Felt compared with leather, PU, cotton canvas and plastic
A practical comparison for buyers choosing a material for bags, sleeves and gifts. It is qualitative on purpose: an honest numerical comparison needs equal functional units and a disclosed method, and these do not exist for every pair.
Felt and its alternatives
| Polyester / rPET felt | Cotton canvas | PU “leather” | Real leather | PP / plastic | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Look | Matt, soft, structured | Casual | Smooth, can look cheap | Premium | Technical |
| Holds its shape | Good, in 3–5 mm | Only when thick | Good | Good | Very good |
| Scratch protection | Very good | Fair | Fair | Good | Weak |
| Water | Absorbs, dries slowly | Absorbs | Resists | Needs care | Resists |
| Wear | May pill with friction | Good | May peel with age | Very good | Good |
| Branding | Bold print, patch, embroidery | Fine print | Deboss, print | Deboss | Print, moulding |
| Relative unit cost | Low to medium | Low to medium | Medium | High | Low, high tooling |
How to choose
Choose felt when
Structure, a soft surface and protection matter, and when you want a recycled share you can document.
Choose canvas when
Fine print matters and the bag should be washable.
Choose something else when
The product has to withstand rain or heavy abrasion. Felt is the wrong material for that.
Frequently asked questions
Is felt more sustainable than cotton?
There is no honest general answer. It depends on how the fibres are made, how long the product is used and how it is disposed of. A product used for years usually beats one used once, whatever the material.
Can felt replace PU leather?
In many sleeves, folders and organisers, yes, with a very different look. Test a sample with your brand.
Is felt waterproof?
No. Polyester felt does not rot, but it absorbs water and dries slowly.
Tell us what you want to make in felt
A product idea, a quantity and your logo are enough. You get delivered prices, minimums and lead times within 2 working days.
Request a quote
Send your product idea, quantity and logo. We reply with prices delivered to your country, minimum quantities and lead times.
- Reply on working days, usually within a few hours
- Prices delivered to your door, customs and VAT included in the calculation
- Written offer within 2 working days
What happens next
- 1Offer with prices and MOQs1–2 working days
- 2Samples to your address7–14 days
- 3Production and inspection15–35 days
- 4Shipping, customs, deliveryrail/sea 25–45 days, air 7–12
- 188 catalogue products, private label from 100 pcs
- EU company: VAT invoice, customs and GPSR handled
- Write to us in your language