Style&Tales

“AVA and JOAN felt warm memories”

Something you should have known and felt too

Felt is considered to be one of the most ancient textile materials used by mankind. It is produced by wetting, matting and pressing fibres together. Originally they were wool or animal fur fibres, but recently synthetic fibres, such as acrylic or wood pulp-based rayon, as well as blended fibres are also used.

The most ancient evidence of feltmaking have been found in Mongolia and Siberia, from where the craft spread all across Central Asia, Middle East, Europe and Northern Africa. It was certainly used by ancient Greeks and Romans.

One of the most famous legends about feltmaking links its birth to Apostle Saint Jacob. According to the legend, the Saint, who had to walk long distances to spread Christianity, tried to protect his feet plants and prevent blisters by padding his sandals with sheep wool balls he found on spikey bushes. After a while he started noticing that the wool layer in his shoes, once pressed by his feet and wet from the sweat, became a compact, comfortable and durable folding. And that’s how the felt making was born.

Whatever its origin, nowadays the felt is definitely one of the most used and beloved materials in the world, thanks to its special properties that its incredible versatility.

It is warm, waterproof yet light, which make it an extremely efficient insulation. That’s why felt’s use in the shoemaking and also in the production of hats and coats is so popular, like in the distinctive Alpine traditional clothing.

It is also a very appreciated material in home construction, in carpets and house apparels making, in automotive industry, etc. Since it dampens vibrations and absorbs sound, it’s also used in many musical instruments manufacturing.

Proud of its own Swiss Alpine roots, RUBIROSA also wanted to pay a tribute to the evergreen felt, and added this must-have-in-the-Fall-Winter-season material to its signature AVA and JOAN styles.