Felt Good
Felt good is an R&D Graduation Project on fibre extraction and felting potential of pine needles. It was sponsored by Development Commissioner (Handicraft) under the Ministry of Textile, Govt. of India.
Pine needle refers to the leaves of the pine tree. Every year from Fall till Summer pine trees continuously shed their dried leaves which eventually covers the entire forest bed and is the primary cause of spreading forest fires in the hill states.
Felt good is an ongoing process to dive deep into the study of material, process, refinement, form and function. It is an approach to maximise the utilisation of this overabundant material to minimise the harm it does in the forest by spreading fire and disrupting the ecosystem in the hill states. Also, this research aimed to exploit the potential of this fragile material to develop a series of products that can be mass-produced and used by people in their daily lives. The project also aspires to unite people to create a self-sustaining industry out of pine needle.
The products were developed with the help of local artisans in Himachal Pradesh who were given training in fibre extraction and the felting Techniques.
The fibres are naturally dyed with plants, fruits, and flowers available locally in Himachal Pradesh.
Pine needle fibre. The pine fibres are dyed with plants, flowers, and fruits that are locally available. Felting refers to the action of interlocking and matting fibres without the use of adhesives.
A range of body scrubbers and dish scrubbers mixed with wool fibre that are anti-fungal and 100 per cent biodegradable. When the pine needle fibres come in contact with water they become soft, making it an excellent scrub material.
A range of indoor slippers. The pine needle fibre is a good thermal insulator, keeping the foot warm in winters.
A range of toys for children.
All the waste pine needle fibre generated during the fibre extraction and felting process was collected and processed into paper using natural binding agents. The paper can be further used in the packaging industry to make egg packaging, fruit packaging, honeycomb cardboard, etc.
The pine needle fibres show many similarities to the coir fibre, one such is its moisture absorption capacity. The pine felted mats allow for easy growth of plants and also easy uprooting.
The felted mats can be used to grow microgreens at home as it doesn't require the seeds to be sown in the soil but merely sprinkle on the surface of the felted mats. It also promotes the growth of plants by absorbing water and preventing the topsoil from drying out.
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