Yaphank, N.Y.-based Fiber-Shield Industries introduces Karpetcryl, a super-hydrophobic carpet and rug treatment. Karpetcryl offers long-lasting protection from damaging household stains such as wine, coffee, and pet accidents. Karpetcryl is effective and safe on all leading materials used today, including wool, nylon, and modern polymers, according to the company.
Super-hydrophobic coatings cause a thin layer of air to form on top of a surface. “Super-hydrophobic effects are also found in nature,” said Manny Vickers, president and co-founder of Fiber-Shield Industries. “They appear on plant leaves, butterfly wings, and duck feathers, for example. This is what we study in biomimetics, where scientists solve problems by observing and recreating solutions found in nature.”