Britannica Sources used in this answer

How are felt and bonded fabrics made?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Diagram titled Spinning jenny showing an operator using a hand wheel to rotate a cord-driven roller, drawing and twisting fibers from multiple clamped rovings onto tilted spindles; numbered callouts trace the process from roving to thread. — textile An annotated diagram showing how an operator uses a hand wheel, rollers, and spindles on a spinning jenny to draw and twist unspun fiber into thread.

Felt and bonded fabrics are distinct types of noninterlaced textiles produced through different manufacturing processes.

Felt Production

Felt is created by the interlocking of wool, fur, or hair fibers through the application of heat, moisture, and mechanical action (friction). Unlike other nonwoven materials, true felt does not require an adhesive.12

The process typically involves:
* Carding: Fibers are opened and blended into a web, which is laid down to form a batt.2
* Hardening: Moistened batts are subjected to steam and agitation by a heavy, heated platen or rollers, which interlocks the fibers into a unified mass.2
* Fulling: The hardened material is shrunk and compacted using soap or acid solutions in a fulling mill, which uses mechanical pounding to achieve the desired density and dimensions.2

Bonded Fabric Production

Bonded fabrics are nonwoven materials typically held together by adhesives or mechanical reinforcement. Common methods include:3
* Adhesive Bonding: A fiber web is sprayed with or passed through an adhesive (such as latex or synthetic rubber) and then cured. Alternatively, thermoplastic fibers can be blended into the web and heated to "spot weld" the structure together.3
* Mechanical Bonding: Webs are strengthened by needle-punching, where barbed needles entangle the fibers to create a compact, strong product.3
* Stitch Bonding: Machines like the Arachne machine use needles to stitch a fibrous web, providing longitudinal strength.3
* Laminating: Two or more layers of fabric or foam are joined together using adhesives or flame bonding to create composite materials.4