Humans might have discovered the simple processfrom the effect of the natural elements on the wool or fur of the animals. Woolfelt or simply felt is a fabric that is formed when a sheeps wool or an animalfur has been exposed to heat and moisture. This process is hastened by thepresence of an alkaline such as soap. The heat and moisture applied on the wooltends to open the outer scales of the fiber and the soap acts like a lubricantagent causing the fibers to slide easily over one another. This naturalentanglement then becomes permanent and irreversible due to the chemicalbonding of the keratin proteins present on the fibers forming the fabric.


As it is, the process is a fairly simple. Thisis actually the main advantage of felt making over other textile makingtechniques; there is a finished product in much lesser time of production.


Humans might have discovered the simple processfrom the effect of the natural elements on the wool or fur of the animals.There are evidences that early humans used wool to keep their feet warm. Yearsof walking and stomping on the wool had made it stiff, which eventually turnedit into wool felt.


The oldest archaeological evidences of the useof felt were in Turkey. Wall paintings dated back from 6500 BC depicted whatseems to be a felt making process. The Romans and the Greeks of the ancienttimes knew of the uses of wool felt. In fact, Roman soldiers were found to haveworn felt breastplates, tunics, boots and even socks as protection from arrows.


The process of felt making did not change muchover the years. Varied discoveries during our age, of burial grounds of anomadic tribal chief in Siberia, a warrior of the Iron Age in Scandinavia, anda body in an old tomb in Norway, all showed marks of wool felt usage as a bodywrap.


Today, the felt is widely used in various partsof the world, most especially in areas with harsh and very cold climates. Feltis being used by nomads to make tents called gets or yurts in Mongolia. The hats, rugs and other similar items are made of felt in Turkey. Similarly, felt tents, rugs and blankets are used by nomadic tribes in SouthCentral Asia. Felt boots are very famous in Russia and Scandinavia. Felt cloakscalled kepeneks are used by Shepherds as protection against the rough climate.


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