Pool Table Felt and the Economy

Do you have sticker shock when shopping for pool table felt? Two major brands (Simonis and Championship) recently had retail price increases in the 10% range. We would expect other brands will follow in the short term.

As with other products, supply and demand comes into play with material costs for producing a product. Apparently there is a high demand and increased cost for wool which is the primary material used in pool table felt. In addition the value of the dollar in international markets also has a bearing on determining retail pricing to the end user. Manufacturers also consider the colors they offer and some non-performing colors may be discontinued due to low sales.

If there is any good news it is that pool table felt prices usually adjust annually - after the first of the new year. If you intend to recover your table at some point it's probably a good idea to buy your cloth before yearend and leave it in the packaging until ready to use it.