The present invention provides a novel needle-punched nonwoven felt fabric which is made of same or substantially similar melting point short fibers of same type or different types, preferably made of one melting point short fibers of same type, wherein the felt fabric is stiff enough to be self-sustaining and has the ability of shape maintenance. The felt fabric exhibits excellent pleatability, moldability and compressive strength. The invention also provides a method for manufacturing the felt fabric, and a filter comprising the felt fabric used as the material of a filter element of the filter, wherein the filter element requires no support structure to stand alone and persistently retains its shape. The present invention further provides use of the felt fabric as a sound absorbing material.