Wool Felt or Acrylic Felt: which is better?

Acrylic felt is cheap and easy to find, while 100% pure wool felt is much more expensive. But I have started using 100% wool felt in my stuffed animals and I find it lovely to use because it has a very nice "quality" luxury feel to it! In this article, I compare the differences between acrylic felt and 100% wool felt.

What are the benefits of acrylic felt?

▻ It's easy to find in any craft store.

▻ It's much cheaper. (Great for practice or children's crafts)

▻ Acrylic felt washes well and does not shrink.

▻ The colors don't fade (the plastic fibers themselves keep their color.)

▻ It is stain resistant as long as it is not an oil-based stain (like lipstick).

I used them to test color options when designing my sewing patterns for the toys. I also use them for finished toys when I know the toys are for display only and not for play! It's hard to cut perfectly round, equal-sized felt circles for plush toy eyes, so they make it easy for you to add felt eyes to your toys. They also come in many colors - I feel like a kid playing with my felt pieces again!!!

What's the downside of acrylic felt?

▻ It is harder and more difficult to mold.

▻ It pills and lint. (Not suitable for craft projects that are handled often like toys!)

▻ It's thinner - so it may be more transparent.

▻ When it is exposed to flame, it catches fire almost immediately.

▻ It is much weaker, and the seams tear more easily.

▻ It's not environmentally friendly because it produces a lot of chemical pollutants when it's manufactured.

▻ It is durable because plastic degrades very slowly. (Not very environmentally friendly!)

When I used a blanket needle to sew the blue felt into place, the acrylic felt wasn't very strong, so the stitches went deep into the felt and wrinkled it. Not the best, but hey, I have a good color match for this toy for display only, so it should look good for a while!

What are the benefits of 100% wool felt?

▻ Wool has antibacterial properties that prevent it from getting moldy.

▻ It has a slight elasticity, so it can be manipulated and molded.

▻ It is the most durable type of felt (great for making heirloom-quality toys).

▻ It has less lint than other felts and does not pile up.

▻ It's thicker, more tightly woven, and has stronger fibers, so it's more durable, so the seams don't tear when stuffing toys!

▻ Fleece is naturally fire resistant.

▻ Wool is hypoallergenic.

▻ 100% natural wool is both stain and water resistant.

▻ It is both environmentally friendly and animal-friendly. (It is a natural and sustainable resource.)

In addition to the wonderful colors of the felt that I love, the edges of the felt pieces didn't break down when I cut to take them out and sew them into place, as I did with the acrylic felt. The thick wool felt also provides a nice 3-D textured look to the toy that you'll just want to hug her!