Wool felt in craftsmanship: the quiet quality that defines garments and accessories.

There is something about wool felt that seduces the senses: a sum of warmth, texture, perfect drape, chromatic richness, elegance…

We can talk about the thousand uses of wool felt. As attention to sustainability grows, wool felt is gaining greater prominence in art, interior design, design studios and especially on the runways of the fashion world.

Examples? There is no shortage. Proof can be found in the felt dresses of artist Andrea Zittel, the vests of Italian designer Agostina Zwilling, the inner collars in the made to measure suit line of Bespoke Edge in the USA, as well as children’s coats, structured skirts, gloves, footwear, bags… Sometimes wool felt shows its splendour at first glance, sometimes it fulfils a silent and decisive role in the garment. It can provide reinforcement and structure, as well as great visual impact. In any case, it does so by providing warmth and softness.

The accumulation of qualities in wool felt is surprising. Unique and strategic properties that allow the creation of shapes and creative solutions in pattern making and garment construction. This is why it is so attractive to designers, and why it is making its way to the pinnacle of contemporary and responsible fashion.

What is wool felt made of?

Wool felt is a non woven textile, noble and ecological, made from the crimped fibre of sheep fleece. Unlike spun textiles, felt is created through the alignment, interlacing and consolidation of wool fibres by means of a mechanical process that combines moisture, heat and pressure.

These carefully selected fibres possess a unique physical property: their surface is covered with microscopic scales, which allows the fibres to interlock, tangle and bond with one another without the need for spinning.

The result? A continuous piece of felt, with an appearance similar to fabric, with a homogeneous, dense, compact and durable structure, without weft or warp. Capable of shaping structured garments, creating volumes, adapting to each pattern, being cut without fraying…

In the production of felt, 100% natural wools or wool blends with other materials can be used. However, in fashion and garment making, natural wool felt stands out in a special way.

Advantages of wool felt in the garment and fashion industry

Fashion loves wool felt. For its versatility, its durability and its wonderfully lively and expressive nature, capable of adapting and dialoguing in the same language as contemporary design.

In addition to its high aesthetic value, wool felt provides multiple functional benefits, both in the manufacturing process and in the final use of garments and accessories. The intrinsic characteristics of natural wool give it exceptional technical properties: it is soft, breathable, gentle on the skin, resistant, flame retardant, repels moisture and accepts a wide variety of special finishes.

These are properties that provide key functions in design studios, and also allow felt to adapt to the requirements, techniques and creativity of the designer, or to the specific needs of the garment itself and the user.

Structure and drape: it provides shape without stiffening

Felt, depending on its weight and density, offers “body” and self regulates the drape of the garment, allowing structured contours in short coats, designer blazers, hats and bags.

• This ability of wool felt to maintain a defined structure, even over time, without turning the garment into a rigid object, is one of the most appreciated properties by designers in the construction of lapels and inner collars of coats and jackets. It is a material that responds to body movement, maintains the silhouette and easily recovers its shape. These qualities derive from the interlacing of its wool fibres, from the durability and resistance of its structure. Properties that can be adjusted during felt production by controlling the degree of compaction. In addition, they must guarantee high dimensional stability.

In bespoke tailoring, the colour of the felt used for the inner collar in sport jackets or blazers is also often customised to contrast with the garment.

At TEXTIL OLIUS we customise the density, thickness and colours of our wool felts to cover all the needs of the fashion and garment industry. Our high quality natural wool undercollar felts meet the requirements for colour fastness to wet and dry rubbing, dry shrinkage and are certified OEKO-TEX®.

Adaptability to design: shaping and pattern making

Wool felt responds exceptionally well to manual shaping techniques on rigid forms and moulds, including the use of steam. In the garment industry, this facilitates the creation of three dimensional pieces without the need for complex interlinings, such as caps, slippers or anatomical pieces for different garments in corsetry.

For example, hat makers steam the felt and shape it into the desired form: classic wide brim hats, delicate fedoras, famous cloche hats, traditional Italian berets…. Even with the innovative development of fibres and fabrics, wool felt remains the material of choice in this field of garment making. And it is returning strongly to the runways and to everyday life.

• A good example is the Borsalino baseball cap, shaped in high quality wool felt. It conveys a raw yet elegant appearance. It is an example of the perfect harmony between refined Italian craftsmanship and modern functionality. Wool felt is definitely travelling into the future.

In addition, felt allows variations in techniques to innovate and exploit creativity in fashion. For example,

• Nuno felting, where wool fibres are felted through a woven base fabric. It is also called “embedded” felt. It allows interesting texture effects with unique designs. It can also help to lighten the felt, to create garments with a more attractive drape and movement, such as shawls and scarves.

Precision and cleanliness in cutting: it does not fray

Woven fabrics are created with a weft and a warp threads that interlace at 90° to form the fabric, which makes them strong in those directions as long as the integrity of the threads is maintained. Whereas in wool felt, being a non woven textile, its fibres are intimately interlaced, so its integrity does not depend on the breakage of a single thread.

• What does this mean? That a piece of wool felt can be cut with complete freedom, without compromising its shape or its structural behaviour. Straight lines, curves, organic silhouettes… any shape remains well defined. In addition, due to its non woven structure, the cut edges of felt do not fray, which is an advantage in the designer’s work and expands design possibilities.

Resistance to use: felt keeps its shape and is durable

Durability is also a distinctive hallmark of wool felt. Its interlaced structure composed of wool fibres, as well as the internal composition of those fibres, give felt dimensional stability, abrasion resistance at high densities and good recovery after folding and repeated handling.

It has an almost intelligent molecular structure that allows it to stretch without deforming, to fold and still recover its original shape. For this reason, wool felt is recognised and valued as a resistant material that defies wrinkles.

• This resistance reduces ironing in the workshop and at the point of sale. It also facilitates the transport and packaging of finished products. This makes it attractive for the creation of seasonal garments and travel or intensive use accessories, such as bags, footwear, cold weather accessories…
• In addition, it provides a highly valued functional advantage in fashion: garments or accessories made from wool felt retain their aesthetic and well cared appearance over time. It reinforces their perceived quality in the long term.

For the designer, working with a material that does not wrinkle means greater control over the final silhouette. It also reduces creation time, as subsequent interventions are minimised.

Versatility in the creative process: colours, densities and thicknesses

Felt is an astonishing material. Its chromatic richness and its ability to customise thickness and density offer designers infinite opportunities for unique self expression. From shoes to the tip of a hat, almost any garment or accessory can be made from wool felt.

This variability facilitates the use of different thicknesses, densities and colours depending on the needs of the piece or garment, or the creativity of the designer.

• The greater the density of the wool felt, the more resistant and dimensionally stable it will be. It will have greater capacity to withstand friction and serve as a cushioning material.

At TEXTIL OLIUS we can provide any colour tone to our natural wool felts without compromising sustainability. We adapt to any chromatic requirement in fashion design, from the softest and most natural tones to the most intense and vibrant ones.

We have the technical and technological capacity to manufacture wool felts in a wide range of densities, from 0.13 g/cm³ to 0.5 g/cm³. And in thickness, we can reach up to 30 mm.

Comfort and natural breathability

Wool felt retains the property of thermal insulation, which gives it the unique charm of offering comfort and warmth through outerwear and accessories. Why? Because its interior is formed by crimped wool fibres that create a wonderful microporous structure, capable of retaining and trapping air and forming a warm air barrier to prevent internal heat loss.

• For example, felt, as a thermal insulating material, can be incorporated as a secret weapon in jackets to protect the wearer in cold seasons. Felt can be used intelligently at key points of body heat loss and at areas where cold air enters, such as cuffs, collars and hems. This type of design allows heat retention and increases the overall comfort of the wearer. And at no point is ergonomics sacrificed.

Wool is a naturally breathable and moisture regulating fibre. A well dimensioned felt with the appropriate finish facilitates the evacuation of water vapour and prevents moisture build up inside the garment, improving user comfort. This breathability makes felt suitable for technical garments and for the manufacture of accessories that require thermal control.

Download the catalogues of 100% wool felts, wool undercollar felts or the E 12801 special colours catalogue.

The aesthetic value of wool felt

Felt acts as a strategic and visual signature. Its soft and natural texture, its elegant appearance and its superior durability generate a sober, luxurious and silent aesthetic language, capable of differentiating a brand and building a premium image.

Luxury accessories, atelier pieces and seasonal collections take advantage of this natural and unique appearance to communicate authenticity, craftsmanship and customisation. In addition, in contemporary design the simplicity of form and the richness of the material generate a high impact on brand value. Therefore, felt offers a perfect balance between resistance, aesthetics and distinction.

Wool felt in conscious and responsible fashion

If we focus on conscious and responsible fashion, we enter a more ethical, more ecological and more durable fashion. In the design of garments that remain perfect season after season and in a manufacturing process that includes sustainable, even recycled textiles, always guaranteeing high quality production.

Natural wool is a renewable, biodegradable and low environmental impact resource when obtained ethically, which makes felt a coherent option with the principles of conscious fashion.

• Wool felt is made from sheep fleece, a resource that regenerates year after year.
• The use of sheep wool represents the valorisation of this renewable natural resource.
• Wool can reach its first stage of biodegradation in just 4 months when deposited in the soil.
• We have our own wastewater treatment plant for the production process.
• We reuse residual fibres and felt remnants generated by our own industrial process.

For conscious consumers, garments and accessories made of wool felt represent a valuable investment. They are products that not only stand out for their elegance and durability, but also reflect an ethical commitment to the environment.

This duality between beauty and ecological awareness positions wool felt as a strategic, even essential, material in collections that seek to harmonise style, functionality and sustainability.

TEXTIL OLIUS: more than specialists in natural wool felts

Fashion and wool felt share the same essence: creativity and innovation. They are capable of combining aesthetic and sustainable value in every design.

At TEXTIL OLIUS, natural wool felt is conceived as a living, high quality material, designed to accompany designers and brands in their most demanding creative processes.

For more than a century and a half, we have been providing technical knowledge, experience and aesthetic sensitivity to offer wool felts that bring character and elegance. Do you need quality in your final product? Contact us.