When Mohawk introduced SmartStrand® with DuPont™ Sorona® carpet seven years ago, Steve Moellers admits he was skeptical. “None of us had ever heard of this fiber before and Mohawk claimed it was going to change the way consumers thought of carpet,” explained Moellers. “They set the bar high, and SmartStrand had a lot to live up to.”

Of course, the story doesn’t end there. Moellers is the sales manager at Randy’s Carpets & Interiors in Coralville, Iowa, where Mohawk’s SmartStrand platform continues to exceed expectations. SmartStrand’s built-in stain and soil resistance, easy cleanability, incredible durability and amazing softness make it a top choice among his customers.

“Seems like every day a customer shares a positive experience about living on SmartStrand carpet,” said Moellers. “One customer called me panicked after her kids set up a Kool-Aid stand in the house. Kool-Aid and grape juice concentrate were spilled everywhere. She said, ‘Send your cleaning crew over right away!’ I told her that I could do that, but first she should try cleaning her carpet with water and maybe some mild detergent. Sure enough, the SmartStrand cleaned up as good as new. As a sales person, there’s no better feeling.”

According to Moellers, customers want carpet that is easy to clean and comfortable. David Duncan, Mohawk’s senior vice president of marketing, says that’s precisely why Mohawk engineered its newest offering, SmartStrand Silk.

“RSAs have always bragged about SmartStrand’s softness, saying it’s one of SmartStrand’s attributes that their customers most appreciate,” said Duncan. “Now, we’ve taken softness to an even better level. SmartStrand Silk is luxuriously soft, while still delivering lifetime stain and soil resistance, easy cleanability and unmatched durability.”

And just like its predecessor, Moellers says SmartStrand Silk is living up to the company’s impressive claims.

“The SmartStrand Silk Color Wall is like a power magnet,” said Moellers. “Once a customer touches a sample of Silk, they won’t walk away. They’ll talk to you about nylon or another offering, but they always seem to come back to Silk, even if it costs a little more than they planned to spend.”

SmartStrand Silk has only been available for a few months, but it’s already so popular Moellers decided to stock three styles. He admits the move is somewhat unusual, as they typically only keep value products in house.

“It was a no-brainer after seeing our customers’ reactions to Silk’s softness. We’re excited to sell more of it this summer and fall.”

To learn more about Mohawk’s SmartStrand offerings, visit www.MohawkToday.com.