Roving (Wool tops), Carded Batting, and Carded Slivers: What’s the Difference in Needle Felting? 🤔
If you are new to needle felting or exploring new fibres, you have probably seen terms like wool tops (roving), carded batting, and carded slivers. Each has its own texture and best uses. Understanding the differences helps you choose the right wool for your project – whether you are felting animals, figures, or textured artwork.
At The Felt Box, we specialise in carded felting wool – the easy wool for needle felting – alongside natural and dyed wool tops and carded slivers for creative flexibility. Our ranges include over 160 repeatable shades of Carded New Zealand and DHG Māori wools, plus natural and Merino wool tops. Below is a simple guide to help you compare.
Wool tops (also called roving) are combed so the fibres all run in one direction. This gives a smooth, sleek texture that is ideal for fine detail or hair-like finishes.
- Smooth and Uniform – the aligned fibres create a neat, shiny surface
- Slower to Felt – takes longer to tangle because fibres are parallel
- Great for Detail – perfect for facial features, paws, or realistic fur
- Soft Merino Options – 18–23 micron fibres are lovely for wet felting or next to skin projects
Explore our natural wool tops for lifelike animal fur and dyed Merino wool tops for soft colour blending and smooth finishes.
Carded batting is processed through a carding machine, which mixes fibres in different directions. This makes it airy and quick to felt – perfect for needle felting bases or large shapes.
- Fluffy and Light – soft texture ideal for shaping
- Fast to Felt – criss-cross fibres interlock easily
- Natural Finish – gives a soft, slightly textured surface
Best for: base layers, larger projects, or adding woolly texture to animals and sculptures.
Our Carded NZ and Carded Māori ranges are both short-fibre wools that felt fast and evenly. The main difference is the mill – both are reliable, consistent, and beautifully easy to work with.
Carded slivers are similar to carded batting but formed into long, narrow strips. They share the same airy texture but are easier to handle, wrap, and build shapes with.
- Easy to Wrap – ideal for armatures or smaller sections
- Quick Felting – short, tangled fibres felt fast
- Great for Building Volume – adds bulk while keeping control
Discover our Carded Slivers in natural cream, brown, and grey tones – perfect for wrapping or layering inside 3D shapes.
| Type | Best For | Texture | Felting Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wool Tops (Roving) | Detail, hair, smooth finishes | Sleek, aligned fibres | Slower |
| Carded Batting | Base layers, fast builds, texture | Soft, airy fibres, intermixed in all directions | Fast |
| Carded Slivers | Wrapping, armatures, small projects | Light strips of carded wool | Fast |
Learn more about our Carded NZ and Māori ranges — micron, feel, and project guide — in our Carded Wool Colour Chart & Fibre Guide.
Colours vary slightly between monitors and lighting conditions. Our photos are carefully colour-matched, but please allow for natural variation in screen display and dye batch.
Happy felting from the team at The Felt Box UK 🧶
