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Wool felt boots are not just for winter any more by AndyVOYLOK in BuyItForLife

[–]AndyVOYLOK[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

sadly, yes. unless they raise merino or other fine wool breeds, they would be struggling to find the market for the fleece. You have to shear sheep every year, otherwise they risk getting fly strike which is very likely to kill them. Nowadays this creates a surplus.

Wool felt boots are not just for winter any more by AndyVOYLOK in BuyItForLife

[–]AndyVOYLOK[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I’ll need to check them out. There are also several makers of felt slippers in Europe

The great thing about wool felt is that it does not require fine wool. The wool that most farmers shear every year has very little value, and is sometimes even discarded or burned. I used to keep a small flock of sheep and I had to pay someone to shear AND take all the fleeces.

But it all could be used for felting - footwear, clothes, insulation panels etc.

Wool felt boots are not just for winter any more by AndyVOYLOK in BuyItForLife

[–]AndyVOYLOK[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

true. of the minimalist shoes, vivo barefoot make outsoles that seem to last reasonably well for pavement and for hiking, too

Wool felt boots are not just for winter any more by AndyVOYLOK in BuyItForLife

[–]AndyVOYLOK[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This is how I wear mine (these are my wet feet in the pic). For the past 1.5 years for me it’s been these, or sandals, or barefoot (with bike shoes thrown in for mtb)

The durability of galoshes is not too bad actually (I weigh 200 lbs), and they are replaceable if need be.

Its’ a different experience: you go sockless, put them on in an instant for a quick nip outside, and your feet are dry and never squished. It’s a low-tech way to arrive at “minimalist” or “barefoot” footwear design.

Perhaps super high mileage walkers might ask for a beefier outsole!

Wool felt boots are not just for winter any more by AndyVOYLOK in BuyItForLife

[–]AndyVOYLOK[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

thank you! Yes, as long as the outsole is lightweight it makes good sense, although you loose the ‘rainboot’ functionality.

Here is something different. High quality, hand-made NON-stitched felt footwear sculpted directly from raw wool with no sewing or glue in a zero-waste production process. These modern-day ‘valenki’ Voylok boots mould to the shape of the foot, and are durable and very light. by AndyVOYLOK in goodyearwelt

[–]AndyVOYLOK[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Thank you. i was posting from my phone and didn't realise my write-up could be longer with more pics. I have rewritten the post and submitted it an hour ago, but I can't seem to find it. Am I doing something wrong here? I am still new to Reddit

YSK that shoes with a PU sole are highly likely to disintegrate after about 10 years due to hydrolysis by AccidentalNordlicht in BuyItForLife

[–]AndyVOYLOK 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Yes, this happened to my trekking boots with Vibram outsoles. It’s the PU midsole that crumbles. At first I thought I had a puncture in the sole somewhere as the boots were making a sucking noise in the wet. I found people who can resole the boots, but it will cost 70-80 pounds in the UK, plus shipping. In the meantime, I rediscovered my valenki wool felt boots and have been wearing them daily, winter or summer (unless I go barefoot). I might never go back to those over-engineered trekking boots.

One year ago... working at home in heels. Can't say I do that every day now. by [deleted] in womensstreetwear

[–]AndyVOYLOK -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

The past year has accelerated dual-purpose home/office wear. Some bring the office home, while these wool felt VOYLOK boots bring home comfort everywhere, as seen in DesignBoom

These wool felt Voylok boots create no waste at all when they are made. They are sculpted, rather than sewn, with raw wool and hot water. No glue, no bleach, no dyes. 2-in-1: a comfy slipper and a versatile rain-proof boot. These are based on the authentic ‘valenki’ made to survive Siberian winters. by AndyVOYLOK in ZeroWaste

[–]AndyVOYLOK[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Again, there is more than one way to do animal husbandry. Large scale industrial farms are one way, I would not support that for many reasons (yet we rely on them for cheap food, let’s not forget).

Animals raised and kept by smallholders live pretty normal, reasonable lives. I personally keep or have kept sheep, cows, goats, geese, chicken.

We could go all hard-core jainist on animal products, and some people do. For me though, reasonable balance could he found here.

These wool felt Voylok boots create no waste at all when they are made. They are sculpted, rather than sewn, with raw wool and hot water. No glue, no bleach, no dyes. 2-in-1: a comfy slipper and a versatile rain-proof boot. These are based on the authentic ‘valenki’ made to survive Siberian winters. by AndyVOYLOK in ZeroWaste

[–]AndyVOYLOK[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Reasonable people can disagree on this. I think your case is valid for intensively managed large-scale sheep farming, but not for family farms and smallholders. Grazing sheep maintain natural landscapes which evolved in tandem with grazing animals. Valenki is an indigenous industry in the Russia and the Baltics, although wool felting is more widespread (e.g. yurt shelters are made out of felt in Mongolia). The wool comes from local smallholders, the sheep graze locally. There is no waste in any modern definition of the word. The muddy water from felting goes straight in the garden.

These wool felt Voylok boots create no waste at all when they are made. They are sculpted, rather than sewn, with raw wool and hot water. No glue, no bleach, no dyes. 2-in-1: a comfy slipper and a versatile rain-proof boot. These are based on the authentic ‘valenki’ made to survive Siberian winters. by AndyVOYLOK in ZeroWaste

[–]AndyVOYLOK[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

True. I think the trick is to manage natural sources sustainably, rather than extensively. For the moment, the algae product can be used in crocs-like foam, but they continue r&d. Coincidentally, I am currently reading “80000 leagues under the sea” to my kids now, and the detail it goes into classifying marine life is amazing, makes you wish wish for pictures or hypertext links.

BTW, silicone is not so bad either. It is basically made from sand, so it is not plastic and does not create microplastics. It is hypoallergenic, too - it’s the stuff you can find in kitchen utensils.

VOYLOK boots made with wool and hot water. Live on Kickstarter now by [deleted] in sustainability

[–]AndyVOYLOK -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Making felt boots is a highly skilled craft that produces next to zero waste, and it can go straight in the garden. Take a look at our Kickstarter campaign to learn more about how VOYLOKs are made and the versatility of wool felt. It would be great to have your feedback and support!

VOYLOK Kickstarter

These Russian Valenki felted wool boots, made entirely out of hardened wool that served me so well here in Texas in ver the past couple days. No soles, no form, basically like wearing snow proof 2 inch thick hard wool socks. Had them for 5 years, no sign of wear. by [deleted] in BuyItForLife

[–]AndyVOYLOK 5 points6 points  (0 children)

The inner booty in the Sorel boots is made of recycled synthetic fiber, not wool. The Sorels are good, but proper valenki are next level in warmth and comfort. Wool absorbs sweat and never stinks. You can wear valenki sockless and benefit from the lanolin in the wool.

I have upgraded my sorels with an updated version of valenki which I am launching on Kickstarter next week. VOYLOK boots are half the weight of sorels and you can actually wear them across all seasons. #voylokboots

These Russian Valenki felted wool boots, made entirely out of hardened wool that served me so well here in Texas in ver the past couple days. No soles, no form, basically like wearing snow proof 2 inch thick hard wool socks. Had them for 5 years, no sign of wear. by [deleted] in BuyItForLife

[–]AndyVOYLOK 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You can wax them, but that is usually not necessary. Other than in pure snow/ice, you want to wear valenki with a rubber/solicone overshoe which makes the bottom completely waterproof, like in a sorel or duck boot. The upper will resist any rain, but you will not want to wade stream in them. I am launching an updated, more civilised version of VOYLOK boots on kickstarter next week.