Your Practical Guide To Felt Fabric - RugPadUSA

Coarse texture

The manufacturing process of felt can often make the surface a bit coarse and rough, so it can be a bit scratchy on the skin (especially synthetic felt). It’s still a soft enough surface that it won’t scratch floors or even be that uncomfortable on the skin, it’s just not going to compare to something like fleece or alpaca wool when it comes to softness.

FAQs about felt fabric

Still have questions? We’ve got you covered. Check out these other commonly asked questions about felt that we’ve answered here for you.

Is melton the same as felt?

Melton is similar to felt and is often mistaken for it.

Melton is a woven fabric, but the finishing of melton makes it shrink and appear matted like felt.

Where can you buy felt fabric?

Felt can be bought by the yard or in pre-cut felt sheets. Michael’s or similar crafting stores are good places to buy felt. Most crafting or fabric store should carry some felt.

(Though keep in mind, this is just felt, not made for anything specific — if you want something specific for say, rug pads, we’ve got you covered with our 100% felt rug pad.)

Can you wash felt fabric?

Yes, felt can be washed. We recommend washing it by hand using cold water to avoid shrinking though.

Is felt fabric waterproof?

Felt fabric is water-resistant — not fully waterproof. Think of it like a thick fuzzy jacket in the rain that isn’t necessarily a rain jacket; it’ll keep you dry for a while, but eventually you’ll get wet.

Is felt a non-woven fabric?

Yes, it’s a non-woven fabric made from interlocking fibers.

Is felt a strong material?

Yes, it’s a strong material. However, it’s not like steel metal-level strong — it’s still a fabric and if you push it too hard, those interlocking fibers can come apart.

What is the best quality felt?

100% wool felt has the best quality for water resistance, comfort, and durability — but it can also get eaten by moths.

Are felt and fleece the same?

No, they’re not the same. Felt is made from natural wool or synthetic fibers and is non-woven. Fleece, on the other hand, is woven and made entirely from plastic.

Can you tumble dry felt?

No, it is better to air dry it as putting it in dryers can misshape it and mess with the interlocking fibers.

Can you iron felt?

Yes, it's fine to iron felt. No need to use steam for it either.

How do I clean dusty felt?

Dusty felt can be cleaned using a clothes brush to remove dust and lint. If it’s on your floor like a rug pad, you can also use a vacuum cleaner on a low setting.

Does felt stick to felt?

Natural fiber felt does not naturally stick to felt unless glue or adhesive is applied. However, you will see those acrylic felt boards that do stick together — that’s because the fibers interlock with each other like a weaker version of velcro.

Does felt unravel?

No, felt does not unravel — it’s non-woven, so there’s really nothing to unravel.

Is felt a good insulator?

Yes, felt makes a good insulator because it’s matted and dense with all the fibers pushed together.

What is flic flac felt?

Flic Flac felt is a felt fabric that is ideal for art and crafts use. It is packaged in assorted colors and already cut into manageable craft squares.

How can you tell if felt is wool or acrylic?

Wool felt is more supple and softer to touch than acrylic felt. Acrylic felt is stiff and coarse.

Is felt a sustainable material?

It depends on the type. Wool felt is generally a sustainable material because it’s renewable and biodegradable. It doesn't cause unnecessary environmental pollution and it’s economically sustainable.

Recycled fiber felt is also fairly sustainable since it uses recycled materials and can be re-recycled. On the other hand, brand new acrylic fiber felt can push the envelope on the whole sustainable thing since it uses polyesters and plastics. It can still be recycled and doesn’t have to use harsh or toxic chemicals, so it’s certainly not the worst.

Other materials used for rug pads

If you’ve realized that felt doesn’t suit your fancy when it comes to rug pads, that’s totally fine! We have other rug pad materials too.

The Anchor Grip uses felt and EVA while the Eco Plush rug pads use 100% felt. The RugPro, Contour-Lock, and Superior-Lock pads use a combination of felt and rubber.