The FACTS about FELT - Britishfelt

Felt can be made from Wool, Viscose, Polyester, Polypropylene, Recycled PET, Kevlar, Nylon or Cotton.

If you want to learn more, please visit our website Jiatong.

MYTH&#;. Felt is used as a Noun that describes a fabric but is also derived from a Verb that describes a process. FELTING.

Only wool (mainly from sheep) can be felted.

To FELT is the description of a process of steaming, shrinking and mechanical action to naturally interlock fibres to produce a mat or pad of wool textile.

Other fibres can be blended with wool to change the final characteristics of the textile as long as the product can be &#;Felted&#;.

Any other process that produces a fabric using any of the above fibres (including wool) by any means other than Felting, Weaving or Stitching is classed as a non-woven.All Felts are the same

All Felts are the same.

MYTH&#;.. All felts are in some way different based upon factors such as

1. Type of wool used in manufacture
2. Type of machinery used
3. Acidity or alkalinity of local water sources
4. Naturally or artificial drying techniques
5. Manufactured in Europe or Asia
6. Volume of blended fibres or fillers used in manufacture.

Synthetic fibres off the same characteristics as wool

MYTH&#;

Synthetic non-woven fabrics have their place in industry. They make excellent filtration mediums; they can be dyed to brilliant colour ranges. They can exhibit excellent thermal and acoustic insulation, and in some cases can be a lower cost alternative to a wool felt at a similar thickness.

However&#;.

They cannot hold and transfer oils and liquids as efficiently as wool felt.

They do not cut as cleanly as a wool felt as they tend to fray or split.

Many rely on oil and petrochemicals for their manufacture

They tend to melt at elevated temperatures and the resultant molten mass can ignite

They can be difficult to recycle

Wool Felt is very expensive

TRUE&#; in some respects.

But&#;.How many fabrics can you buy in the world that can come as thick as 1&#; (2.5cms). Not many I would imagine, unless you want to buy wool felt; and some wool felt can be made up to 4&#; thick (10cms).

On average a square metre of wool felt at 2.5cms thick will contain approximately 2 Australian sheep fleeces (a fleece in Australia weighs approx. 4.5 kilos). That&#;s an awful lot of wool to process and felt together just to manufacture 1 square metre of felt.

It can take weeks to blend, process and dry a piece of wool felt effectively and so the ultimate cost is directly related to the wool cost and the manufacturing time.

But in other ways it&#;s a

MYTH

The majority of wool felt used in the world is manufactured in a thickness range between 1mm and 5mm. At these gauges wool felt is an extremely cost effective product given is particular benefits and diverse characteristics between different hardness&#;s.

1mm felt is manufactured on highly efficient machines that manufacture continuous rolls of product at high speed. Because of it relatively low thickness these felts can be dried very quickly and finished within days.

Even at 5mm thick the manufacturing process is so much quicker than at elevated thickness&#;s and the cost at this level is reflected in the demand.

Want more information on Coloured Polyester Felt? Feel free to contact us.

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Felt is a popular fabric used in many different projects, from clothing to decor. It has a fascinating history and manufacturing process so read on to discover everything you need to know about felt. 

What is felt?

Made from natural fibres, felt is one of many manufactured fabrics. Unlike many of its counterparts, felt is not made by weaving. Instead, fibres are subjected to high levels of pressure and heat, with water added to the process to compress them into what we can recognise as felt fabric. The production process makes felt a durable material with a dense consistency as the fibres become permanently compressed and interlocked together. 

History of felt

There are many origins proposed when felt is discussed. Still, the most likely is that it originated in Asia around years ago. The historical evidence suggests that the Nomads first derived it when they found it to be a perfect fabric for tents and clothing and rugs to protect them from the elements. Even now, they use the material and develop a range of items like decorated slippers for the tourist trade. Another compelling story about the origins of felts is that in the Middle Ages, wool fibres were used to line shoes to provide comfort and warmth. As the footwear was worn, the sweat and heat from the feet combined with the pressure of walking created felt - but it is thought that production was not formalised, so they accidentally made felt without realising what they had discovered. 

What is felt made from?

Traditionally felt is made from wool and other natural materials. This gives it a soft finish that has become synonymous with felt. One of the reasons wool is used is because of how easily it can matt together. Usually, this would be a flaw, but the felt production industry has played to the natural properties and made it a valuable asset.

As time has passed, new techniques have seen wool combined with synthetic fibres, and a superior result has been achieved. Most felt is now a blend of wool and either acrylic or polyester. Totally synthetic felt is also used, such as acrylic felt. This does nothing to hamper the strength, but it does make the finished fabric more pliable. Rayon is also a synthetic fibre of choice for some blends as this makes the felt softer and removes the prickly feeling that a pure wool blend can cause. 

How felt is made?

Making traditional felt from scratch is a labour-intensive process. First, the raw materials must be collected from sheep or other woolly-coated animals. Once the wool is harvested, the next step for most uses is combing and carding. The fibres go through a large combing cylinder that uses large steel nails as teeth. It is then fed into a carding machine where smaller teeth card the fibres into loose fibres. The next stage is to create rolls, and a device called a cross-lapper makes batts. The batts are then exposed to heat and moisture, which causes them to shrink and condense. Finally, the pressure is applied using large rollers, which creates the final smooth fabric we use in sewing and craft projects.

Types of felt

There are several different types of felt, including: 

• Wool felt &#; This felt is one of the most common and is made using sheep&#;s wool or other woolly-coated animal pelts. 
• Polyester felt &#; This is a synthetic needle felt material made with 100% polyester. It has similar properties to traditional felt and is resistant to heat.
• Acrylic felt - A cheaper version compared to wool and is made using acrylonitrile. Fibres are interlaced to create the same effect as wool felt. It is stain-resistant and washes well.
• Woven felt - Pre-woven fabric is used, and then heat, water and pressure is applied to give the felt effect. This method creates a less dense finish.
• Fur felt &#; Animal fur is used to create this felt. It is durable and flexible to work with. 
• Rayon felt &#; This fibre shares similar characteristics to wool and is often used for insulation products.

What is felt used for?

Felt can be used for a wide range of projects, as it is very versatile. It is suitable for insulating and creating warmth. It is also great for decorative goods, arts and crafts and soft furnishing. As previously mentioned, it is used in tents and yurts and clothing. It is a popular material with hobbyists who enjoy needle felting and hat making.

Pros and cons of felt fabric

One amazing fact about felt is that it is highly flame retardant, and even if it were to catch fire, it is self-extinguishing. The material is very good at dampening sound and is absorbent and moisture-wicking. Felt is durable and easy to cut and work with. That said, it is pretty rigid and can shrink over time. The fabric can have a coarse feel, but this can be counteracted by adding synthetic fibres. Over time felt tends to go fuzzy, but it doesn&#;t fray. It is a cheap material with many uses making it a popular choice for sewing projects.

Popular felt colours

Felt is popular for arts and crafts projects. Many will have fond memories of classic green felt used to make a DIY craft garden patch. However, while this is still a much-loved pastime, there are lots of other crafting ideas you can create with felt and the variety of colours available. Check out some examples of simple DIY crafting projects here.

To help you get started, we stock a host of felt colours, including blue, pink, red, orange and black, plus many others. Felt is a great way to introduce kids to arts and crafts. However, it&#;s also perfect for other ideas such as Christmas decorations, card table covers and seasonal DIY projects. So check out the range here to inspire your next felt creations.

The company is the world’s best industrial polyester felt supplier supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.