tupsu

Tupsu is a Finnish noun meaning a small tuft or cluster of hair, wool, or fiber. The term is used for both natural tufts, such as a tuft of fur or hair, and artificially created clusters used as decoration. In everyday language, tupsu can refer to any compact bundle of fibers that stands out from a surface.

In textiles and fashion, tupsu describes decorative tufts added to fabrics, clothing, hats, carpets, and upholstery. Tufts can be produced by tufting techniques or by attaching small fiber clusters to a base material, providing texture and color contrast. The concept is frequently encountered in product labeling and design descriptions to convey the presence of a textured, tufted element.

Within Finnish usage, tupsu is treated as a common noun and follows standard noun inflection. The word is relatively modest in specialized technical meaning and is most commonly encountered in descriptive writing or everyday speech about textiles, clothing, or animal appearances.

See also: tuft, tassel, pom-pom.