Sawtooth crimp
Also called zigzag crimp, this is a two-dimensional
crimp that gives yarn cohesion, texture and bulk.
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Saxony
A cut pile carpet with surface yarns that are even
across the face. The yarns in saxony are thicker and have more tip
definition than in a plush.
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Secondary backing
(See "Backing systems.")
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Selvage
The edge of the carpet. Most commercial
carpets are shipped with the selvage on. Residential carpet is usually
trimmed to the face yarn. Also known as "selvedge."
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Set match
Refers to a pattern in a carpet which continues
straight across the installed carpet at right angles to the seams.
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Shading
Apparent colour shade difference between
areas of the same carpet caused by normal wear and/or random difference
in pile lay direction. It is a characteristic of cut pile carpet. It
is not a manufacturing defect.
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Shearing
Finishing process in carpet manufacturing
to create a smooth carpet face. The shearing process can also be used
to create texture as in random shearing. (See "Random
sheared" or "Tip shearing.")
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Singles yarn
One yarn end of either continuous filament
yarn or spun yarn. Singles yarn is most often plied (or twisted) with
additional singles yarns to create a "two-ply," "three-ply" or "four-ply"
yarn bundle.
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Skein dyed yarn
Singles yarn that has been skein dyed. Yarn
is wound in skeins and dyed in dye vats. This method yields small to
mid-sized dye lots, but has custom colour advantages. (See "Dye
methods.")
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Sliver
An intermediate stage in the production
of spun yarns from staple fibre. It is a large, soft, untwisted strand
or rope of fibres produced by carding or pin drafting. (See "Parallel
spinning.")
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Smoke chamber test
Method that assesses smoke generating characteristics
of a carpet sample due to pyrolysis and combustion by measuring the
attenuation of a light beam by smoke accumulating in a closed chamber
under controlled conditions.
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Soil hiding
The ability of a fibre to mask the presence
of soil.
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Soil resistance
The ability of a carpet fibre to resist
dry soil and maintain its original appearance after intermittent or
restorative cleanings. The amount of soil resistance can be determined
by fluorine analysis. (see "Fluorine
analysis")
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Solution dyed
(See "Dye
methods.")
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Space dyed
(See "Dye
methods.")
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Spinnerette
The device (similar to a showerhead) which
forms strands of filament as molten polymer is pumped through. It is
at this stage that the fibre cross section, fibre size and the number
of filaments in a yarn bundle (for continuous filament) are determined.
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Spinning
The conversion of staple fibre into spun
yarn. (See "Parallel spinning.")
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Spun yarn
Yarn that is made up of short lengths of
fibre, either synthetic staple or natural fibre. (See "Parallel
spinning.")
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Stain resistance
The ability of a carpet fibre to resist the
absorption of stain and maintain its original appearance. For carpets
to resist stains, some manufacturers use a topical stain resist treatment
that may be removed after hot water extraction.
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Staple fibre
Also called staple. Short lengths of fibre
which have been chopped from continuous filament in lengths of 4" to
7 1/2". Staple fibre must be further processed (spun) into yarn before
it can be tufted/woven into carpet. Nylon and polyester are examples
of synthetic fibres available in staple form.
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Static control
(See "Antistatic
properties .")
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Static control test
A measurement of the amount of static discharge
that occurs under specified conditions.
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Static shock
Buildup of electrostatic energy on a carpet
and the subsequent discharge to a conductive ground such as a file cabinet.
Various static control conductive systems are used in commercial carpet
to dissipate static charge before it builds to the human sensitivity
threshold, which is 3.5kV.
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Stitches per inch (SPI)
Number of yarn tufts per running inch along
the length of the carpet (as opposed to the gauge which is the number
of stitches across the width of the carpet).
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Stock dyed
(See "Dye
methods.")
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Suessen
A trade name of a German manufacturing company
and its continuous heatsetting process. In Suessen setting, dry heat
is applied to twisted yarn. The heat builds bulk and locks twist into
the thermoplastic fibre's "memory." (See "Heatsetting.")
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Superba
A trade name of a French manufacturing company
and its continuous heatsetting process. In Superba setting, steam and
pressure are applied to twisted yarn. Heat and pressure are applied
to build the bulk and lock twist into the thermoplastic fibre's "memory."
(See "Heatsetting.")
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Surface area
The perimeter of an individual fibre filament
or multiple filaments.
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Surface energy
Technical measure of the tendency of a surface—in
this case, the carpet yarn—to repel molecules of another substance.
Low surface energy refers to a repelling action.
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Synthetic fibre
Produced by man-made means, not available
in nature in the same form.
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