Shoes have become one of the necessities of everyday life. Without shoes, we cannot even step out of the house. There are varieties of shoes that are available nowadays. From indoor shoes to outdoor shoes there are different styles are available for different purposes. One of them is felt shoes.
Felt shoes are handmade sustainably. So they are not only good for the environment but also have different beneficial properties. We are going to break down all the benefits of felt shoes. First of all, you might be wondering how the felt shoes are made. Felt shoes are mostly made using resist wet felting methods. Here we have listed the steps of making felt shoes.
How Felt Shoes are Made?
Materials
When making felt shoes you need a few materials. We need the following materials:
– Wool of your choice
– Resist materials (We use a wooden shoe last depending upon the size of the shoe.)
– Warm water and mild detergent
– Net fabric
– Felting Surface
Felting Process
With few materials in hand, here is the process of making felt shoes.
– The wool is laid on the felting surface. The wool is placed in thin layers for even felting. The wool shrinks when felted so the quantity might seem a bit more than the expected result.
– A warm water solution is applied to the shoe last so that the wool can stick to it. Now the shoe last is covered with wool and a warm water solution is applied until the wool is fully saturated.
– Now the wool is covered using net fabric and using the hand’s pressure and agitation are applied on the wool to feel. To make the felt shoes thick more layers of wool are added after removing the net and then the felting process is continued.
– Felting is done until the fibers are bound together strongly and don’t fall apart easily. The process takes quite a time.
– After one foot is felted, the same process is continued to make a second foot.
Benefits of Felt Shoes
The felt shoes may not be for everyone but they are full of benefits. They are available in different colors and different styles. The material used for making the felt shoes has different benefits for the user making felt shoes best. Here are some of the benefits of felt shoes which will make you wanna buy felt shoes.
Breathable and Non-irritable
The felt shoes are light and breathable. They do not feel tight to the skin. The wool fiber structure makes it possible for the air to pass through it giving you a cool fee when wearing them. Although the fabric is light, you do not need to wear socks.
The felt shoes also absorb any internal moisture like sweat and repel any external moisture like rain and snow. So you will sweat less compare to other shoes and stay dry. Less sweat means prevention in a build-up of the bacteria and cause of any foot infection. This also prevents any sort of irritation to your foot as well.
Regulates Temperature
When we are wearing shoes our feet get warmth which is great in the winter season but not so great in the summer season. In the context of felt shoes, it cannot be said the same. It has the properties of regulating temperature. It helps maintain a comfortable temperature all around the year. The felt shoes can be worn from -25°C to 25°C. So during the winter season, your feet are warmed and in the summer season, it provides coolness to your feet.
Smell Resistant
Felt shoes are made of breathable material and keep your feet dry so it prevents the formation of odor. The unwanted odor gets evaporated. Those who suffer from smelly feet can also wear felt shoes without worrying about unwanted smells.
Felt shoes are also washable so you can easily wash them with hand or machine wash to give a fresh feel.
Health Benefits
Felt shoes also have great health benefits. As you wear it a couple of times the shoes adapt to your feet giving your the comfort of being barefoot. It promotes blood circulation, unlike other shoes which are tight to your feet and disturb the smooth blood circulation. Felt shoes are made f hypoallergenic materials which promotes well being of the skin by preventing any irritation and rashes to the skin. It also stimulates the work of your neural system.
Cruelty-Free
In the process of making felt shoes, no animal is harmed. Yes, wool is obtained from animals but they are not hurt in the process. As the sheep grows it also bears a lot of wool, if left uncut it can make them uncomfortable. The weight of the wool can wear out the sheep and also hamper their daily life. So, it is necessary to cut the wool.
So, the felt shoes are sustainably made and don’t affect the animals or the environment.
Safe and Durable
Felt shoes are durable and can’t break easily. Wool felt is seven times stronger than cotton it can last you for a long time. The felt shoes are flexible making them not break easily. The felt shoes are also heat resistant. This makes them safer than other materials as wool ignites only at a temperature of about 600°C. So felt shoes can sustain extreme heat as well. If they do get caught in the fire they won’t melt like other synthetic materials and can extinguish themselves. So felt shoes that can sustain extreme heat are safe.
Are you convinced by now that felt shoes are best for yourself, animals, and the environment? So why not get yourself a felt shoe. You can order one for yourself from Woollyfelt. We have them available in different colors and sizes as well.
Pic: Woollyfelt Handmade Wool Shoes
