How Nuno Felting Works

At Enchanted Fibers, one of the most common questions we hear is: “How do you make your nuno felted ponchos, scarves, and capes?”

The answer lies in a beautiful and versatile technique called nuno felting—a process that bonds natural fibers like alpaca to lightweight fabrics such as silk to create an entirely new fabric with incredible drape, texture, and depth.

Nuno felting (from the Japanese word nuno, meaning "cloth") is a fiber art technique developed in the 1990s. Unlike traditional felting, which uses only loose fibers matted together, nuno felting integrates both fibers and fabric. By combining layers of alpaca, silk, and other embellishing fibers, we create lightweight yet warm textiles perfect for wearable art.

The key to nuno felting is the natural “scales” on animal fibers like alpaca or wool. When the fibers are exposed to moisture, heat, and agitation, those scales open and interlock. By layering them over a woven fabric such as silk chiffon or gauze, the fibers migrate through the weave, grip the threads, and bind everything together. The result? A completely new fabric that is strong, flexible, and rich in texture.

While every artist has their own style, the general process looks like this:

• Choosing the Base Fabric
  A lightweight, open-weave fabric (silk is most common) serves as the canvas. This allows alpaca and other fibers to migrate through.

• Layering the Fibers
  Fine layers of alpaca fiber are spread over the fabric. We may also add silk, mohair, viscose, or specialty fibers to achieve unique colors and surface textures.

• Adding Water and Soap
  Warm, soapy water is gently applied to help the fibers relax and open their scales.

• Rolling and Agitating
  The layered fabric is rolled and gently agitated—sometimes hundreds of times! This motion encourages the fibers to migrate through the silk and bind together.

• Fulling the Fabric
  Once the fibers have gripped, the piece is worked more vigorously to shrink and strengthen it. This creates that signature nuno felt texture and drape.

• Finishing Touches
  After rinsing and drying, the piece is shaped, sometimes stretched, and always inspected for balance in texture, weight, and flow.

Every nuno felted piece is one of a kind. No two fabrics will ever shrink, gather, or bind in exactly the same way. That’s what makes our ponchos, capes, and scarves so special—they are wearable works of art with character woven into every fiber.

Because nuno felting is such a hands-on, time-intensive process, it perfectly embodies the values of slow fashion: natural materials, artisan craftsmanship, and timeless style. When you wear a nuno felted creation from Enchanted Fibers, you’re not just wearing clothing—you’re carrying a story of alpaca fiber, artistry, and transformation.