Wool is strong; an individual fiber can be flexed 20,000 times without breaking, while silk breaks after about 1,800 flexes and rayon breaks with about 75 flexes. Wool is also very warm. Air trapped between the fibers provides insulating value, and its structure reduces contact with the skin, minimizing heat loss through conduction. Wool is also warm because it can absorb as much as 30 percent of its weight in water without feeling wet. Interestingly, wool releases heat as it soaks up moisture, giving off twenty-seven calories of heat per gram of fiber. I have also heard that Irish fishermen dipped wool sweaters in water before putting them on, in order to swell the fibers and block the wind... Felt is made when wool fibers are agitated under heat and moisture. The fibers are covered with thousands of tiny scales, as many as two thousand per inch of fiber. The fibers become entangled with each other through the felting process, locking together to make a strong and durable product that will not unravel."

--From Participating in Nature: Wilderness Survival and Primitive Living Skills

Wet-Felting Wool
with Luke Zimmerman
River Camp: Cardwell, Montana.
October 26 - 27, 2024

      Join us for a two-day class and learn the basics of wet felting wool, a technology used by various cultures around the world to create garments, bags, pads, and even homes, such as the Mongolian ger (a.k.a. "yurt") . Felting is an ancient skill, with the earliest solid evidence dating back to felted wall coverings fround in Turkey from 6500 B.C. Using hot water, soap and a bit of elbow grease, we will transform raw wool into finished flap bags or water bottle holders. Learn how to hand pick raw wool for projects, as well as how to use a wool picker and carding drum.

      Class also includes an introduction to needle felting to add embellishments or designs to your wet felt. You can apply the skills learned in this class to bring your practical projects and creative visions and to life!

No Drugs, Alcohol, or Tobacco
      Green University®: LLC is a drug, alcohol and tobacco-free learning establishment. Our staff maintains a sober environment for individuals who are excited about nurturing a deeper nature connection. Anyone distracted with alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, or other drugs is not focused on learning or optimizing their experience at Green University® LLC. Therefore, we have a zero tolerance policy for drugs, alcohol, and tobacco in any form. Anyone violating this rule will be asked to leave. This is not a joke. Please read this paragraph again before signing up. Thank you.

      The cost for this two-day experience is $150. Please register online here:

Interested in more classes and events?
See our full schedule!

Looking for an extended immersion experience at a discount price?
Join us for a semester or a full year!

      Looking for life-changing resources? Check out these books by Thomas J. Elpel:

Green Prosperity

Roadmap to Reality

Living Homes

Participating in Nature

Foraging the Mountain West

Botany in a Day

Shanleya's Quest

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