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80/20 VS. 70/30
Microfiber is typically a blend of either 80 percent polyester and 20 percent polyamide or 70 percent polyester and 30 percent polyamide. Other combinations exist, but studies have pitted 80/20 and 70/30 against one another to determine which performs better. The outcome? Neither stands out as a clear winner.
“It was once believed that the 70/30 blend was superior and more absorbent than 80/20 because it contains a higher amount of nylon,” says Sutton “The polyester cleans while the nylon absorbs, so many thought the more nylon, the more absorbant. However, as technology advanced and more companies began producing microfiber, the two blends became nearly identical in their abilities. Today, the 70/30 blend is no longer considered superior. The two are so close to one another in their cleaning and absorbing capabilities that it is very difficult to tell a difference between them, nor is there a significant price difference.”
Traci Hagberg, CEO of Hagco Inc., notes the difference reflects little more than which region of the world the fiber was manufactured. “The 70/30 variety is common in European manufacturing, while 80/20 is generally imported from Asian countries,” says Hagberg.
THE SPLIT
If the ratio of polyester to polyamide doesn’t affect quality, then what does? One huge determining factor is the amount of splits, or pie segments per fiber.
“There are two different types of microfiber: split and nonsplit,” says Goldberg. “Nonsplit is used for furniture or shirts, but it does not have cleaning properties like split microfiber. The more splits it has, the more effective.”
The most effective microfiber on the market contains 16 segments per fiber. Microfiber containing fewer splits is also available to the jan/san industry and is less costly.
“Mathematically and geometrically speaking, you need a .9 denier fiber to get 16 segments, which only an 80/20 blend can produce. A 70/30 blend produces a 12-segment microfiber. All the other configurations of splits work well; it is simply a matter of budgetary constraints,” Goldberg says. “I always say there is the best tool at the best price for every task. You can go to an eight-, 12- or even two- segment split to meet your customers’ price needs.”
