Welcome to Commonwealth Felt
Commonwealth Felt is a division of National Nonwovens, a USA textile manufacturer making wool felt for over 115 years in Western Massachusetts. From designers, to crafters, to design studios and online shops, everyone loves our selection of high-quality felt products and our extensive color offerings.
WoolFelt® and More
WoolFelt® is our flagship product, renowned the world over for its natural texture and incredible color palette. WoolFelt® is sold to consumers through many channels including independent retail shops, online specialty stores, and as part of DIY project kits. A limited color selection is also found at national chain stores. CommonwealthFelt.com is the only place where you can purchase direct-to-consumer (D2C) WoolFelt in every color available.
In addition to our popular WoolFelt styles – which includes wool-rayon blends and 100% wool felt – we also sell National Nonwovens’ other felt products. Innovative XoticFelt® is the only bamboo-rayon felt made in the world, loved for its soft texture and vibrant colors. FiestaFelt® is the highest quality acrylic felt available, with a noticeable difference when compared to other synthetic felts. For pure fiber enthusiasts, we also sell a variety of rovings for wet felting, needle felting, and embellishments.
Our Story
National Nonwovens’ history goes back over a century. Founded as National Felt Company in 1905, the company originated as a manufacturer of wool felt for apparel and home furnishing products. Commonwealth Felt was created by the company in 1934 as its converting unit. In the 1950s through 1980s, consumers were able to purchase wool felt directly from Commonwealth Felt to make the poodle skirts popular in the 1950s era and upscale decorations and soft toys. SEE HISTORY – TIMELINE PAGE.
The 1980s brought big changes to the U.S. textile industry as manufacturers struggled with competition from Asia. During this time, most consumers used inexpensive synthetic felts for their crafts and hobbies. National Felt focused its efforts on developing its technical nonwovens for emerging markets such as Aerospace and Medical. The Commonwealth Felt Division was eventually sidelined.
In the 1990s new ownership changed the company name to National Nonwovens and further developed its highly engineered nonwovens. Meanwhile on the Craft & Hobby side of the business, wool felt (now trademarked WoolFelt®) regained popularity as consumers once again sought natural fiber products for their heirloom projects and modern crafts. National Nonwovens stood alone as the only felt manufacturer left in the United States with its own dying facility!
Today you will find a strong textile company still making felt in the same town it was founded in over 115 years ago. This 100+ year old wool felt manufacturing company that works with global customers in the medical and aerospace industries still cares deeply about the crafters and fiber artists.
It is our extreme pleasure to have our Commonwealth Felt Company back serving customers directly with quality felt products. We are thrilled so many of you are enthusiastic about our felt products and all the possibilities of what you can create!
