When I sell my work in person, the felt coasters are always the most fondled item of the whole collection. Everyone seems to want to pick them up and touch them! I can’t say that I blame my customers for being curious, the thick wool felt I use really is appealing. Today, I thought it would be fun to take a peek into how Cotton & Flax coasters are made.
Cotton & Flax coasters begin their lives as raw wool, which is milled in Germany. The photo above shows the mill which processes the felt I use. Kind of picturesque, wouldn’t you say?
Wool felt is one of the oldest man-made textiles. To produce felt, raw wool undergoes a wet “felting” process, which involves matting, condensing and pressing the fibers. You can see a little of the milling process below, I find those giant machines fascinating.
The felt I use for Cotton & Flax coasters is high quality, eco-friendly, comes in highly saturated colors which are a perfect canvas for my bold patterns. The high standards for fabric dyeing in Germany make this felt safe for everyday use in your home, and safe for the Earth! I order several yards of this luxuriously thick felt at a time, and then hand silkscreen print my patterns onto the felt before cutting it down to size.
So there you have it, a glimpse into how Cotton & Flax coasters are made. You can find lots of fun patterned coasters in the shop, grab a couple sets for your next cocktail party!
love this – the photographs of the process make it all the more beautiful, too. i wonder if you could work that into the packaging?
I just received my coasters in the mail from you a few days ago, and they’re even better looking in person! Thanks so much, and this post is especially great, to know a little bit more on how they’re made 🙂
Thanks, Lisa! Hope you’re enjoying your coasters!
Love this post! So neat to see behind-the-scenes that go even further than just the studio itself.