Fulling

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/fulling

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 process name?Fulling (also known as tucking or walking; Scots: waukin)
2. What is the material treated?Woven woollen cloth
3. What is fulling and why do people stomp on wool?Fulling is a special cleaning and tightening step for wool. People stomp or walk on wet wool to press the fibers together, making the cloth stronger and water‑repellent.
4. How does fulling help keep you warm?When wool is fulled, the fibers shrink and lock together, trapping air inside. The trapped air acts like a blanket, keeping heat close to your body.

Lanolin: A natural wax secreted by sheep, removed during fulling to improve fabric properties.
Fulling Mill: A historical industrial facility employing water power to mechanize the fulling process.
Felting: The general process by which wool fibers interlock to form a dense, non-woven fabric, with fulling being a specific application to woven cloth.