Felt (esgii in Mongolian) is matted wool.  Wool becomes felt when it is subjected to moisture, heat, and pressure.

Felt qualities are the following:

• Does not ravel or fray

• May be hard enough to turn on a lathe or soft enough to be sewn

• Because of its homogeneous structure, it remains unchanged in physical properties as it wears

• Is highly oil absorbent and uncompromised by continued oil saturation

• Has considerable resiliency. A high-quality felt can be compressed and released thousands of times without permanent deformation

• Possesses excellent qualities of insulation against cold, heat, sound and vibration 

   

All Mongolian felt made by nomads is 100% natural, 100% organic and all hand made.

Graves in northern Mongolia dating from the third and fourth centuries of our era have yielded carpets and patterned blankets of felt adorned with elaborate designs in brilliant colors. Asiatic nomads used felt mainly for making tents. Being light and flexible, these were readily packed on the backs of camels. The technique used by the nomads in the production of felt was simple enough and has persisted to the present day. The wool of sheep and yaks is scoured and degreased and then spread on blankets and moistened with whey. The layer of loose wool is then tightly rolled up with the blanket and the resultant bundle worked, by rolling it forward and backward. After several hours of pulling to and from the roll, it turns into a coherent, solid sheet of felt. These felt blankets then are placed over the trellis-work of wooden sticks that form the yurt walls. The layer of grease is proof against rain and the felt itself lends the yurts enough insulation to protect against the heat of summer on a hot Gobi desert day and the icy snowstorms that frequent Mongolia 's winter months.