What are felt boots made of

The question of what makes felt boots is very interesting. But first you need to understand what it is? Boots are felt boots, made of wooled wool. As a prototype of this type of footwear were the felt boots of the Great Steppe nomads, which they began to wear 1,500 years ago. Only in the first half of the century before last this kind of footwear became popular, it was then that it began to be produced in industrial ways. This type of footwear is now widely known to many Russians.

Very often the very name of "felt boots" makes the majority smile and affection, as it is associated with something outdated and funny. However, modern manufacturers make them so comfortable that your feet will be heated even in the harshest frosts. Parents, concerned about the health of their kids, buy them for the winter children's felt boots, which are not only very warm, but also beautiful, as they are decorated with interesting drawings and ornaments. Understanding the question of what valenki is made of, you can tell that they were once called cats or katankas, which is why many are convinced that their roots are far from Russian. The thing is that for the first time valenki were invented by nomadic steppe peoples, they decided to roll their wool, making shoes of this material. At that time, the goal of creating felt boots was not only keeping the feet warm, but also saving them from thorns, which were very numerous in the steppe. In Russia this idea spread from steppe nomads.

What are felt boots made of? Earlier it was said that this type of footwear is made from animal hair, and most often sheep. The color of the finished product depends on the color of the raw material. For example, to obtain white felt boots, it is necessary to use sheep wool from Mongolia, and for gray wool from the Caucasus or Central Asia. The production process begins with the preparation of raw materials. Wool is sent through a special apparatus, then oiled, and then folded into a container. In this form, the raw material enters the carding department. The wool is placed in special aggregates. Raw material is combed in the adaptation with the help of prickly ridges, and then it is wound on the coil. Then they begin to make the base for boots, rubbing the hair with steam, and then the head of the felt boots is hand-made. The lapping is again carried out. After this, all the blanks are sent to a specialized roller.

So, you already understand what valenki is made of, and now it is worthwhile to figure out what is being done with them? After all these operations, the wool is stretched to obtain the desired shape, however, it should be twice as large as the future product. After this, the blanks fall into the bobbin shop. And now all of them are placed in a large drum made of wood, which is filled with water to produce the first felting. It was the name of this process that became the basis for the name of the product itself. Then the blanks begin to be beaten with wooden tools, and then again stretch on the unit. Once again, the felt boots are wetted, they are given the desired shape and size with the help of special shoes, and at the end the footwear gets to be dried in a special oven. Modern boots are made just like that. At the end they are taped with a shoe, giving the final size and shape to the products. Then they wipe off excess wool, glue the rubber sole and fix the tags. Boots made of felt are ready.

It is important to note that this type of footwear is truly indispensable for residents of areas with a very severe climate, only this way you can save yourself from the cold. Modifications, for example, the Finnish felt boots, make this type of footwear more modern by gluing over a variety of materials and supplying the product with a solid sole with a tractor pattern.