Natural vs Synthetic Carpet for High Traffic Areas

Written by Luke Arthur
on Sep 26, 2010

To ensure our content is always up-to-date with current information, best practices, and professional advice, articles are routinely reviewed by industry experts with years of hands-on experience.

Reviewed by
Charles Ramos, Jr.
on Mar 06, 2021

If you are trying to decide between natural and synthetic carpet for your high-traffic areas, there are several factors that you should first consider. When it comes to standing up to a lot of wear and tear, there are certain fibers that are better than others in each class. Here are a few things to think about whenever should happen to find yourself choosing between natural and synthetic carpet fibers for these areas.

Nylon

When choosing a synthetic fiber, nylon is one of the best fibers that you can buy for high traffic areas. One of the best things about nylon is that it has a great memory. It is known for being resilient and for popping back up again, even after you walk on it repeatedly. Even if it is matted down, you can have it steam cleaned to get it to stand back up again.

Polyester

Another type of synthetic fiber that you could purchase is polyester, though it is not ideal for high-traffic areas. It will generally matte down very quickly when compared to other options.

Olefin

Olefin is another synthetic fiber that is commonly used in Berber carpets. Olefin will work well in high traffic areas because there is no pile that can matte down. If you are dealing with a plush olefin, it will not work well under heavy foot traffic, but if it is looped, it should stand up to a lot of wear and tear.

Triexta

One of the newer options that you have available is Triexta. This is a synthetic fiber that is made from corn and petroleum. Triexta is currently one of the best options in the market when it comes to resiliency. Many of these products have a 25-year wear warranty associated with them.

Wool

The premium natural fiber that you can buy is wool. Many people love the way that wool feels and it is also great at standing up to traffic. If it gets dirty, you can easily clean it without any problems. It is the best natural fiber when it comes to wear and tear. The big downside to this type of carpet is that it is generally the most expensive type of carpet fiber in the market.

Sisal

Sisal is another natural carpet fiber that you could use. This fiber is also very durable and can withstand the rigors of a lot of foot traffic. It is very coarse and is not nearly as soft as wool underfoot.

Synthetic vs Natural

Both synthetic and natural fibers can be good when it comes to high-traffic areas. The important thing is to get a carpet with a low pile and with loops if possible. The best synthetic fibers for high-traffic are nylon and Triexta. Both wool and sisal are good if you want a natural fiber.