can’t vouch for a 25-year-old SmartStrand or Eco+ carpet, but the carpets we’re cleaning now that are 3–5 years old look and feel great.
Conclusion: This is a great value, affordable carpet that should out last any synthetic carpet fibre on the market. It still needs care and maintenance, but if you treat spills when they occur and have the carpet professionally cleaned on a regular basis, it should look great for a long time.
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