PET or PA — Which Material for Forming Fabrics?

FAQ

PET (Polyester): Primary material — excellent dimensional stability, good hydrolysis resistance (especially HR-PET grade), and lower cost. Used for the majority of the fabric structure.

PA (Polyamide/Nylon): 3-4x better abrasion resistance than PET. Strategically placed in bottom CD (cross-direction) yarns where wear concentrates against stationary dewatering elements.

PAPTEX Hybrid Approach: PET/PA combination designs place PA only where needed — in the wear zones. Results: 20-35% longer fabric life on abrasive stocks at only 5-10% cost premium vs. all-PET construction.

Recommendation: Use hybrid PET/PA for recycled fiber, high-filler, or high-speed applications. All-PET is sufficient for clean virgin fiber, low-speed machines.

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Technical Background

This answer is based on PAPTEX's expertise in Forming Fabric. PAPTEX provides engineered fabric solutions to 200+ paper mills worldwide.

Related Resources

• 📖 View our Product Knowledge for more information
• 📋 Browse Forming Fabric related articles
• 📞 Contact PAPTEX Engineers for personalized recommendations for your paper machine

Last updated: July 2026