Most roofing shingles are made up of asphalt, with some synthetic, wood and aluminum shingles making up the rest of the shingles found in the United States. Asphalt roofing shingles are made using a foundation as a base, which is either organic felt or fiberglass. The organic felt is made up of once-living materials like recycled paper or wood. The fibers of these organic materials are turned into a water-based pulp, then into sheets, then dried, then cut into strips, and, lastly, wound into rolls.