NZ Catalog Expands With Red Synthetic Felt
Be still my beating heart! No, we’re not talking the Sting song (which is awesome in its own right). Right now, we’re all about the new red synthetic felt that joins the grey synthetic felt that debuted in the NZ catalog last month.
Red is enticing, engaging and even flirtatious. Fashion designer Bill Blass says that, “Red is the ultimate cure for sadness.” We couldn’t agree more. So if you want a little more happiness in your making, we’ve got the material for you.
Four Reasons You’ll Love Red Synthetic Felt
What makes red synthetic felt so striking? First, the color is vibrant, making red synthetic felt ideal for jewelry, clothing labels, hang tags, bookmarks and book covers, accessories (such as bags, purses and wallets) and home décor. Second, it’s vegan friendly; there’s no shearing of animals required.
Third, it’s a great alternative to our 100% merino wool felt because it laser cuts cleaner than wool felt, which has a darker and more burnt appearance when cut or engraved. Plus, wool felt is a tiny bit stinky when first laser cut since the laser is technically burning the wool. Even though this smell fades over time with exposure to fresh air, it does require some advanced planning if you’re making products to sell or promote your business.
Finally (and the best part!), red synthetic felt is MUCH less expensive than its wool counterpart. Saving some cold, hard cash might just make your heart skip a beat!
Get Inspired: Eight Great Designs You Can Make With Red Synthetic Felt
Red is an attention-getter. It makes you stop and look. That’s why stop signs are red! So stop and check out these eight laser cutter projects we tried out ourselves to see just how great red synthetic felt looks in real life.
Jewelry is always a laser cutting favorite. Felt is an interesting choice because the soft texture is ideal for a boho vibe or an urban feel can be created by using geometric shapes like these circles and hexagons.
It’s easy to dress up an everyday tee by adding a decorative collar. The scalloped edges of this design have a sweetness of an ingénue.
Felt may not be an obvious choice for luggage tags, but it totally works. Etsy sellers could offer personalized ones like this for their customers, while brands and agencies could laser cut a logo to create a memorable promotional product.
Because of its flexibility, felt is great for making buckets and bins. This design has interlocking handles for easy carrying. How cool would these be as value-added gifts home organization companies could give their clients?
Here’s another interpretation. This little bucket has side flaps for handles that can lay flat when not in use.
This simple tote has clean, elegant lines that are perfect just the way they are. But if you’re feeling creative, just imagine the designs (or logos for corporate peeps) you could engrave on the sides. Including decorative embellishments such as embroidery or beading would add that hand-made feel many buyers are after.
While this design could be used as a purse, it can do double-duty as a gift bag. Etsy sellers could also use them as packaging for jewelry—a special value-add for customers. While those needing corporate branding could add a logo to the side and use these bags for event giveaways or sales call leave-behinds.
Felt is also great for making wallets and pouches. Make small ones as jewelry packaging, medium size ones to hold credit cards and cash, and large ones to hold paper documents. While we engraved an interlocking circle pattern on the flap, brands and agencies could add a logo for some corporate branding flair.
Now Available: Red Synthetic Felt
This 2mm thick felt is made from 100% acrylic and has a soft fluffy felt texture—and an affordable price point. When laser cutting, heat from the laser melts and seals the edges for a crisp finish. Laser engraving also melts the material, which creates a harder texture in the engraved areas.
Maker Tips: Unlike most of our other material sheets, felt is a flexible fabric so design accordingly. It’s recommended that design features be 3mm or larger to help parts keep their shape. Because this felt is a synthetic product, it melts reasonably easy when the laser is applied, so you’ll also want to allow for a larger kerf.
If you choose to further customize via laser engraving, simple area engraved shapes work best. Detailed area engraving will get lost due to the fluffy nature of the material.
If this Red Synthetic Felt makes your heart skip a beat, learn all about it here and snatch up a sample here.
What Will You Laser Cut With Red Synthetic Felt?
Are you ready to make with red synthetic felt? In addition to the ideas above, you could also get festive by making designs for weddings or celebrating holidays—Valentine’s Day, National Wear Red Day, Christmas or Kwanza, to name a few. Tell us your ideas for laser cutter projects by sharing your ideas below!
