Cloth-wrapping and rolling is one of the essential steps in making semi-spherical Pouchong tea (commonly known as oolong tea). The goal is to shape the tea leaves into a semi-spherical form, which not only looks appealing but also makes the tea easier to store and transport. This easy-to-transport and store semi-spherical shape is a major reason why oolong tea has become the mainstream tea variety in Taiwan.
Cloth-wrapping and rolling takes place after the initial rolling process. The tea leaves are placed into a cloth bag, tightly wrapped, and kneaded into shape through twisting motions. After being wrapped tightly, the cloth bundle is left to rest for a period of time. Afterward, the bag is untied, and the tea leaves are placed back into the fixation machine to be heated and softened before undergoing the cloth-wrapping and rolling process again. This entire process must be repeated three times.
During the first rolling session, because the tea leaves are still quite soft, you must not apply too much force, otherwise the leaves will easily deform or flatten. It is best to gradually increase the pressure with each round. The better the quality of the cloth-wrapped rolling, the tighter and firmer the tea leaves become, making them not only easier to store but also much more convenient for transport and packaging.
After three rounds, the tea leaves should have formed into a semi-spherical shape, ready to move on to the drying step.