5 Things to Know Before Buying Coloured Polyester Felt
How to choose the right felt for your project? Let's compare felts!
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Have you ever wondered what the difference is between 100% wool felt, wool blend felt and craft, other than price?! On first glance, you might not thing there's much of a difference but there is! Heres the low down find out the characteristics of these fabrics and which type is best for your crafts.
What is felt?
Felt is a non-woven material made by pressing and rolling fibres together. Its thought to be one of the first fabrics made by man, with the earliest pieces dating back to 700 BC. Because its made without a loom it could be produced easily from wool. Its strong and water repellant so was used to make clothing, saddles and tents. Its still a very important fabric today, with many industrial uses in manufacturing and architecture, and its also hugely popular in crafting because its such a versatile, easy-to-use fabric.
Felt can be made by hand (using wet felting and needle felting) but on a commercial scale its usually done with machinery. If you like the TV programme Inside the Factory you might enjoy a read of this!
The fibres used to make felt can be natural like wool or bamboo, or synthetic like petroleum-based acrylic or wood-pulp based rayon. All of these fibres produce a felted fabric which wont fray at the edges, so no hemming is required. However, the different fibres also give the felt fabric different properties and uses. Lets look at these:
100% wool felt
100% wool felt is made of pure wool only. Confusingly, wool blend felts are often called wool felt but they usually have less than 40% wool in them (more on that below!). 100% wool felt usually contains merino wool, which is super soft and durable. Because it comes from a renewable source, wool is a sustainable product and will biodegrade. Its important to check when buying this type felt that the wool is museling-free (a cruel practice sometimes used by sheep farmers). Ours is!
100% wool felt is evenly thick and smooth with a matt appearance. It cuts without leaving fuzzies and it doesnt tend to pill (bobble) when rubbed so its hard wearing.
This felt is dense so holds stitches well without being stretched out of shape, unlike a wool blend or acrylic felts, which tend to be thinner and less dense.
100% wool felt is washable. Just like your favourite woolly jumper, its best to do this delicately with a cool hand wash. There can be around 5% shrinkage on washing so if you are making anything that will be washed its a good idea to pre-shrink the felt before crafting with it. 100% wool felt holds dyes really well but some colours are not fast so its best to wash them separately if you need to. 100% wool felt can be ironed on a wool setting.
Because of the natural oils present in 100% wool felt it is water repellant so seems to stay clean for longer. Its also naturally fire-resistant (the best test for wool felt to set fire to it if it only smolders and doesnt catch fire its wool!). The natural oils in wool also give this felt antibacterial properties.
Because its lovely to cut, stitch and stays smooth over time, 100% wool felt is a favourite amongst stitchers and toy makers because it has an heirloom quality. It is however the most expensive option and not widely available.
Wool Blend Felt
This is often called wool felt but it usually has no more than 25-40% wool in it, with the rest of the fabric made up of man-made fibres such as rayon (viscose) or acrylic. This felt is thinner and less dense than 100% wool felt but is usually more durable than a craft felt. It has a tendency to go bobbly and stretch out of shape with use and, because of the synthetic fibres, some have a shine to them. This felt is smooth and holds stitches nicely. They do come in a huge range of colours and are less expensive than a 100% wool felt so are great when you are producing a large scale project, for making things that wont get much wear or for childrens crafting. As it stretches easily, wool blend felt can be useful for felt flower making, if you want a leaf or petal to have a curled shape.
Craft Felt
This is the cheapest felt, often found in craft shops and schools. Its made of 100% man-made fibres acrylic, polyester, rayon or viscose. There are some more environmentally conscious choices now too you can get felt made from a fibre produced from recycled plastic bottles or bamboo (bamboo is fast growing an doesnt need chemical fertilizers so its a more sustainable choice).
The one thing these felts have in common is that they are inexpensive however they tend to vary a lot depending on what type of fibre they are made from. It can be quite thin (sometimes you can see light coming through it) or very stiff. It usually has a plasticy shine to it and its easy to stretch out of shape. If you stitch onto it, the threads dont sink into the fabric so they look loose.
This type of felt is great for getting young kids into crafting just expect their creations to stand the test of time! It can also be handy if you want to test out a design before upgrading to a better quality felt. If you do use this felt, choose carefully dont pick the stiff type of craft felt if you are planning to make a stuffed toy. However, if you need a fabric with a bit of structure, the stiffer felts can be a great option. Its also perfect for vegans.
This image shows how seams look with different types of felt. You can see that because 100% wool felt is more dense than the other types of felt, the stiches don't pucker the seam. You can also see when you look closely that the wool blend felt and craft felt have a slight sheen to them.
100% wool felt
Wool blend
Craft Felt
Composition
100% wool
20-40% wool
60-80% acrylic or rayon
0% (bamboo, plastic bottles, acrylic, rayon)
Fraying
No
No
No
Stretching
Dense so doesnt stretch out of shape.
Seams hold up well.
Not as dense, can be stretched a bit.
Seams hold up relatively well.
Thin and very prone to stretching out of shape
Seams may stretch and tear.
Water repellant
Yes
A little
No
Safety
Flame retardant
Will catch fire but then go out
Flammable
Environmental impact
Sustainable
Sustainable (depending on composition)
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Non-biodegradable, depending on composition
Washable
Yes (but expect some shrinkage)
Yes (but expect some shrinkage)
Yes and wont shrink
Texture and appearance
Smooth and soft.
Matt appearance
Smooth, soft, feels slightly squeaky.
Slight sheen
Often fuzzy or hard, depending on type.
Sheen
Colours
Lots (but no very bright white as the heavy bleaching would damage the wool)
Huge selection, including bright white
Not so many, but includes a bright white
Sustainable
Yes, wool is a renewable source
If its made of rayon
Not always
Hold stitches
Really well
Ok
Not so well
Pills (bobbles)
Unlikely
Somewhat likely
Very likely
Price
£££
££
£
There are so many types of felt to choose from these days - each works well depending on your aims and your budget. It's worth spending a little time when you start your next project to be sure that you are using the right type to give you the finished result you're looking for.
Fun With Felt - Everything You Need To Know About This ...
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 sheeps 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 doesnt 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, its 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.
If you are looking for more details, kindly visit polyester fiber felt supplier.
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