The question of what felt boots are made of is very interesting. But first, it's worth figuring out what it is? Valenki are made from felted sheep wool. The felt boots of the Great Steppe nomads, which they began to wear fifteen hundred years ago, served as a prototype for this. Only in the first half of the century before last, this type of footwear gained popularity, it was then that they began to produce it industrially. This type of footwear is still widely known to many Russians.

Very often the very name "boots" evokes a smile and tenderness in the majority, as it is associated with something outdated and funny. However, modern manufacturers make them so comfortable that your feet will be warm even in the most severe frosts. Parents, concerned about the health of their babies, buy them children's felt boots for the winter, which are not only very warm, but also beautiful, as they are decorated with interesting drawings and ornaments. Understanding the question of what felt boots are made of, one can tell that they were once called cats or wire rods, which is why many are convinced that their roots are far from Russian. The thing is that for the first time felt boots were invented by nomadic steppe peoples, they decided to roll wool, making shoes from this material. At that time, the purpose of creating felt boots was not only to keep the feet warm, but also to save them from thorns, of which there were a lot in the steppe. In Russia, this idea spread from the steppe nomads.

What are felt boots made of? Earlier it was said that this type of footwear is made from animal hair, and most often from sheep. The color of the finished product depends on the color of the raw material. For example, to obtain white felt boots, it is necessary to use sheep wool from Mongolia, and for gray boots, wool from the Caucasus or Central Asia is suitable. The production process begins with the preparation of raw materials. The wool is driven through a special apparatus, after which it is oiled and then folded into a container. In this form, the raw materials enter the carding shop. The wool is placed in special units. The raw material is combed in the device using barbed rollers, and then wound on a reel. Then they begin to make the base for the boots, rubbing the wool with steam, and after that the head of the boots is made by hand. Steam lapping is carried out again. After that, all the blanks are sent to a specialized rolling machine.

So, you already understand what boots are made of, and now it's worth figuring out what to do with them next? After all these operations, the wool is stretched to obtain the desired shape, however, it must be twice as large as the future product. After that, the blanks go to the felting shop. And now they are all placed in a large wooden drum, which is filled with water, to make the first felting. It was the name of this process that became the basis for the name of the product itself. Then the workpieces begin to beat with wooden devices, and then they are stretched again on the unit. Again the boots are moistened, they are given the required shape and size with the help of special pads, and at the end the shoes are dried in a special oven. Modern felt boots are made this way. At the end, they are tapped with a block, giving the final size and shape to the products. Next, they grind off excess wool from them, glue a rubber sole and attach tags. Felt boots are ready.

It is important to note that this type of footwear is truly indispensable for residents of areas with a very harsh climate, this is the only way to escape the cold. Modifications, for example, Finnish felt boots, make it possible to make this type of footwear more modern by gluing on top of various materials and supplying the product with a durable sole with a tractor pattern.

In alen, wire rod, scooter, comb, felt boots, deadwood - as soon as they do not call shoes made of sheep wool in Russia! But felt boots were not always the usual winter shoes: once a luxury item in peasant families was worn "in line", given as a dowry to brides and even passed on from generation to generation. We recall interesting facts from the history of felt boots together with Natalia Letnikova.

The first felt boots in Russia... The earliest evidence of the use of felt on the territory of the country dates back to the 4th century BC. e. The remains of felted wool were found by archaeologists in permafrost conditions in the Pazyryk mounds of Altai Mountains. The peoples living here wrapped yurts with it, made hats and clothes from wool. Costume historians believe that the nomadic peoples also invented felted shoes. And together with them - during the years of the Mongol-Tatar yoke - felt boots appeared in Russian villages and cities.

From piece goods to felting factories... In the XVI-XVII centuries, felt boots were rolled in Siberia and several northern regions. Manual labor was painstaking, felt boots were made for a long time. The bootleg was felted separately, and then sewn to short chuns or pimas - this is how short woolen boots were called in Siberia. They learned how to make solid shoes in the Semenovsky district of the Nizhny Novgorod province in the 18th century. In the villages, felt boots remained an expensive and valuable shoe - sometimes they were alone for the whole family.

Industrial boots were made only a century later. The first felting-rolling factories appeared in Russia, and footwear became more popular - both in the city and in the countryside.

Fashion from the royal palace... Until the 19th century, felt boots were made by hand; shoes were expensive. They were often worn by members of the upper classes. Peter I favored warm comfortable shoes: he demanded “cabbage soup and felt boots” in the winter after a bath and swimming in the ice-hole. Catherine the Great looked for salvation in them for sore legs. Empress Anna Ioannovna allowed ladies-in-waiting to wear felt boots even with ceremonial dresses: in the winter cold the fireplaces could not cope with the heating in the spacious ballrooms.

Russian felt boots - medalists of international exhibitions... In the 19th century, felt boots became known throughout Europe. They were brought to the first international exhibition in London, where traditional footwear aroused great interest among the audience - as well as Russian downy shawls.

Factory boots from Mitrofan Smirnov's enterprise from the village of Neklyudovo appeared at world exhibitions in Vienna in 1873, in Chicago in 1893 and in Paris in 1900. Everywhere they received gold and silver medals. Traditional footwear took part in international “shows” also after the revolution - in 1919 in Paris.

Boots on fashion catwalks... With the light hand of Vyacheslav Zaitsev, traditional shoes have firmly established themselves on fashion catwalks. For the first time, he added them to his collection back in 1963, when he headed the experimental group of the Mosoblsovnarkhoz sewing factory. Then, models in quilted jackets and colored felt boots performed at the shows. After that, the shoes have repeatedly appeared on fashion catwalks. The defile in felt boots was staged by Russian athletes at the 2002 Olympic Games in Salt Lake City and students at the 2009 Universiade in China.

Valenki in Russian museums... Four museums of felt boots have been opened in Russia: in Moscow, Myshkin, Kineshma and the Mordovian village of Urusovo. There are both officer's felt boots, which were worn a hundred years ago by military militiamen, and soldier's felt boots during the Great Patriotic War. There are special ski hooks on the felt boots of the Karelian partisans, and spurs on the warm hussar shoes from the Myshkin Museum.

Art object "Russian size"... The largest felt boot in the world - six meters high - was felted in St. Petersburg. The artist Valeria Loshak worked for a year and spent 300 kilograms of sheep's wool on her felted sculpture. It took three days to install the woolen monument on the Obvodny Canal embankment; it was assembled from parts right on the spot. It was possible to enter the art object through a special entrance in the heel; three adults could fit inside.

The former record holder was a felt boot from Kineshma with a height of 168 centimeters. It is kept in the Kineshma Museum of felt boots.

High boots, felt boots, footwear, wire rods, felt boots, garlic, combed felt boots, felt boots, pimas Dictionary of Russian synonyms. valenki valenki, wire rod (simple) Dictionary of synonyms of the Russian language. Practical guide. M .: Russian language. Z.E. Aleksandrova. 2011 ... Synonym dictionary

VALENKI, felt boots and felt boots, units. boots, boots, women, and boots, boots, husband. Winter footwear made of wool felted in the form of felt, similar to boots. Ushakov's explanatory dictionary. D.N. Ushakov. 1935 1940 ... Ushakov's explanatory dictionary

felt boots - VALENKI, garlic, raz. valencians, colloquial. wire rods, col. pimki, colloquial. pimy reduced caress. VALENOCHKI, decrease. caress. scabies ... Dictionary-thesaurus of synonyms for Russian speech

VALENKI, nok, ed. nok, nka, husband. Winter soft boots made of wool. Sewn in. (with sewn on 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 - VALENKI. See Equipment1. The dictionary material containing the information referred to by this link has not been published ... Military encyclopedia

FELT BOOTS - Winter (see winter *) boots made of densely knitted wool. Felt boots are made in a special way, rolled (that is, rolled and kneaded, while soaring) from sheep wool. The name of this common in ... ... Linguistic and Cultural Dictionary

FELT BOOTS - If you saw boots in a dream, then the disagreement that happened between you and your loved one will not drag on, and even more so it will not bring any serious consequences, no matter how you fear that, believing yourself to be the main culprit of what happened. See ... ... Dream interpretation of Melnikov

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

Nok, nkam; pl. (unit boots, nka; m.). Soft winter footwear with a high shaft, knitted from wool. Sewn-on felt boots (with sewn leather or felt soles). ◊ (Siberian) felt boot. About a stupid, narrow-minded person. ◁ Valenochny, oh, oh. Oh ... encyclopedic Dictionary

felt boots - nok, nkam; pl. (unit wa / lenok, nka; m) see also. felt boots Soft winter footwear with a high shaft, knitted of wool. Sewn-on 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. Lyrics by E. Moshkovskaya, M. Stepanova, S. Solozhenkina, G. Lagzdyn, folk songs and ...

Fashion tends to come back. So, recently, felt boots, which are no longer perceived as village shoes, have been experiencing a revival. Today it is a fashionable trend in demand among modern women.

History of origin

The prototype of this felt footwear made of felted wool were pimas, which were worn by the Eurasian nomads as early as fifteen hundred years ago. In Ancient Russia, felt boots appeared during the period of the Golden Horde - they were brought in by the Mongol and Turkic peoples.

Until the 19th century, these were shoes of exceptionally wealthy people, and then usually there was only one pair for the whole family, which was used in turn. It should be noted that Tsar Peter 1 himself liked to wear felt boots. The nineteenth century was the time of mass distribution of these products. Interestingly, by the beginning of the 20th century, a pair of factory felt boots could be bought for just two rubles, but during the revolutionary period their cost increased significantly (up to about 15 rubles).

The main centers of the felting industry were located in the Yaroslavl and Kostroma, Tver and Nizhny Novgorod provinces. By the way, in Yaroslavl, now, as before, they are breeding a special Romanov breed of sheep, it is distinguished by its thick warm wool and walks very well.

In the town of Vyshny Volochek there is a museum that tells the story of the Russian felt boots, here you can see the first domestic models of these shoes, the Tsar Valenok (two meters high), a carding machine, and other interesting exhibits.

Valenki are the most practical and comfortable footwear for a real Russian winter.In addition, sheep wool is famous for its medicinal properties: it provides light foot massage, improves blood circulation. Its main advantage is its ability to keep warm even in severe frosts.

Modern felt boots are an interesting topic for design developments, and foreign fashion specialists are also engaged in this. Today these shoes are no longer associated with rude designs and gloomy colors. The property of keeping warm is successfully combined with elegance, an example of which is the Finnish Kuoma felt boots.

Kinds

There are various types of these shoes. Classic felt boots - these are simple models, with no decorative ornaments. They leave a lot of room for creative imagination to decorate the product to your liking.

Author's felt boots - things decorated with embroidery, rhinestones, decorative braid. For example, models from Vyacheslav Zaitsev are very popular in a bohemian environment. Designer felt boots can be made to order, and then the product will be truly exclusive.

Boots-bootswith a sporty lace-up design - perfect for winter walks and outdoor trips. The laces make it possible to securely fix the shoes on the foot.

Burki - male version of felt boots: the leather bottom of such shoes is combined with a white felt top.

Home felt boots - special models for indoor wear, a more comfortable alternative to warm socks, fabric slippers and rubber slates. Such a thing will be a wonderful gift for children and adults, for example, for the New Year or Christmas.

Souvenir felt boots- lovely miniature products with a wide variety of decor, which are bought as souvenirs.

Wedding bootspurchased specifically for newlyweds. They are decorated with embroidery typical for a celebration, delicate lace, etc. Paired models designed for the bride and groom complement each other.

Paired options for a mother with a little daughter also look cute. This style is called Family-lookvery popular today.

Fashion models

Today, there are three types of felt boots:

• Classic all-woolen products (broken).
• Variants with rubber or polyurethane sole.
• Models made of woolen cloth, but with insulation - batting, bike or fur, as well as a sewn-in sole. Such products are useful for a thaw.

Finnish felt boots are popular. These models are equipped with an insulating polyurethane sole that prevents slipping on ice. The top of such models is treated with a special compound that prevents dirt and dust from sticking, and the inner part has a high-quality pile.

Fashionable felt boots for the 2016-2017 season are abundantly decorated with rhinestones and fringes, embroidery and painting, as well as other spectacular details.

Valenki today are produced both in a traditional shape with a flat sole and in a more intricate one, for example, with a heel, platform, wedge. Designers even offer stylish stiletto boots that will create a feminine look even in severe frost. But all the same, products on a wider stable heel or wedge heel are more practical and stable.

The boot boot can be long or short, loose or tight.Also, the upper part can be tightened with laces, zipped or Velcro, fixed with an elastic band.

The polyurethane sole of boots (especially often found on models with a heel) does not wear off and does not slip. As a rule, it is ribbed - it removes water. It is preferable to choose options with thick soles, which will more reliably protect the wool from dirt.

Various manufacturers in a competitive environment equip their felt boots with various useful elements:

• Removable insoles, including embossed ones.
• Padded heel counter.
• Knitted cuffs to keep out snow and wind.
• Additional gluing of seams.
• Reflective elements for safety at night and in bad weather.

What are they made of?

Initially, felt boots were made exclusively by hand from sheep wool, with white versions from the Mongolian breed, gray ones from Caucasian and Central Asian sheep. However, there were isolated samples from goat and dog hair.

Note that the manufacturing technology, in principle, has not changed over several centuries. This process is not difficult, but it requires physical strength as well as patience. Sheared wool must be thoroughly washed and cleaned of impurities. Then it is weighed and the necessary proportion of "autumn" and "spring" raw materials is formed: it is this that determines the color and softness of the finished shoes. After that, the wool is sent to machines, where it is loosened and mixed until a homogeneous mass is obtained. For a day, the raw material is cured, and then it goes to the next workshop where finished products are formed from it.

Today elite felt boots are made from camel wool, it is much lighter than sheep's wool, but just as warm and strong. Also, designers insert leather, felt, satin, lace fragments into ordinary felt boots. These shoes are often adorned with fur details, such as mischievous pom-poms.

Color and print

Today felt boots are produced not only in traditional restrained colors. Every fashionista can find a color to her taste.

Winter is the time to please yourself with catchy tones that will cheer up everyone around you. Fashion designers offer options for purple, raspberry, orange, bright blue, mint. Of course, there is still classic white and black.

Boots of metallic shades and gradient models with a transition from light to saturated color, additionally decorated with embroidery, look original. Smoky gray options with elegant ornament on the top are in demand.

In the winter season of 2017, the folklore style is in trend - embroidery and painting in the traditional Russian folk manner (flowers and berries). These shoes are a wonderful means of self-expression. Northern ethnic motives also look interesting.

Brands and factories

Finnish brand Kuomaproduces lightweight felt boots with excellent moisture-repellent properties and a durable sole. These models are distinguished by bright colors, suitable for everyday wear and for a business wardrobe. Unlike felted counterparts, they can be machine washed without damaging their appearance.

British designers of felt boots are mainly focused on the youth environment and are characterized by the direction of "urban chic". These are options with catchy embroidery and original prints. However keddo brand offers felt boots in a classic style of calm colors.

Stylish and elegant felt boots are produced by cooper (Slovenia). Many models are decorated with graceful perforation and embroidery. Many options with quilted textile upper.

The domestic manufacturer of felt boots is represented by a large number of factories. One of the leaders is Yaroslavl factory for the production of felted footwear. The company offers both traditional products and felt boots with rubber and polyurethane soles, with various types of finishes. In addition, the assortment includes home felt slippers. Souvenirs are also made, including custom-made products, with the logo of the customer organization.

Factory "Kalyaev"sews felt boots with different lengths of tops and heels. The range of models, decor and colors are striking in their variety.

Among other Russian manufacturers, we will name the companies "Tofa", "Kotofey", "Zebra".

How to choose the right one?

When choosing felt boots, take into account the manufacturing method.Take handicrafts strictly according to your size. Machine-made models tend to shrink, so their size should be two more units (only buy one size larger for rubber-soled models).

Shoes don't have to be too stiff - otherwise you will be uncomfortable walking. But even a very soft felt boot is a sign of underfilled raw materials, it will not keep its shape. Try to squeeze the product - good wool is slightly springy.

Also pay attention to the smell: if it is unpleasant - the coat is poorly washed. This smell will not disappear over time. High-quality felt fabric is uniform, without lumps and thickenings. Please note that the inside of the boots should also be smooth; a hole may gradually appear in thin places.

How to care?

With proper care, these shoes can last for at least 7 years.

1. Coming from the street, immediately shake off the snow from the boots so that it does not melt on them. And in wet weather it is better to prefer rubber boots or put on special galoshes on boots (now there are transparent options that do not affect the attractive appearance).
2. Remember that boots should never be washed. After all, a raw canvas is sure to deform and lose its presentable appearance. When it is necessary to clean the dirt - use a brush with natural bristles, as a last resort - a slightly damp cloth.
3. It is also unacceptable to dry wet felt boots on a battery or heater. After this procedure, the wool will harden. Valenki will dry out perfectly even at room temperature.
4. These shoes must be carefully stored as natural wool is moth bait. Place the felt boots in a plastic bag, not forgetting to put an insect pill there. Check the condition of the product periodically.

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

What are boots

Valenki are a type of winter footwear made of densely knitted 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 wool, which is felted (rolled). Wool processing technology goes through the stage of simultaneous steaming and shrinking into a dense material from which the product is formed. The name of the shoe, so common in the past, comes from the name of the production process - felting.

Valenki are produced in many types. Classic models are made from densely knitted thick wool with a medium-height upper. They are comfortable, lightweight, durable. They are worn during the cold season in dry weather. In the autumn or in slushy winters, rubber galoshes are put on boots. Natural wool quickly tramples, so the soles were often hemmed with leather. In urban conditions, felt boots were in little demand, but in the vast provinces they are still relevant.

Until recently, traditional footwear was not of interest to most of the population; felt boots were worn only for small children. Now the return of fashion to natural materials and traditional crafts has begun, which is associated with new opportunities, designer finds.

History of felt boots

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

It is believed that felted footwear appeared at the end of the 18th century in the town of Myshkin, Yaroslavl province. The fashion for felt boots at court was introduced by Peter I, he put them on after a bath or wore them in winter. Empress Catherine the Great with the help of felt boots treated the disease of the feet, and Elizabeth, by her decree, allowed the wearing of these shoes to the ladies of the court, complete with magnificent dresses. Violent innovations in Russia were periodic, one of them was provoked by Peter I, who was distinguished by his broad outlook and practicality; under his rule, felt boots became available to all segments of the population.

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

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

Types of wool

For the manufacture of the best felt boots in Russia, sheep wool was most often used, but goat, dog, and rabbit wool were also used. Sheep wool was appreciated for its high wear and healing qualities. The wool was combed, compacted (felted) and obtained a strong one. Further manipulations on forming were carried out manually.

The final color of the product depended on the raw materials, whites were considered the most luxurious, the wool of Mongolian fine-wooled sheep was used for their production, gray felt boots were obtained from sheep's wool imported from Central Asia or the Caucasus. Sometimes shoes were made from which in terms of quality is not inferior to analogues, but felt boots from it are more fluffy and not so light.

Types of boots

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

• Classic felt boots made of 100% wool, made by upholstery.
• Shoes with soles.
• Classic felt boots with welded rubber sole.
• Boots with fur. Such models are made of thin felt, insulated with several layers of batting, the inner part is finished with a bike lining. The sole is rubber. This is a more modern version, which was to the taste of city dwellers, you can wear it in any weather.

Technological process

Felt boots remain one of the best shoe options for the winter cold. Manufacturing (Russia) is based on old principles that have not changed since the 19th century. The technology looks like this schematically:

• 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 the wool-combing machine, where the material receives a single structure. Then the products are cut to size. At this stage, the boots are four times larger than they should be.
• The cut 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 up to 80% of the original blank. Then put on the last, stretching and giving the final shape, and then dried.
• The dried footwear is additionally hammered with birch mallets to make them more dense.
• In the finishing shop, in classic models, the upper part of the shaft is cut off to obtain a straight edge. But modernity has made its own adjustments, and now boots are embroidered with threads, beads, rhinestones. Frequent finishing was the use of the technique of artistic drawing with felt, the addition of natural fur and other design finds.

Equipment

Today, many have opened small companies where felt boots are made. Production (Russia) was previously divided into industrial and handicraft. Equipment for a small and a large workshop needs the same, the only difference is in scale and performance. 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 lineup will be presented not only by the classics (semi-automatic press for vulcanizing rubber soles, etc.).
• Accessories: 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 handicraft version - up to 2-3 pairs. Any factory for the production of felt boots produces not only shoes, but related products: blankets, pillows, slippers, rugs and much more.

Today handicrafts are popular, including felt boots. Experienced craftsmen make them aesthetic, with a modern range of models. But no amount of hand effort can dump the wool to the desired state described in GOSTs. The factory for the production of felt boots will always provide its goods with a certificate of conformity and useful tips for caring for the purchased pair.

Felted footwear factories

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

• The largest player in this market is the Yaroslavl felt footwear factory, which produces up to 600 thousand pairs of shoes per year.
• One of the oldest factories, the Kukmorsk felt-felt plant, does not lose 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 Combine of Felted Shoes produces 170 thousand pairs a year.

The rest of the enterprises produce a much smaller volume of felt boots, from 45 to 150 thousand pairs per year. Russian-made felt boots made a good alternative to foreign shoes called ugg boots. Each customer has his own tastes, preferences and scale of values \u200b\u200bby which a particular product is selected. But as for felt boots, in comparison with foreign analogues, in many respects this old 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 over 150 years. The retail chain of stores is spread all over the country, and Muscovites can buy the pair they like without leaving the capital, at the address: Stroiteley Street, Building 6, Building 4 (Universitet metro station).

How to choose boots

A successful pair of felt boots will last more than one year and will keep the owner warm in the most severe frosts. The choice 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, thickenings, lumps, then the shoes will quickly tear.
• Valenki are not divided into right and left, they are produced the same. The shoe acquires shape during wear. When buying a pair, make sure that both boots are the same in shape, toe height, inner and outer foot length, and boot size.
• Smell. The only smell that a felt boot may have is the smell of burned wool, it will quickly disappear. If there is a smell of wet wool, this means a violation of the technological process, at some stage the product was poorly washed or dried, 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 shoes wipe faster and lose their shape. To determine - it is enough to probe.
• Elasticity. Wool shoes should not be too soft (under-melted linen) or too thick. To appreciate this quality, it is enough to bend the bootleg a little; under the hands, high-quality wool will spring a little and unbend quickly.
• The size. Felt boots can be trampled in width, and in length they shrink, 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 legs and boots.
• The most natural are felt boots made of undyed wool, even natural dyes reduce the medicinal qualities of sheep's wool.