Nuno felting uses heat, moisture and great pressure to bond loose fiber (usually sheep’s wool) into a sheer fabric such as silk gauze, creating a lightweight felt. Other fibers are also used to create different surface textures and may include wool from camel, llama, alpaca, Mohair goat, Cashmere goat, yak, and rabbit fur. Though the process was developed in Australia in the early 1990s, our artisan designs and produces her beautiful pieces out of a studio outside of Athens.

These fibers can completely cover the background fabric, or they may be used, as in our scarves, as a decorative design that allows the backing fabric to show. Nuno felting often combines several layers of loose fibers to build up the finished fabric’s color, texture, and design elements.

The Nuno felting process is particularly suitable for creating lightweight fabrics used to make clothing. The use of silk or other stable fabric in the felt creates a fabric that will not stretch out of shape. Fabrics such as nylon, muslin, or other open weaves can be used as the felting background, which results in varying textures and colors.

Nuno felting creates a highly versatile fabric. It can be made in many weights to accommodate many different uses. It can be made much lighter in weight than traditional all-wool felt, accounting for its movement and drape. Because of the range of weights possible with the cloth, a very diverse range of garments can be made.