If you’re scratching your head, wondering what “flocking” is, you’re not alone. At its core, flocking means attaching tiny fibers to a surface to create texture. The process is often used in fashion, home decor and crafts, but it’s mostly known for adorning Christmas trees. Peak Seasons is the largest manufacturer of flock in the U.S. and Europe. Their recipe includes paper pulp as fiber, corn starch as adhesive, and boron as a flame retardant. Based in sunny Riverside, Calif., Peak Seasons starts with paper and a grinder, and the final product is almost like baby powder. It’s shipped all over the country in large bags similar to those used for cement. Once you get the mix, you need to affix the stuff in a nice even coat, which is where flock machines like the Mighty Sno-Blower come in. They’re basically big tanks that hold varying amounts of flock, depending on the model, plus a mechanism at the bottom to fluff up the powder. The machine then pumps the powder through a hose, and a gun at the end mixes it with a mist of water. You don’t have to go with a professional flocker, or even use manufactured flock. There are all sorts of DIY recipes that include things like soap flakes and coconut flakes. There are, of course, pitfalls. Not enough water, and the flocking falls off and makes a huge mess. A flocked tree can’t get wet a second time because it won’t dry. If, however, you get it right, you’ve got a real stunner, and when you plug it in, it absolutely glows inside.
