Guide to the best wool for felting and needle sculpting

Guide to the best wool for felting and needle sculpting

Please visit our website for more information on this topic.

Our most popular posts over the years include: How to make felt slippers, Make a felted flower snowdrop and Needle Felting Robin tutorial. It&#;s a long time now since first dipping a toe into the wonderful world of felting, but that content remains really popular and each week, one or two readers will ask me about sourcing the best type of wool for the felting process. I&#;m not entirely sure why it hasn&#;t occurred to me before to write a post about exactly that, but it has now (finally!). So here&#;s my guide to the best wool for felting (whether that&#;s needle felting or hot water felting).

You won&#;t be surprised to hear that I will focus mainly on different types of wool produced in Britain. (*I know how many of you are from other parts of the world, so I&#;ll also include some finds from Canada and the United States &#; scroll to the info section at the end of this post to see them listed).

I&#;ll take a look at the best breed of sheep, the different fibres and wool type best suited to the felting process &#; both needle felting and wet felting.

Different types of wool for felting

Firstly let&#;s take a look at the different types of wool used for felting:

The cheapest (but also most time-consuming) option is to start with raw fleece which you will need to wash and then remove any curly locks. These can be useful for other felting projects where you might want locks of hair (eg for a pony mane).

You can buy scoured wool (which has been washed once and still has some locks attached, so it&#;s not ideal for felting projects without work either.

Core wool

Core Wool from Felted Sky on Etsy

This is the wool you&#;d generally use to make the insides or base layers of felting projects and the basic idea is that it helps save your best wool for the top layer. It tends to be cheaper, less attractive looking wool that should to shape quickly and easily. The important thing to consider when choosing the right wool for this is how quick and easy to shape the core wool you choose is.

Best core wool for felting

At the end of the day the answer to this question boils down to personal preferences but I have a few favourites to share with you here.

If you have a local wool shop it&#;s a good idea to start there, but you can also buy everything you might need to get felting from an online craft store, marketplace (such as Etsy) and independent producers/sellers.

First off, Sandy at Lincolnshire Fenn Crafts is a GREAT resource for all things needle felt-related.

Sandy&#;s Core wool is a mix from British sheep breeds and is available from her Etsy shop here. Coarser wool in texture, it felts easily into shape. This wool has gone through a normal washing process but small amounts of vegetable matter may be present. If this bothers you, you can remove vegetable matter (eg grass seeds and burrs) from raw wool by using the wool carding technique (more details on that later).

As it&#;s a coarser wool generally used for stuffing, and therefore won&#;t be seen, carding is unlikely to be necessary for core wool.

Other sources for core wool

Heidi Feathers on Etsy is another great resource for all things felting. Heidi Feathers core wool is a best seller on Etsy for good reason with a natural off-white colour and is wonderfully easy and quick to work with. Made from the finest soft Corridale sliver with criss-crossed fibres, it has been combed into a roving (a long and narrow bundle of fibre). Ethically sourced and available in Small or Medium. Buy on Etsy here:

Another great resource for finding different wools for felting is Wingham Wool in Yorkshire. Their Core wool is a carded mix of washed fleece wool specially selected for being easy to work with and an ideal choice for felting. The fibres are chosen for offering good loft and recovery, so ideal for creating soft and bouncy shape.

Crafty Jam is also worth knowing about as they offer ethically sourced wool (from British breeds as much as possible) as well as useful kits. Their core wool is a coarse wool, described as being free of vegetable matter, so a good choice if you&#;d prefer this and don&#;t fancy carding it yourself!

The Outside Dyers is another favourite of mine, offering a wonderful range of naturally dyed British wools for felting. Their British Felting Core Wool is available in three natural colours: cream, grey and brown.

Carded wool

As touched on earlier, carded wool is fleece that has been brushed using wire brushes to remove debris, dirt and vegetable matter. Carded wool makes an ideal base for needle felting projects, with Roving or Tops wool used to create the top details.

If you fancy carding your own wool, it&#;s a relatively easy, if somewhat time-consuming process. You can buy the carding brushes easily (Heidi Feathers sells a popular pair of hand carding brushes: or single carding &#;flicker&#; brush.

As well as saving you money in the long run (uncarded fleece is cheaper than carded wool) carding your own wool also gives you the option to create your own mixtures by carding different colours together.

If you&#;re serious about the idea of carding your own wool, you need to know about the Classic Carder range. Beautifully handmade in the rolling hills of Shropshire using only high quality solid ash wood, the range spans single brushes right up to jumbo drum carder machines.

Carded Batt and Carded Sliver

Carded wool can be bought in what&#;s known as a carded batt (which is a large, folded up flat piece of carded wool.) It&#;s ideal for 2D and 3D needle felting as it felts super fast.

Alternatively you can buy carded wool slivers which are small pieces cut from a carded batt. This is particularly useful if you&#;re starting out with needle felting or don&#;t need to buy a lot of a particular colour or type of wool (eg for small details).

Dorset Wool sells a beautiful selection of organic naturally hand-dyed carded fibre from their own blade shorn high welfare flock of Portland sheep and homegrown organic plant dyes. 

Blended batts

There&#;s real artistry in blending shades to make blended batts for felting and a joy to create yourself. There&#;s also plenty of inspiration out there of ready blended batts just waiting for you to create with.

Marie Redding is a great source of ideas and this Visions of Mountains blend (also available as handspun yarn) is inspired by forests, wild landscape and The Lord of The Rings. Marie is committed to using only trusted sources of cruelty free wool. Her raw fibres (this does not include dyed merino) locks and raw fleeces are all sourced from the UK (apart from silk) and from trusted farmers. She guarantees high welfare standards and the very best quality fleeces.

Wool roving or tops

So what&#;s the difference between Batts and Roving? Well, batts (or batting, or fleece) and roving have both been pulled through carding machines which comb and align the fibres to some degree. But with batting, the wool comes off the machine in thin sheets which are layered to form thicker fluffy sheets.

This results in a textured wool where the fibres are no longer aligned, which means it felts up very quickly.

Roving, on the other hand, is processed one step further and pulled off the machine in ropes where the fibres are mostly aligned. Though the fibres are more aligned, this form of wool still retains the wool&#;s natural crimp, making it another excellent choice for needle felting.

This is fleece that has been carded further and has been combed in one direction. So It&#;s harder to work with for felting and best used for adding detail (eg fleece coats/manes for sheep, ponies, animals) rather than for making the base of your felting projects. Great for 2D and 3D felting, surface colouring and wet felting.

Blended roving

This is something you can either do yourself by blending different rovings to create a mix, but there are also lots of ready blended options to buy to make life easier.

Fellview Fibres in the Lake District offers a colourful collection of fibres inspired by the local landscape. How about these hand-pulled rovings inspired by Skiddaw Sate

This Lake District inspired wool rovings is a blend of soft grey Teeswater fibres, extra fine white Blue Faced Leicester and tussah silk in shades of rust, rich brown and deep grey. The fibres have then been hand pulled into light, airy, soft rovings.

Different breeds of sheep

Choosing the type of wool to use can be as much about the breed of sheep the fleece came from as it is finding the best quality wool. Each breed offers different colours and characteristics.

Shetland

Shetland wool is incredibly soft and versatile and ideal for home spinning. It is great for hand spinning and felting. 

This gradient wool batt bundle by Fellview Fibres in the Lake District combines two natural Shetland wools and five hand-dyed Shetland wool in shades of purple.

Woolberry Farm offers a mix of pure natural undyed wool tops. Usefully, all the wools are pulled, not cut, to keep staple length.

Albany Wool keep a small flock of Shetland sheep just outside Dunfermline, Fife. All their wool is processed by hand from their own flock, and other local high welfare flocks. The wool is washed using environmentally friendly soap, air dried, picked then carded on a small drum carder into fluffy batts for spinning, felting or for any other woolly uses!

Buy Albany Shetland Wool on Etsy.

For naturally dyed shetland wool, The Occasional Purl, based in Wales, is a great place to know about. There&#;s a beautiful range of naturally dyed batts to choose from, including reds, greens, blues and purples.

Also check out Highland Colours. Their naturally dyed Shetland wool roving is available in a beautiful selection of colours including yellows, oranges, pinks, greens, blues and browns.

Woolberry Farm sells a beautiful bundle of natural undyed British Shetland wool roving in brown, white, grey and black.

Jacob

The Jacob is an ancient breed with a fleece that is open, soft and light with little grease (lanolin). Staple length is generally 3-5 inches and may be up to 7 inches. The wool is medium grade (Bradford count 46-54).

Cotswold Craft Cottage in Cirencester sells a range of beautiful rare breed British wool and fibre, including White Jacob top roving and Grey Jacob top roving.

Manx Loaghtan

Manx Loaghtan is a small, primitive sheep, one of the rare breeds of sheep on the watch list of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust. Originating from the prehistoric short-tailed breeds of sheep found in isolated parts of North West Europe, other breeds in this same group are Soay, Hebridean, Shetland, Boreray and North Ronaldsay.

The Makerss is a great resource for all things felting and also sells Manx Loaghtan natural wool tops

There&#;s a wide range of different felting fibres from different sheep (including woo from South Africa, Australia, South America and New Zealand. They also offer a free &#;find a fibre&#; service. Describe what you are hoping to make and they will recommend the best batts, tops and/or curls that will work for your project.

Wychwood Spinner on Etsy is another special resource based in The Cotwolds and offering a curated collection of wool fleeces and other fibres sourced from local breeders including a washed Max Loaghtan fleece.

Romney

The Romney sheep has the highest quality of fleece on any native British breed of sheep. Their fleece is heavy, semi lustrous and strong and they produce a high yield. The fibre has a well-defined crimp and the staples are long and usually oval or round as is typical with a stronger wool. Romney Marsh Wools is a great resource and sells washed and carded topped fleece which is definitely a contender as best wool for felting.

Romney Marsh Wools use traditional skills (Romney sheep have been in the family for at least six generations or more) and are committed to sustainability. This video gives great insight behind the scenes and into why this wool is so highly prized.

Merino wool

Prized because it&#;s a fine wool, softer and lighter than other types of wool, there are some ethical issues around the production of merino wool. Merino sheep have wrinkly skin, which means more surface area for wool, but also more flies in hot weather &#; often leading to the horribly cruel practice of mulesing. Ethical merino wool does exist, but sourcing it means doing your homework.

Heidi Feathers sells a fantastic choice of merino felting wool, and also guarantee that they are all sourced from non-mulesed flocks.

This beautiful Merino wool roving is from Grey Fox Felting in New York and is particularly perfect for wet felting. It&#;s ethically sourced and mulesing free. This merino wool is 21.5 microns with a staple length of 2.75 inches. Merino wool is a beautiful material to work with and is known for its softness and gentle sheen. 

Blue Faced Leicester

Prized for being a soft wool and also strong, Blue Faced Leicester is another great choice for felting. Blue Faced Leicester wool is fine and dense with a good lustre and is long.
The Blue Faced Leicester fleece is highly prized for its likeness to mohair and is perfect for both needle felting and wet felting.

Liberty Bell Felts is a good source for undyed Blue Faced Leicester wool top roving:

Also check out Yorkshire Wools who sells washed Blue Faced Leicester Fleece and Wingham Wool who currently have Super grade select White Bluefaced Leicester combed wool top for sale. It has a soft semi-lustrous wool, very popular with hand spinners and felt makers.

Herdwick

Herdwick sheep are a beautiful hardy breed with wonderful thick fleeces. The lambs are born black, & over time their fleeces change colour into dark to light grey wool. Being a coarse wool, Herdwick fleece is a great choice for felting.

How cute is this Herdwick Sheep needle felting kit for beginners by Lincolnshire Fenn Crafts?

Swaledale

The fineness is approx. 35-45 microns and staple length, 100-200mm. Swaledale wool has excellent resilience and hard wearing properties and the natural grey can be dyed with very nice results. Great for wet felting and needle felting.

The Fibre Hut sells a nice all natural grey swaledale combed wool top from the Yorkshire Dales as does Lincolnshire Fenn Crafts

Corriedale

Corriedale sheep are a cross between Lincoln and Merino sheep giving the wool a natural thick feel yet retaining the soft nature of merino. It therefore lends itself perfectly for 3D projects, needle felting & wet felting.

Buy Corriedale Rovings from Crafty Jam Company on Etsy.

As I mentioned earlier, Sandy at Lincolnshire Fenn Crafts is a great resource for all things felting related. She sells a brilliant box of undyed British felting wool in 5 beautiful natural animal colours, including White Jacob, Brown Shetland Moorit, Grey Jacob, Black Brown Jacob and Light Grey Swaledale.

Or how about these cute bags of Cotswold rare breed sheep wool from Cotswold Craft Cottage?

The fleeces are washed and natural and the rare breeds you can select from include  Cotswold, Portland, Balwen (Black Welsh Mountain, Romney, Zwartbles, Jacob, Whiteface Dartmoor and Herdwick.

John Lewis sells nice bundles of felting wool &#; including this natural combination:

Worthy of mention too is Shiv Textiles who sells a beautiful range of sustainable craft supplies, including yarn and fibre bundles curated from deadstock yarn and fibres rescued from British mills. Boxes vary and some yarns are more suited to weaving or tapestry than felting, but definitely worth knowing about.

A few kits you might like

Grey Fox Felting has a wonderful selection of felting kits including this beautiful Goldenrod wall hanging kit:

How adorable is this Cottontail Bunny Tutorial by Paige Snow of PSFelting? It&#;s available to buy as a detailed PDF tutorial with lots of images and help. Paige also sells wool palette collections inspired by different animals including the Cottontail Bunny.

Polar Bear Kit

How about this cute Polar Bear needle felting kit by Bergin and Bath? Inside the kit is everything you need including ethically sourced and cruelty-free English top and merino wool fibres.

Lake Reflections Kit

How exquisite is this Lake Reflections Felting Kit by Felted Sky on Etsy?

Information

This article contains affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if a reader clicks through and makes a purchase. All our blog posts are independent and in no way influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative. By clicking on an affiliate link, you accept that third-party cookies will be set. 

Recommended article:
Fabric Type 101: Everything You've Ever Wanted to Know
The Ins and Outs of Fire Retardant Fabrics
Why Microfiber Towels Are Picking Up Sales In The Market ...
How do you identify weft knits in clothing construction?
The Benefits of Using Glass Wiping Cloth: A Must-Have for Spotless Surfaces
4 Advice to Choose a Bamboo Fiber Cloth
How Does bamboo towels Work?

If you are looking for more details, kindly visit Jiatong.

Here&#;s a round-up of my favourite sources for finding the best wool for felting &#; whatever type, shade or style you&#;re after:

Dorset Wool provides sustainable, eco-friendly fibre and yarn from British rare breed sheep, using home-grown plant dyes to create beautiful natural colours.

The Felt Box offers a wide range of ethically sourced and sustainable needle felting products. There&#;s also a super-helpful free guide to getting started with needle felting

Thomas Wood & Wool based in Wales and offering handmade and plant dyed products made from wood and wool

Romney Marsh Wool

Lincolnshire Fenn Crafts

Heidi Feathers

Cotswold Craft Cottage

Crafty Jam Company

Woolberry Farm

Marie Redding Arts

The Outside Dyers

Fellview Fibress

Albany Wool

The Occasional Purl

Highland Colours

The Makerss

Wychwood Spinner

Liberty Bell Felts

Yorkshire Wools

Fibre Hut

Shiv Textiles

Bergin & Bath

Suppliers in the US, Canada & Australia

As mentioned at the start of this post, I know how many of my lovely readers live beyond the British shores, so I wanted to include some of the sources I&#;ve found as I&#;ve been researching this post. Do let me know if you have a special source that you think I should include!

Divinity Fibers Canada

Grey Fox Felting USA

The Knotty Bird USA

Bear Creek Felting USA

Maine Fiber Workshop USA

Felted Sky USA

PS Felting USA

Thread Collective Australia

First Edition Fibres & Yarns Australia

A pin to share to Pinterest

If you&#;ve enjoyed this post, it would be great if you could share this pin to one of your Pinterest boards. Thank you! x

Fabric name Felt Fabric composition Wool, animal fur, acrylic, acrylonitrile, or rayon Fabric breathability Medium Moisture-wicking abilities High Heat retention abilities High Stretchability (give) Medium Prone to pilling/bubbling High Country where fabric was first produced Turkey or the Altai Mountains Biggest exporting/producing country today Australia or China Recommended washing temperatures Depends on the fabric used Commonly used in Hats, insulating garment lining, boot liners, arts and crafts, pillows, bags, details on other garments

150cm Wide Felt Baize - Red - Ideal For Poker Bridge Table Card Craft

What is felt fabric?

Felt is a type of matted fabric that consists of textile fibers condensed and pressed together. Traditionally made with wool or another type of animal fur, it&#;s now possible to make felt with acrylic and other forms of synthetic fibers.

Wool felt is highly flame retardant, and it extinguishes itself. This textile also has sound-dampening properties, and it is highly moisture-wicking and absorbent. Felt holds the distinction of being one of the only fabrics made without weaving or knitting.

Using heat, water, and pressure, felt manufacturers permanently interlock natural or synthetic fibers to create matted felt fabric. It&#;s then possible to cut or shape felt to produce apparel items as varied as hats and boot liners.

History of felt

Felt is believed to be the world&#;s oldest fabric. The earliest archaeological evidence of felt dates back to BC, making this fabric older than any knitted or woven textile.

Various cultures have competing myths regarding the origins of felt. In the Western tradition, for instance, the invention of felt is attributed to either Saint Clement or Saint James, both of whom are said to have placed natural fibers in their sandals to prevent blisters only to have these fibers turn into felt due to heat, pressure, and sweat.

Felt Star Christmas Ornament

According to Sumerian legend, felt was discovered by the warrior hero Urnamman. The felt origin stories of other cultures might not be as colorful, but felt-making has played an integral role in the societies of the Eurasian continent for millennia.

The mountain people of Tibet, for instance, ancestrally used felt due to its insulative properties. Even today, the holy men of Tibet, including the Dalai Lama, wear traditional felt hats.

Early cultures in India used felt for blankets and saddles, and the people of ancient Iran and Turkey commonly made felt floor mats. One of the most important uses of felt in the ancient world, however, was in the construction of circular Mongol houses called yurts, which remain the primary forms of dwellings on the Eurasian Steppe to this day.

While the oldest preserved samples of felt were found in Turkey, historical evidence seemingly identifies the Altai Mountains as the region where felt was first made into sophisticated products. Inhabitants of this region continue to make felt for yurts and tourist items as part of an unbroken tradition that stretches back thousands of years.

The beaver hat trade

Starting in the 16th century, the economy of the area that now comprises southern Canada and the Great Lakes region in the United States was largely supported by the beaver felt hat trade. Between and , hats made with beaver fur felt were among the most popular exports from the New World, and the beaver pelt trade alone made it possible for the British and French to establish rudimentary colonies throughout what is now the inland American-Canadian border region.

How to make a felt sunflower

Commonly called beaverkins, hatmakers produced beaver fur felt hats in a variety of distinct shapes including the immediately recognizable tophat. The beaver felt industry nearly drove North American beavers to extinction, and it was only a sudden change in style preferences that allowed their survival.

Felt fabric today

While some hatmakers still make beaver felt hats to this day, most accessory manufacturers have switched to more ethical fibers like wool. Felt is still a popular hat material, but this fabric&#;s uses have expanded into other types of accessories as well as homewares and crafting materials.

With the invention of acrylic fabric in the early 20th century, the international felt industry believed that it had found a cheaper alternative to natural fibers. While natural felt is renowned for its flame retardant qualities, however, acrylic is highly combustible, and other synthetic fibers used to make felt, such as rayon, aren&#;t much better.

As a result, high-quality felt remains made with natural fibers like wool, and consumers generally associate acrylic or rayon felt with lower-tier products. Felt never truly regained the popularity it lost in the West when beaver hats went out of style, but plenty of cultures around the world continue to use felt for ancestral purposes entirely unfazed by the aftereffects of this ultimately temporary style craze.

How is felt fabric made?

The felt production process varies slightly depending on whether it contains wool, acrylic, or another textile fiber. In the case of wool, raw fibers are derived from the coats of wool-bearing animals, and in the case of acrylic, fibers are made by dissolving a polymer in various artificial chemicals and spinning the resulting substance.

Once textile manufacturers have acquired the desired fibers, they combine them into a mass using a cylindrical device studded with steel nails. Next, a carding machine cards these fibers into a loose web with standardized spaces between fibers.

A machine known as a cross-lapper or a vlamir then combines multiple webs together to make a roll, and four of these rolls are layered on top of each other to make a batt. To harden these batts of felted material, felt manufacturers expose the batts to heat and moisture, and then the final shrinking process is accomplished with a combination of heat, pressure, and moisture.

Most felt manufacturers use sulfuric acid during the final stages of the felt production process, and they neutralize this acid with soda ash and warm water once the matt has reached its ideal size. Finally, an industrial machine uses rollers to smooth out any irregularities in the finished felt fabric.

Felt manufacturers are now free to dye, cut, or form the felt to complete consumer products. They may also choose to sell unaltered felt in bulk sheets.

How is felt fabric used?

Today, textile manufacturers primarily use felt to produce hats and other insulative substances such as boot linings. Thicker and harder than woven or knitted wool, felt provides an excellent barrier against cold temperatures, and this woolen material is not scratchy against the skin.

Outside the realm of apparel, felt manufacturers sometimes use this substance to make decorative pillows, handbags, and other homewares or accessories that benefit from felt&#;s softness and additional useful properties without needing to be significantly flexible. As most children and parents know, felt is also a popular crafting material, and you can use your imagination to make practically anything with felt. Most felt designed for crafting, however, is acrylic, which is less comfortable against the skin and more harmful to the environment than woolen felt.

Where is felt fabric produced?

Despite a recent depletion of sheep livestock levels across the continent, Australia remains the world&#;s largest exporter of wool products, followed closely by China. Therefore, the majority of woolen felt was manufactured in Australia, though in some cases, Australian sheep farmers ship their raw wool to China for finishing. The world&#;s largest producer of synthetic textile products, on the other hand, is China, so the majority of acrylic and rayon felt is Chinese.

How much does felt fabric cost?

Genuine wool felt is reasonably expensive, but it is usually around the same price as other wool textiles. Felt made with acrylic or other synthetic fibers is less expensive, but it does not have the same beneficial attributes as wool felt.

What different types of felt fabric are there?

Over the centuries, textile artisans have developed quite a few different types of woolen or fur felt. More recently, fabric manufacturers have deviated from the norm and started making felt with materials other than natural animal fibers. Make sure you&#;re familiar with all the different types of felt available on the market:

1. Wool felt

Still one of the most common types of felt, textile artisans made felt using wool from sheep or other wool-bearing animals for the majority of this fabric&#;s history. In addition to being aesthetically pleasing, wool felt shares the beneficial attributes of its base fiber, including absorbency, fire resistance, and impressive insulative properties.

2. Fur felt

To this day, some textile manufacturers use beaver pelts to make felt hats and other accessories. While not as in vogue in the era of animal rights, fur felt is useful due to its impressive durability and high malleability. It&#;s also possible to make fur felt with types of fur other than beaver, but in every case, fur felt production involves the killing of fur-bearing animals.

Luxury Fabrics - Baize for Snooker Pool Billiards Tables - Felt - Matting

3. Acrylic felt

Acrylic felt has become increasingly popular over the last century. Cheaper to produce than wool, acrylic felt offers some of the same benefits as conventional felt. Unlike wool or fur felt, however, acrylic felt is highly flammable, and it is uncomfortable when worn against the skin.

4. Rayon felt

Commonly used in industrial and medical applications, rayon felt shares the hydrophilic properties of wool felt. One of the major benefits of rayon felt is the ability to shape this textile into various insulative products, but like all synthetic textile fibers, rayon is a non-biodegradable pollutant.

5. Pressed felt

Pressed felt is the most common type of felt, and it is also the oldest. Produced by combining textile fibers into a mat using water, heat, and pressure, this type of felt is usually sold in sheets and shaped into various consumer, industrial, and medical items.

6. Needled felt

Artisans use specialized needles to make needled felt figurines and other three-dimensional products. This type of felt is not insulative or used for industrial purposes, and instead, most needled felt products are decorative in nature.

7. Woven felt

Woven felt is a type of felt fabric that textile manufacturers produce by applying heat, water, and pressure to pre-woven fabrics. The result is a matted, highly insulative fabric that can be much thinner than pressed felt.

Rico Felt Sheets 60x90

How does felt fabric impact the environment?

Wool and fur felt are among the world&#;s most biodegradable substances. The only potential environmental issues associated with these types of felt regard land use and proper animal stewardship. In the modern era, harvesting animals for fur is considered to be cruel and barbaric, and in some cases, wool production can involve animal cruelty and cause pollution or soil erosion.

Natural fibers are, however, invariably better for the environment than synthetic textiles. Both acrylic and rayon production involve the use of toxic, caustic chemicals that can harm textile workers. Only rarely do textile manufacturers dispose of these chemicals properly, and in most cases, they pollute surrounding ecosystems.

Acrylic and rayon felt are not washed as commonly as other synthetic textiles, but these synthetic felt fabrics can still contribute to microfiber pollution while in use. As non-biodegradable fabrics, acrylic and rayon felt fill up landfills or contribute to plastic pollution when discarded.

Felt fabric certifications available

Wool felt fabrics may be eligible for Woolmark certification, which is a certifying agency that ensures wool products were produced using safe, sustainable, and cruelty-free processes. Certain fur felt fabrics produced in the European Union may be eligible for WelFur certification, which ensures that fur products were produced responsibly.

Many types of sustainable fabric may be eligible for OEKO TEX certification. These organizations certify natural fabrics that were produced using organic, sustainable processes, and they even certify certain types of recycled synthetic textiles. Recycled synthetic textiles may also be eligible for Global Recycle Standard (GRS) certification, and synthetic textiles of all types may be eligible for International Organization for Standardization (ISO) certification.

If you are looking for more details, kindly visit Wool Felt.