Felt is one of the oldest textile materials and its history is said to go back 3000 to 5000 years. Felt, which is made from wool and is produced by pressing heat and water to virgin wool, has various properties like air permeability, water and oil absorption, electrical insulation, and so on. Its thickness, width, hardness, density and color can be altered to produce many varied styles. With the introduction of synthetic fibers, the properties of felt have become more versatile. Synthetic felts like resin bond, thermal bond and needle punch, as well as reclaimed felts, are produced by choosing from fabrics of different properties to serve the given purpose in question. Furthermore, it has become possible to produce felt with more properties like electrical insulation, magnetic impermeability, UV prevention and gas absorption by the use of composite materials and applying chemical treatments and improvements to the surface finish. The properties of felt have expanded with the development of new technology, which in turn has extended its use to advanced areas like environmental protection, electronics, biotechnology and space development. Flexibility in meeting the demands of the times is one other great characteristic of the felt industry. There are some legends surrounding the origin of felt: one such legend suggests that a monk making a pilgrimage laid wool in his shoes, and the wool felted and became a comfortable insole. The other is an anecdote related to Noah's Ark. Before the Flood, Noah had spread out wool on the floor of the ark and had taken his family and animals on board. After a while, he found the wool to have matted from the humidity and heat in the ark and by the constant treading of the people and animals. Felt can be said to be as old as these legends would indicate.