Almost every carpet will lighten in color or fade over a period of time. The extent of damage depends on: the location, exposure, color, intensity and type of dye and method of dyeing. A carpet that has been solution dyed (or producer-colored) is least susceptible to sun fading. The pigments are added to the polymer before the fibers are formed, locking in the color. Most polypropylene (olefin) many acrylics, and some polyester and nylon carpets are dyed using this method.

Lighter shades will usually fade more quickly than darker shades because they contain less dye. Most dyes are composed of two or more colors. If one color is affected more than the others, the fading may appear as a color change rather than a lightening of the color. For example, a green carpet yarn is made from blue and yellow dyes. If the yellow dye is affected and the blue is not, the green carpet may seem to be turning more blue. In other instances the colors may fade uniformly, appearing as a lighter shade of the original color. In severe cases the color may be completely removed and can appear to be "bleached" white. The fiber itself can also deteriorate.

You may be able to prevent carpet from fading in sunny locations by keeping the windows covered with draperies or by treating the windows with a protective coating which filters the ultra-violet rays. If you live in an area where sunlight fading is a problem, shop carefully for your next carpet purchase.