In 2005, carpet shipped in the United States totaled 2.057 billion square yards (18.5 billion square feet) or $13.9 billion at the mill level (In 1950, industry shipments were 97 million square yards). Today, the carpet manufacturing industry offers many different looks and styles, much more than just a conventional loop pile. New technology can produce multilevel loop and cut/loop patterns. There are many options such as diamonds, bows, pin dots, or fleurs-de-lis designs that "pop out" in sculptured effects. Using a solid color, textured carpet is a great way to provide interest and pizzazz, without going to a multicolor, overall pattern.

Textured styles also fit well with today’s active and casual lifestyles. Whether or not a carpet is textured, it can be created through the use of several construction techniques.

• Cut pile - Loops are cut, leaving individual yarn tufts. Still one of today's most popular constructions, its durability is achieved with factors including the type of fiber, density of tufts, and the amount of twist in the yarn.

• Plush / Velvet – Velvets and Plush carpeting are manufactured with a gentle twist.  Because of the gentle twist, they are softer than Textured and other carpets. Visual luxury and feel make Velvet and Plush carpeting perfect for living rooms, master suites, theater rooms, and all other formal areas within the home. This style shows all traffic marks.

• Saxony - Carpet fibers in a Saxony carpet are twisted tightly, cut, and then straightened using heat. The texture of a Saxony carpet works well in both formal and informal rooms.  Saxony carpets have a medium level of durability and show foot prints and tracks from a vacuum cleaner.

• Friezé – Frieze carpet is recommended for high traffic areas.  The yarns are tightly twisted, forming a "curly" textured surface.  This informal look hides almost all foot prints and vacuum marks.

• Loop Pile - In the past, loop pile (often confused with Berber carpet†) was considered a more casual style and was typically used in basements, game rooms, and other informal high traffic areas. As carpet styles have evolved, more variety became available. Loop pile may have a look anywhere from very casual to extremely formal.The term "berber" is used to describe any type of carpeting with more than two colors. Berber can be loop, cut pile, frieze, and others.

• Level loop pile – Loops are the same height, creating an informal look.  It generally holds up well in high-traffic areas.  Many of today’s popular Berber styles are level loop styles with flecks of a darker color on a lighter backg round.

• Multi-level loop pile — Usually has two to three different loop heights to create pattern effects, providing good durability and a more formal loop.

• Cut-and-loop pile – Combination of cut and looped yarns. Provides variety of surface textures, including sculptured effects of squares, chevrons, swirls, fleur-de-lis, etc.