Felt

High school (ages 12+)
Making & Design

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/felt

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the manufacturing process?Non-woven textile production via fiber entanglement (felting)
2. What is the key properties?Non-fraying, insulating, sound-dampening, resilient, absorbent
3. What is felt and how is it made?Felt is a soft, non‑woven fabric made by squishing wool fibers together. When wool gets wet, warm, and rubbed, tiny scales on the fibers open and lock together, forming a strong, permanent fabric.
4. Why did ancient people use felt for clothing and shelters?Felt is warm and sturdy. It traps air for insulation and stays together without fraying, so it was perfect for coats, blankets, and even the walls of yurts.

Cuticle: The outer protective layer of a fiber, characterized by microscopic scales that facilitate interlocking during felting.
Non-woven textile: A fabric produced by bonding or interlocking fibers mechanically, thermally, or chemically, without the use of weaving or knitting.
Hydrophilic: Having a tendency to attract and absorb water.