There are two forms of nylon that are used in commercial carpeting, staple and bulked continuous filament. Since both are used in the contract market, most nylon fiber producers make both in some capacity. Solutia, for instance, manufactures both staple and BCF nylon. In fact, Solutia's Pensacola plant is the largest manufacturer of staple nylon in the nation.

Bulked continuous filament (BCF) is a continuous strand that is extruded into yarn and then texturized to add bulk and cover. Because it has no short fibers that may tend to pill or fuzz, BCF nylon is preferred for most loop pile and cut-uncut constructions, especially for multicolor carpet.

Staple nylon is made up of short lengths (6" to 8") of nylon fiber that are then spun together to form yarn. Generally speaking, staple nylon is the preferred choice for cut pile carpet and for solid color carpet.