### WALKSTOFF - a fabric with a long tradition and a great future **The history** The method of felting woollen fabrics has been known for a long time in many parts of the world. The oldest finds date back to around 6500 BC and were discovered in what is now Turkey. In the Altai Mountains in Siberia, garments made of whalecloth were found in graves dating back to the 7th century BC. Preserved by the "eternal ice" in this region, the clothes could not only keep their bright colours, but also their good condition. In the Alps, the method of wool felting has been known for more than 2000 years. People used the wool of sheep, goats and wild animals as raw material for making socks, capes and other garments. Warriors even covered their shields with this felt. Around 1350, knitted wool was used for the first time as the basis for whalecloth. Today, these very traditional woollen jackets are still very popular in all alpine regions of Europe. The productio