The natural wool felt in the acoustics of avant-garde spaces

Noise is more than just an unpleasant sound: it affects concentration, performance, and health, causing discomfort, fatigue, and headaches both in offices and in restaurants, hotels, or shopping centers. To counteract it, natural materials with acoustic properties are presented as an effective solution for walls, partitions, or decorative elements. These must combine design, well-being, versatility, and sustainability. A prime example is natural wool felt, capable of absorbing sound while adding comfort, elegance, and aesthetic value to spaces.

Materials that care for the space, the ear, and the planet

The strategy to address this challenge must be defined from a holistic perspective, one that is key to well-being, operational efficiency, and brand image. It is not just about choosing between insulation to prevent external noise sources from invading the interior, absorption to control sound energy within the space, and diffusion to avoid sound hotspots or masking. In avant-garde spaces, the decision also requires the use of materials that bring warmth and luxurious aesthetics, creating invisible yet artistic acoustic barriers that complement lighting and color, and that, beyond being functional, allow for elegant, modern, and sustainable surfaces.

Why choose wool felt for interior design and acoustic projects?

Because in contemporary interior design projects, we must also think about appearance and how the chosen acoustic cladding impacts the environment and human health. We must consider the eco-responsibility of the design, the image that the material conveys to the brand, its potential for client retention, and its long-term value.

Choosing a natural acoustic covering such as wool felt helps create healthier spaces for everyone, without releasing harmful substances into the air. It makes use of its excellent sound-absorbing capacity and offers the user a comfortable and beautiful environment.

Wool felt as a natural acoustic absorber: unique properties

Wool felt is a 100% natural, renewable, and biodegradable material, with unique properties that allow it to trap and dissipate sound waves thanks to its porosity and its internal three-dimensional structure. This capacity arises both from the spiral shape of the wool fiber and from our manufacturing process, which reinforces this characteristic.
The result is an intricate network of natural, curly, and interlaced fibers that generate complex and interconnected paths at the micro- and sub-micrometric scale. Through them, air circulates, and sound waves are filtered, the key to the excellent acoustic performance of wool felt in sound absorption.

When a sound wave reaches wool felt, it penetrates the material, makes the fibers vibrate, and begins to lose energy through friction and vibration between the walls of the filaments, as well as through thermal transfer between the material and the air in the microchannels. It is a subtle yet effective mechanism, where sound is transformed into imperceptible heat, allowing environments to gradually regain a much more relaxed sound texture.

• This complex and unique structure makes sheep’s wool an exceptional acoustic absorber — especially in mid frequencies, where human speech is perceived, and in high frequencies, where noise tends to be most disturbing, such as shrill alarms, whistles, and mobile phone tones. These two frequency ranges are the most common in environments such as offices, restaurants, hotels, and shops.

Download our catalogue of Wool Felts and Technical Felts.

Other relevant properties of natural wool felt

In addition to this performance, sheep’s wool differs from synthetic fibers by offering complementary benefits, such as:

• Aesthetics: Wool has a natural drape, volume, and texture that bring elegance and visual authenticity. Its fibers softly reflect light, giving chromatic depth and a warm appearance. It also allows for multiple finishes from a velvety touch to more technical surfaces, which expands its aesthetic versatility.

• Thermal regulation: Wool acts as a natural insulator that adapts to its environment: it retains heat in cold climates and allows ventilation as temperatures rise. Its crimped fiber structure creates small air chambers that help maintain a stable body temperature. Thanks to this, wool provides a constant feeling of thermal comfort, even with abrupt changes in ambient conditions.

• Fire resistance: Wool is inherently flame resistant — it does not melt or drip upon contact with fire and self-extinguishes once the heat source is removed. Its high nitrogen and water content act as a natural barrier against combustion. For this reason, it is a safe option for environments that require fire resistance without added chemical treatments.

• Elasticity: The molecular structure of wool allows its fibers to stretch up to 30% and return to their original shape without deforming. This elasticity contributes to the felt’s durability, maintaining its shape and appearance even after long periods of use.

• Biodegradability: It is a 100% natural fiber that decomposes in the soil, releasing nutrients without leaving plastic residues.

Acoustic absorption: technical performance of wool felt in acoustics

The acoustic performance of sheep’s wool is evaluated using parameters such as the absorption coefficient and the Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC).

What influences the sound absorption capacity of our wool felts beyond their porous structure and the wool fiber itself? For example:

• Thickness. Wool felt can achieve different levels of acoustic absorption depending on its thickness. The greater the thickness, the higher the absorption coefficients.
• Density is combined with the morphology of the wool. There is an “optimal density” for felt: if the density is too low, fibers do not generate enough friction to dissipate energy; if too high, fibers cannot move freely, and the dissipative effect decreases.
• At Textil Olius, we offer the possibility to customize our wool felts so that your project is unique. Clients can specify the necessary densities and thicknesses according to their acoustic and decorative goals.

We know that every space and interior design project is unique. Depending on the required degree of sound absorption or the aesthetic or structural demand, it is possible to request felts with thicknesses over 30 mm and densities up to 400 kg/m³.

Colour palette and customization possibilities

At Textil Olius, we work with 100% natural, renewable, and biodegradable wool a sustainable product with high acoustic performance. Our experience allows us to offer customers the option to adapt felt to the technical and aesthetic needs of each project.

We have the technological capacity to manufacture wool felt to measure, according to the density and thickness specifications required for optimal sound performance in any space. Moreover, our wide range of colours facilitates the integration of felt into any interior design concept. We can produce natural felt in any colour the client needs.

Real applications of acoustic felt in interior design

When integrated with intention and design strategy, wool felt ceases to be mere cladding and becomes an artistic element that defines the atmosphere, sensory experience, and comfort of a space. In contemporary interior design, wool felt acts as a living surface that filters sound, shapes light, and provides unique textures.

Offices: well-being and concentration in open spaces

In open-plan offices, the challenge is to prevent conversations, meetings, and calls from becoming collective distractions. In this context, wool felt can be used in acoustic curtains, partitions and dividers, wall coverings, meeting areas, or suspended panels above shared desks as sound absorbers.

This implementation of wool felt in open spaces reduces sound reflection on surfaces, lowers the overall perceived noise level, and helps workers reduce the fatigue associated with chaotic sound environments, thus improving productivity and focus.

Restaurants and hotels: acoustic comfort without sacrificing design

In hospitality, sound is an essential component of the atmosphere. Felt, as a sound-absorbing material with high aesthetic value, provides comfort, visual warmth, and r

einforces the feeling of hospitality. In restaurants, this allows conversations to flow without intrusion, ambient music to exist without dominance, and diners to enjoy a calm environment that enhances their experience.

Applications:

• Sculptural wall panels, hanging elements above long tables, and coverings on bar fronts to balance sound reflection.
• As an acoustic focal point, using large textured panels in lobbies and waiting areas that act as acoustic curtains while serving as brand elements.
• In high-ceiling rooms, vertical baffles on different planes are used to break sound columns and fragment reverberation.

Felt can be dyed in muted or saturated palettes to integrate into lighting fixtures or cover specific furniture. Thus, each element in the room can be both an aesthetic object and a sound screen.

Commercial and retail spaces: aesthetic identity and comfort

A well-designed, optimized sound environment increases visitors’ dwell time and facilitates purchase decisions — making the store’s concept more effective. The goal is not to eliminate sound, but to optimize it.

In commercial spaces, felt helps build settings that attract consumers and encourage them to stay longer. It can be applied across various areas and surfaces to create a sound texture that promotes a calm flow of customers through different zones of a mall or department store — dining areas, hallways, checkouts, fitting rooms, and more.

Examples include:

• Felt panels on ceilings and walls in dining zones or premium café areas to create a quiet, sophisticated atmosphere that invites lingering.
• Ceiling and wall coverings in fitting rooms to create a more intimate sound environment and enhance the try-on experience.

Felt also acts as a differentiating element, softening the acoustic environment while elevating visual aesthetics in stores for example, in showrooms, creating a backdrop that highlights products while reducing ambient noise. It can even be used to build lightweight structures and acoustic divisions in pop-up stores.

Beyond sound: sustainability and design in balance

Talking about felt is not only talking about acoustics and sound optimization. Natural wool felt achieves harmony between the project and its environment through sustainability, quality, and the infinite versatility it offers in interior design suitable for modern, minimalist, bohemian, and elegant styles.

Wool felt is an ecological material

Wool is a natural, sustainable, and environmentally friendly option. This is why it is increasingly used as a sound-absorbing material in interior architecture, as it helps reduce the ecological footprint.

• It is renewable. Wool is obtained from the sheep’s fleece a resource that regenerates and is available every year.
• It is biodegradable. When buried in soil, the fiber breaks down within a few months, reaching its first stage of biodegradation after just four months.
• It contributes to the circular economy. We give value to wool that would otherwise become waste, helping to stimulate economic activity in rural areas and promote sustainable practices.

Of course, architects and interior designers need to demand certifications that guarantee the high standards of wool felts, as well as the traceability of the material (origin of the wool, treatments, and dyes).

At Textil Olius, we hold the OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certification, which certifies that all our felts are free from harmful substances. For this reason, they are used in interior decoration and soundproofing projects that demand strict environmental compliance.

Download our catalogue of Wool Felts and Technical Felts.

Some studies related to noise

• According to a study published in PubMed and an article from the University of Auckland, there are three main types of noise in an office: speech (conversations, phone calls, laughter), movement from human activity (keyboard sounds, doors closing, footsteps), and background noise from machines or air conditioning systems. The data show that in open-plan offices, conversation is the most annoying noise source, distracting workers and interfering with concentration and cognitive performance.
• Other studies, such as one by the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Flinders University of Australia, conclude that increased noise levels reduce the enjoyment of food.
• Meanwhile, research from the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the German Jordanian University found that noise in restaurants and shopping centers affects worker comfort. Studies in Italy and Portugal showed that restaurant staff suffered fatigue and irritation even when exposed to noise levels far below dangerous thresholds.
• The success of the retail sector is closely linked to the comfort and pleasantness of the shopping environment. According to a ResearchGate study, poor acoustic comfort in the central areas of shopping malls rest zones and restaurants can cause visitor fatigue and lead them to leave earlier than planned. Moreover, even in hallways and galleries, the acoustic environment can affect shopper behavior.