Russian felt boots: choose, buy and wear.  detailed instructions

Russian felt boots: choose, buy and wear. detailed instructions

Nowadays, it has become fashionable to wear the clothes and shoes of our great-grandfathers. Old traditions are returning and taking root in modern style. An example is felt boots, which we will talk about in this article.


How to choose quality felt boots

Soft winter shoes should be natural and the warmest. To distinguish real sheep's insulated felt boots from production stamped ones with additives, you need to know what to look for when choosing. This:


What types of felt boots are there: shapes, brands, country of origin

Thanks to new features and technologies, felt boots are becoming more and more beautiful. Stylish boots with embroidery, Velcro, and rhinestones from designers are the ideal companions for fashionistas in the cold, harsh winter.

To choose the right felt boots, you need to know how they differ:


Modern felt boots have the shape of a rounded toe without sharp corners, just like in the old days. This is the classic shape used by many manufacturers. Now there are many varieties of these shoes, such as sports, folk, glamorous, which have different shapes, different toes and heights.

Felt boots with fur trim

Felt boots with embroidery

Decoration with fur and stones gives the product an unusual shape. But this is for those who love experiments. Classic felt boots will not go out of style, thanks to their simplicity, comfortable shape and pleasant, discreet appearance.

Now the production of these shoes has only begun to gain momentum. Creating a practical and ultra fashionable shoes struck the minds of many entrepreneurs, as a result of which small firms and large industries appeared. High-quality boots can be found in every corner of Russia. Australian felt boots are famous for their unusualness. Countries such as Latvia, the USA, and Kazakhstan also keep up with fashion trends, producing high-quality winter shoes for adults and children.

How to determine size

When purchasing in a store, you can try on felt boots and buy the appropriate size. But when choosing on the Internet, there is no such option. Now many people make their purchases remotely, so it is important to know which pair will fit your child or you personally.

Need to know: Any felt boots never expand in length: on the contrary, over time they can shrink and “spread” in width.

Alternatively, you can calculate the required size of felt boots from your size by subtracting the number 13. But it is best to use dimensional grid, which already has all the data, which will make it easy to choose the right option for yourself. There are separate sizes for adults and children.

Felt boots size chart

How to wear felt boots correctly

Felt boots are designed for severe frosts, as they are able to warm the foot without pinching the foot and allowing blood to naturally circulate in the limbs. But many doctors are opposed to the idea of ​​buying such shoes for children under 6 years old. They claim that a flat sole develops flat feet. Alternatively, you can purchase one specifically for them. orthopedic insoles that will support small feet correct form.

Felt boots embroidered with beads

Anyone who has come across felt boots knows that when purchased, they have the same shape and do not differ for the right and left feet. Only after wearing do they become like regular shoes. In order for the boots to take the correct shape, you must initially designate them for yourself and wear them exclusively on a specific leg, without changing them every time. Adults can also develop flat feet if they wear such shoes all the time. Doctors recommend wearing these shoes only in severe frosts.

Felt boots under a dress

Felt boots are universal shoes that can be worn with anything. They will look great with outerwear from natural fur or skin. This style looks great both in the village and in the center of a big city.

  • Felt boots will go well with down jackets, but you need to be careful to choose shoes that suit your style.
  • Sports winter jackets They will look funny with overly feminine felt boots with a lot of rhinestones and decorations. Perfect option- simple felt boots without stickers or additions.
  • An elegant down jacket, on the contrary, requires the same shoes. Here you can choose products in glamorous colors, with low heels or with a very long shaft, which completely breaks everything up ancient traditions wearing felted boots. But fashion should not stand still, so in our time any experiments are acceptable!
  • Under classic coat it is advisable to choose felt boots with a more popular, folklore image, you can with hand embroidery and tassels. An addition to the look will be a scarf decorated in an ancient pattern for the neck or head.
  • Felt boots look good with any knitted items, especially those made in a slightly rough, simple chunky knit.



    Caring for felt boots: can they be cleaned and washed?

    Such shoes should not be worn in wet damp weather. Unless you can buy galoshes for felt boots so that they don’t get wet. Wet material may change shape or shrink. This means that washing them is not recommended.

    After long walk In the snow at home, you need to immediately clear away all the snow before it melts. And then dry it in a warm place: you can put it on a radiator, which is not too hot. Heat may ruin felt boots. The sole will become hard, shrink and lose its desired size.

    As a drying option, you can line the inside of the shoes with newsprint, which will quickly absorb all the dampness and allow the felt boots to dry. Rubber galoshes should also be dried in a warm place and avoid hot surfaces that can distort their shape.

    If the felt boots are very dirty or get in the mud, it doesn’t matter: it is forbidden to wash them. To clean the surface, you just need to wait until the dirt dries. And then it will be easy to chicken out and clean the felt from dry dirt.

    Felt boots for home, indoors

    On a note: In summer, you can dry your felt boots in the sun and air them from time to time: by winter they will be in perfect condition. To protect natural wool from moths, you should store shoes in a sealed bag in a warm place, protected from dampness.

    Where can I buy or order felt boots?

    It is better to buy felt boots not on the market, where they can sell something that is not of very high quality, deceive you and take a lot of money for next to nothing. Popular shoe stores usually provide a guarantee and stock the best, branded and natural products. Now it has become fashionable and popular to order shoes from online stores that provide a complete catalog for children and adults with the selection of the right size and prices for every taste. There are often sales there that allow you to buy your favorite shoes inexpensively.

    Stores such as https://www.shmoter.ru/valenki/brands, https://russkie-valenki.ru/ have many models of Finnish felt boots, Siberian boots, fur boots, Slavs and other varieties of popular shoes. Here https://www.valenkiopt.ru/ samples of children's shoes are provided, so there are a lot of options where you can buy high-quality boots.

    How much do felt boots cost?

    They cost no more than regular boots with or without heels, with platforms or straight soles. If you wish, you can buy not classic boots for the season, but soft, comfortable felt boots that will last for several years with proper and constant care. Natural shoes cannot be too cheap, but their price is reasonable and affordable for everyone.

    On Avito you can buy felt boots from the manufacturer. They will cost much less, since they are sold immediately at first hand without resellers. This guarantees that the shoes are made according to best traditions, has a natural composition and will be worn for a long time.

    Children's felt boots

    You should not buy shoes at very low prices, as they may be of poor quality and short-lived. When choosing, you need to pay attention to the composition, quality and, of course, customer reviews in order to draw your own conclusions about the product being offered.

    Today, shoe stores present us with a huge variety of boots, shoes, boots and much more. But there is a special type of winter shoes that was worn even in ancient times. What is this? Of course, warm Russian felt boots!

    They are made from sheep's wool, which is subjected to a special felting process. Felt boots are worn in winter, when the snow outside is dry, but if it is damp, then they wear galoshes, which protect the felt boots themselves and their feet.

    It is believed that these felt boots are original Russian footwear. But in fact, felt boots are traditional for Eurasian peoples. The history of the creation of felt boots begins 2.5 thousand years ago. It was then that the first felt products were found in the Altai Mountains. The process of felting shoes itself came from Asian countries. Felt boots came to Russian residents during the invasion of the Golden Horde. The Mongols had shoes similar to felt boots, which were called “pima”.

    Mass production, as the history of felt boots says, began in Russia only in the 18th century. This happened in the city of Myshkin; a museum of felt boots has been preserved there to this day. The technology of creation for the first time provided for the possibility of felting boots entirely with a top. Since then, these shoes have become so popular in Rus'. Workshops specializing in the production of felt boots opened throughout the country, and factories for their production appeared in large cities.

    The process of creating felt boots itself is very labor-intensive. You must first prepare the wool: clean and knead until it becomes soft. Previously, this was done manually, but later they began to use special devices. After which the material was placed in a hot salty solution for some time, and then put on a shoe mold and knocked down to the desired size. A special feature of high-quality shoes, which surprised many, is their seamlessness. The boot is a monolithic product, and only for greater wear resistance can a rubber sole be attached.

    Over the course of their long history, felt boots have acquired many different names, for example, felt boots, chesanki and wire rods. In addition, these shoes were only available to rich people. Felt boots were considered one of the best gifts in winter. Wool boots also require special care, so they were always looked after so that they could serve their owner for as long as possible, and even passed from generation to generation.

    Felt boots are considered useful footwear. The fact is that the sheep wool from which the boot is made absorbs and evaporates moisture, and this has a positive effect on leg pain, cramps, or for people suffering from rheumatism. The legs breathe in them, and the feet do not become deformed. Maybe it’s really worth wearing felt boots?

    Today, these amazing shoes are once again gaining popularity and appearing in stores in large quantities. Moreover, now there is such a huge variety of them that even a picky buyer can choose the perfect shoes for himself. Felt boots began to be made in different colors, with embroidery, beads, appliqués, short, high, with fur and even lace. So there are preconditions for everyone to start wearing these comfortable and useful traditional shoes again.

    In recent years, traditional Russian shoes - felt boots - have been gaining more and more popularity in fashion circles. Top models, at the suggestion of well-known couturiers, flaunt them on the main catwalks of the largest countries in the world. Of course, the appearance of such “new fashion items” has been somewhat modified to make it easier to fit into the everyday life of megacities. But nothing can change the very essence of this type of footwear: they are very warm, natural and in a good way smells like the Russian spirit.

    Traditionally, such shoes are made from felted wool (in fact, the manufacturing process itself gave the name to the universally recognizable symbol of Russian culture), often from sheep, but in our time there are exceptions.

    For example, no one can be surprised by a product made from camel wool, the use of which adds lightness and fluffiness to the familiar appearance of felted wool boots.

    When did felt boots appear in Rus'? Scientists and archaeologists agree that Our usual winter footwear begins its history even before our era.

    Something resembling material from modern specimens was found during excavations on the territory of the Altai Mountains in one of the Pazyryk mounds. Essentially, felt boots are shoes made of felt.

    , and at one time many household items were made from it: bedding, bedspreads, carpets, some items of clothing (even linings for chain mail), blankets for horses and much more. The most important advantage of using felt products is the versatility of this material: it is not hot in summer and not cold in winter, and it also perfectly removes moisture.

    They are even mentioned in the famous “Tale of Igor’s Campaign”, and this, for a minute, is the 12th century. Of course, there is no need to talk about external similarity with the modern version, because the solid felt boot appeared in the Russian Empire only at the beginning of the 19th century. By the way, this pleasure was not cheap, and not every peasant in the country could afford such shoes. Of course, with the development of production, felt boots fell in price and became more accessible, but brides had a special interest in the groom who owned such a dowry. Reference!

    To make one pair of felt boots you need about 1 kg of wool. Approximately this amount of material can be obtained by shearing one sheep of an ordinary breed and thoroughly cleaning the wool. It's already in times Soviet Union felt boots have become generally available, and even today such shoes can be purchased at a fairly low price.

    In some northern regions of Russia they are still widely used in severe frosts.


    Who invented felt boots

    It seems impossible to associate the very name “felt boots” with any specific historical figure, because, as in the case of the main centuries-old heritage of our nation, this word came from the people. It sounded, however, somewhat differently and varied from felt boots to wire rods. In any case, the name of these shoes reflects the manufacturing method.

    The main producers in pre-revolutionary Russia were factories located in Kalyazinsky, Semyonovsky and Kineshma districts, as well as in the village. Kukmor.

    Over the entire history of the existence of such boots, the essence of production has not changed; only recently have electric machines come to the aid of people for some stages of production. Basically, making felt boots is manual labor, and it consists of several stages.

    • Cleaning and washing. Sheep wool should be separated from various debris. Afterwards, washing occurs in various solutions, washing and drying of the starting material.
    • Combing. It is at this stage that machines are often used, since clean wool is loosened and rewound on rollers to form spools.
    • Giving the future felt boots a shape. With the help exclusively manual labor wool boots are formed: they are given a shape similar to the finished product, but much larger in size.
    • Felting and drying. In a special machine or manually under the influence of steam and hot water, the felt boots are processed to the desired size, reduced, and put on the last. In this form, the shoes are dried for 6 hours under high temperature.

    Modern manufacturing process

    Nowadays, felt boots with soles are usually produced in order to make these shoes more versatile. And yet, in areas where winter is mainly accompanied by slush on the roads, it is better to give preference to models with a surface specially treated for such cases.

    Why do these unique boots surprise curious minds to this day? Below we will present some fascinating facts, and you will understand that felt boots are truly unusual shoes, which have no analogues in the whole world.

    • Fact 1. Felt boots, like fins, are not right or left (provided that we are talking about a model without a sole). They also fit evenly on your feet over time, so you need to purchase these shoes a size larger.
    • Fact 2. Due to the material and method of manufacture, felt boots are preserved healing properties, like many natural wool products. They warm up the joints well and accelerate the blood, which is most important for the older generation.
    • Fact 3. The largest felt boots about three years ago appeared in St. Petersburg, his foot length is 5 m. In the heel area there is a door through which anyone can go inside in the harsh winter and warm up. The smallest specimens in the world appeared in Omsk in 2012; the length of the sole does not exceed 3 mm.

    • Fact 4. Making felt boots on your own is quite possible. After all, felting from wool has recently become a very popular activity, and there is quite a lot of information about making felt boots at home on the Internet.

    The production of felt boots has remained unchanged for several hundred years. The raw material is natural wool, which shrinks greatly during the manufacturing process, resulting in the best winter shoes for frosty and dry winters.

    What are felt boots

    Felt boots are a type of winter footwear made from tightly knit natural wool. In the most severe frosts, they retain heat and save the legs from frostbite, and the entire body from hypothermia, even in the Far North. The material for shoes is sheep's wool, which is felted (rolled). The wool processing technology goes through the stage of simultaneous steaming and shrinking into a dense material from which the product is molded. The name of shoes, so common in the past, comes from the name of the production process - felting.

    Felt boots are produced in many types. Classic models are made of tightly knitted thick wool with a medium-height shaft. They are comfortable, lightweight, durable. They are worn in the cold season in dry weather. In autumn or slushy winters, rubber galoshes are worn over felt boots. Natural wool gets trampled quite quickly, so the sole used to be often hemmed with leather. In urban conditions, felt boots were in little demand, but in the vast expanses of the province they are still relevant.

    Until recently, traditional shoes were not of interest to the majority of the population; felt boots were worn only by small children. Fashion has now begun to return to natural materials And traditional crafts, which is associated with new opportunities and design discoveries.

    History of felt boots

    There were times when felt boots were considered a symbol of prosperity and great wealth, and shoe sellers were subject to heavy taxes. The production of felt boots was a secret for most mortals, and master felters kept their secrets secret, preferring to pass them on only to family members. It is assumed that the prototype of felt boots were pimas, the shoes of nomads.

    It is believed that felted shoes appeared at the end of the 18th century in the town of Myshkin, Yaroslavl province. Peter I introduced the fashion for felt boots at court; he put them on after a bath or wore them in winter. Empress Catherine the Great used felt boots to treat foot disease, and Elizabeth, by decree, allowed court ladies to wear these shoes, complete with lush dresses. Stormy innovations in Rus' were periodic, some of them were provoked by Peter I, who was distinguished by his broad-mindedness and practicality; under his rule, felt boots became available to all segments of the population.

    The production of felted shoes on an industrial scale began in the 19th century. Lenin, Stalin, Khrushchev were lovers of felt boots. During the war years, felt boots were part of the winter uniform for soldiers and senior officers. Today, mandatory equipment with traditional shoes remains relevant for special forces of the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

    The production of felt boots is experiencing a renaissance today; they are becoming favorite objects for the application of strength and imagination among designers, which resonates with the buyer. Decorated with skillful embroidery, ribbons, and natural fur, felt boots, as in ancient times, create comfortable conditions for their owner, fulfilling the main purpose of keeping warm in cold weather.

    Types of wool

    For the manufacture of the best felt boots In Rus', sheep wool was most often used, but goat, dog, and rabbit wool were also used. Sheep wool was valued for its high wearability and healing qualities. The wool was carded, compacted (felted) and a durable material was obtained. Further shaping manipulations were carried out manually.

    The final color of the product depended on the raw materials, white ones were considered the most luxurious, they were produced using the wool of Mongolian fine-wool sheep, gray felt boots were made from sheep wool imported from Central Asia or the Caucasus. Sometimes shoes were made from materials that were not inferior in quality to their analogues, but felt boots made from them were fluffier and not as light.

    Types of felt boots

    Modern models are made from rabbit, sheep, goat wool, and there are products made from mohair and felt. Felt boots are divided into several types, depending on the materials and models used:

    • Classic felt boots made of 100% wool, made by padding the material.
    • Shoes with soles.
    • Classic felt boots with welded rubber soles.
    • Felt boots with fur. Such models are made of thin felt, insulated with several layers of batting, inner part finished with flannelette lining. The sole is rubber. It's more modern version, which appealed to city dwellers, can be worn in any weather.

    Technological process

    One of best options boots for winter cold are felt boots. Production (Russia) is based on old principles that have not changed since the 19th century. The technology looks schematically like this:

    • The wool obtained in rolls is torn into small fibers and dried, for this it is sent to a carding machine. The material used is not washed, which is important for compliance with the technology.
    • The dried raw materials are sent for processing to a wool carding machine, where the material receives a single structure. After which the products are cut to size. At this stage, the felt boots are four times larger than they should be.
    • The tailored parts are sent to a rolling machine, where they are subjected to steam treatment and mechanical shrinkage, after which they are boiled in hot water. At this stage, compaction occurs, the wool shrinks to 80% of the original workpiece. Then they put it on the block, stretching it and giving it its final shape, and then dry it.
    • Dried shoes are additionally beaten with birch mallets to give greater density.
    • In the finishing shop, in classic models, the upper part of the shaft is cut off to obtain a smooth edge. But modernity has made its own adjustments, and now felt boots are embroidered with threads, beads, and rhinestones. Frequent finishing has become the use of technology artistic drawing felt, adding natural fur and other designer finds.

    Equipment

    Today, many have opened small companies where felt boots are made. Production (Russia) was previously divided into industrial and handicraft. The equipment needed for a small and large workshop is the same, the only difference is in scale and productivity. What equipment is required for the production of felt boots?

    • Industrial or household carding machine.
    • Vibropress with steam supply.
    • Industrial washing machine.
    • Drying chamber.
    • if the model range is represented not only by classics (semi-automatic press for vulcanizing rubber soles, etc.).
    • Equipment: pads, beaters, etc.

    Industrial and handicraft production

    The industrial production of felt boots allows the production of up to 60 pairs of shoes per day, the artisanal version - up to 2-3 pairs. Any factory producing felt boots produces not only shoes, but related products: blankets, pillows, slippers, rugs and much more.

    Products are popular today self made, including felt boots. Experienced craftsmen make them aesthetically pleasing, with a modern range of models. But no amount of manual effort can felt the wool to the desired state described in GOST standards. The factory for the production of felt boots will always provide its products with a certificate of conformity and useful tips for caring for the purchased pair.

    Factories for the production of felted shoes

    In the old days, entire volosts were engaged in felting; the occupation was difficult, but brought sufficient income to the artels. Now in Russia such shoes are produced industrially. Factories for the production of felt boots are located in several regions, there are about fifteen of them in total, the top five are as follows:

    • The largest player in this market is the Yaroslavl felted shoe factory, which produces up to 600 thousand pairs of shoes per year.
    • One of the oldest factories, the Kukmor Felting and Felting Plant, is not losing its position; the annual production of felt boots here is up to 900 thousand pairs.
    • Elvi-Plus company, production volume - 300 thousand pairs of felt boots per year.
    • The Omsk plant of felted shoes produces 170 thousand pairs per year.

    Other enterprises produce a much smaller volume of felt boots, from 45 to 150 thousand pairs per year. Felt boots Russian production have made a successful alternative to foreign shoes called uggs. Each buyer has his own tastes, preferences and scale of values ​​by which this or that product is selected. But as for felt boots, in comparison with foreign analogues, in many respects this ancient Russian invention demonstrates the best characteristics for our latitudes.

    The production of felt boots in Moscow is established at the Bitsevskaya Factory, which has been making shoes for more than 150 years. The retail network of stores is spread throughout the country, and Muscovites can purchase their favorite pair without leaving the capital at the address: Stroiteley Street, building 6, building 4 (University metro station).

    How to choose felt boots

    A successful pair of felt boots will last for many years and will keep the owner warm in the most severe frosts. The selection of felted wool shoes is carried out according to the following principles:

    • Real felt boots are 100% wool. The material must be dense and homogeneous in composition. If there are bald spots, thickening, or lumps, the shoes will quickly tear.
    • Felt boots are not divided into right and left, they are produced the same. Shoes take on their shape as they are worn. When buying a pair, make sure that both felt boots are the same in shape, toe height, inner and outer length feet, boot sizes.
    • Smell. The only smell that felt boots may have is the smell of burnt wool; it will quickly disappear. If there is an odor wet wool, this means a violation technological process, at some stage the product was poorly washed or dried, and it is impossible to get rid of it.
    • In a real felt boot, the sole and heel are made with a noticeable thickening, since in these places the shoe wears out faster and loses its shape. To determine it, just feel it.
    • Elasticity. Shoes made of wool should not be too soft (underfelt) or too dense. To evaluate this quality, it is enough to bend the boot a little; under your hands, high-quality wool will spring a little and quickly unbend.
    • Size. Felt boots can be trampled in width, but they shrink in length, so you need to buy a pair 1-2 sizes larger. To determine what is necessary, there is a table of correspondence between the size of the foot and felt boots.
    • The most natural ones are felt boots made from undyed wool, even natural dyes reduce the medicinal qualities of sheep wool.

    High boots, felt boots, shoes, wire rods, felt boots, combed boots, combed felt boots, felt boots, pima Dictionary of Russian synonyms. felt boots, felt boots, wire rods (simple) Dictionary of synonyms of the Russian language. Practical guide. M.: Russian language. Z. E. Alexandrova. 2011… Synonym dictionary

    FELT FEET boots, felt boots and felt boots, units. felt boots, felt boots, for women, and felt boots, felt boots, for men. Winter shoes made of felted wool, similar to boots. Ushakov's explanatory dictionary. D.N. Ushakov. 1935 1940 … Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary

    felt boots- FELT boots, combs, loose. Valencians, colloquial wire rod, coll. pimki, colloquial pima reduction caress. FELT FEET, reduce. caress. combs... Dictionary-thesaurus of synonyms of Russian speech

    FELT FEET, nok, unit. nok, nka, husband Winter soft boots felted from wool. Hemmed in. (with sewn leather or felt sole). | adj. felt boots, oh, oh. Ozhegov's explanatory dictionary. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu. Shvedova. 1949 1992 … Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary

    Felt boots- FELT FEELINGS. See Equipment1. The dictionary material containing the information referred to in this link has not been published... Military encyclopedia

    FELT BOOTS- Winter (see winter*) boots made of tightly knitted wool. Felt boots are made using a special felting method (that is, rolled and kneaded while floating) from sheep wool. The name of this widespread in... ... comes from the verb to wallow. Linguistic and regional dictionary

    FELT BOOTS- If you saw felt boots in a dream, then the disagreement that happened between you and a loved one will not drag on and certainly will not bring any serious consequences, no matter how much you fear it, believing yourself to be the main culprit of what happened. See… … Melnikov's Dream Interpretation

    felt boots- (Russian felt boots) ruski zimski chismi od valano cloth ... Macedonian dictionary

    Nok, nkam; pl. (units felt boots, nka; m.). Soft winter shoes with high tops, felted from wool. Hemmed felt boots (with sewn leather or felt soles). ◊ (Siberian) felt boots. About a stupid, narrow-minded person. ◁ Felt boots, oh, oh. In oh... encyclopedic Dictionary

    felt boots- nok, nkam; pl. (unit va/lenok, nka; m.) see also. felt boots Soft winter shoes with a high top, felted from wool. Hemmed felt boots (with sewn leather or felt soles) felt boots... Dictionary of many expressions

    Books

    • Felt boots
    • Valenki (ed. 2019), Moshkovskaya Emma Efraimovna, Lagzdyn Gaida Reingoldovna, Solozhenkina S.. A pair of cozy little felt boots on a string are two wonderful books with winter poems for kids. Poems by E. Moshkovskaya, M. Stepanova, S. Solozhenkina, G. Lagzdyn, folk songs and...