Bless you chair

Designed and made by Louise Campbell, Denmark, 1999

10mm technical felt and 750 sheets of gelatin

Photo: Erik Brahl

When we say "textile" we generally refer to a material that has been woven, knit, or knotted (as rugs are knotted textiles), but not all textiles are constructed by one of these methods. Nonwoven textiles are materials that are comprised of fibers that are bonded by any number of mechanical means. Felt is one type of non-woven textile in which the fibers have been enmeshed to such a degree that they actually hold firm. Felt was the world's first nonwoven textile, and this time-honored material is being showcased in a major exhibition at The Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum. The past 15 years have seen intensive experimentation and innovation in the craft, and the use of felt has expanded outside of traditional areas to include everything from fashion accessories and costume design to architecture, home furnishings and product design. “Fashioning Felt” will examine this ancient material and bring it up to the present by examining the work of the most progressive contemporary designers who have embraced it.

"Fashioning Felt" is a comprehensive overview of the varied uses of felt in contemporary design. The exhibition will feature more than 70 felt works from a range of fields, including fashion, architecture, product

HISTORY

The word "felt" originates from the Old High German word "filz" and is derived from the Latin "pellere" which means “to beat”. Felt is produced by matting fibers through the combination of heat, pressure and the addition of a lubricant (such as soap) which changes the alkalinity of the fibers. Fibers such as sheep wool have scales or tiny barb- like structures that hook, and this is why wool itches against our skin. It is because of this unique fiber shape that they actually “lock” together. Furthermore they shrink with moisture and heat, thereby creating a dense pad.

Known since at least the Neolithic period (9000 B.C.), felt is believed to be the first man-made cloth. It was the single most significant material for the nomadic tribes of Central Asia and was used to make everything from clothing to flexible, collapsible dwellings known as yurts. To illustrate the diverse uses of the material, as well as the continuity of the felt-making technique throughout history, the exhibition will feature animal trappings, carpets and shepherds' cloaks.

The oldest felt remnants were found in Turkey and date back to 6,500 BC. However, it was the nomadic Mongols of the Eurasian Steppe who improved the technique, allowing for the production of pieces large enough to be used as tents. Legend has it that the Mongols, who were avid horsemen, stuffed tufts of animal fiber under their saddles. The movement of the horse and saddle, in combination with the sweat of the horse, produced a pad of matted fibers. Later, this material was then

Wosk Theater Simon Wiesenthal Center Museum of Tolerance, Los Angeles, CA, 2007-08.  Architect: Yazdani Studio of Cannon Design, Mehrdad Yazdani, Design Principal; Paul Gonzales, Project Manager; Jessica Yi, Project Architect; Hansol Park, AIA, Senior Designer; Jeremy Whitener, Project Designer. Felt walls designed and fabricated by Kathryn Walter of FELT studio.  Industrial felts (wood and recycled fibers). Photo: Anne Garrison of Hewitt Garrison Photography

Felt Rocks Designed by Stephanie Forsythe and Todd MacAllen Produced by molo. Canada, 2005; Wool felt Photo: molo

Winged Vessel Cup Felt made by Jorie Johnson, urushi lacquer by Clifton Monteith. Japan and United States, 2004; Wool, bast fibers, leaf, urushi lacquer. Photo: John Robert Williams

intentionally made by the use of a stick that was dragged across the ground. These larger and more consistent "mats" were pulled around a circular wooden frame creating their collapsible tent dwellings. It was also used for saddle pads, boots and clothing. The oldest known felts from Siberia date back to 600BC.

SUSTAINABILITY

The exhibition also will address the issue of sustainability, featuring felts made from partially or fully recycled materials. Felt makes a very short trajectory from raw fiber to finished product creating fewer opportunities for material waste, and with the burgeoning interest in green design this most primitive textile is emerging as an exciting "new" material.

Made from a renewable resource, the manufacturing of felt is low-impact and virtually waste-free: it is made simply by matting together wool fibers with humidity and friction. The methods of matting felt vary widely, from handmade versions created by violently slamming a fleece roll against the ground to industrial felt produced by mechanically rubbing together wool fibers, but all involve extreme agitation and pressure in order to compact and shrink the felt. Unlike other fabrics made from wool which are built up stitch by stitch and row by row through practices such as knitting and weaving, felt has no internal structure. The manufacturing process is readily customizable, and the finished product has a versatility rarely found in other materials—it can be made flexible and translucent or very dense and hard; it can be cut without fraying and molded into three- dimensional forms. Felt also provides protection against extremes of temperature and is naturally water repellant, windproof and fire retardant.

The exhibition runs from March 6 through Sept. 7, 2009. A 160-page, full-color catalog accompanies the exhibition. For more information go to www.cooperhewitt.org