The Making and Use of Felt Materials in Early Cultures

Felt is a textile material produced by matting, condensing and pressing fibers. Felts can be made from natural fibers, such as light-colored animal fur, or from synthetic fibers, such as petroleum-based acrylics, polyacrylonitrile, or wood pulp-based resins. , blended fibers are also common.
  
   Wool felt is considered the oldest known textile. Many cultures have legends about the origins of felt making. American Heritage says the secret to felt-making was discovered by Lanashman of Lanash. The story of St. Clement and St. Christopher tells of men wrapping sandals in wool to prevent blisters when fleeing persecution. At the end of the journey, movement and sweat turn wool into felt socks.
  
  People in Central Asia (Altai: Mongols, Turks) still carry out felt making, which includes making tents, tents and clothes on a regular basis. Some of them are traditional items, such as classic styles (Gers), while others are designed for the tourist market, such as decorative slippers. In the Western world, felt is widely used as a medium of expression on stage and in contemporary art and design, and its importance as an ecologically responsible textile and building material.