The Five-Minute Primer on All What You Need To Know About Felt Hats

There’s nothing more satisfying than a warm fur-felt hat on your head on a winter day. Felt caps and hats are among the most exclusive headgear you can buy nowadays. However, they need more than a little bit extra care to keep them looking great. A brief primer on felt caps and hats and how to take good care of them:

What Are Felt Caps and Hats?

Felt is the name given to the matted fabric consisting of fibers condensed and pressed together. The felt traditionally used to make hats and caps is animal fur or wool though modern techniques now include acrylic and other synthetic fibers. Felt is the only fabric made without knitting or weaving. According to Sew Port, the earliest evidence of the use of felt dates back to 6500 BC, it is undoubtedly the oldest fabric known to mankind. In addition to felt caps and hats being a major fashion accessory for the affluent and high-class people, it was necessary for people who were unlucky enough to be working outdoors in cold weather. As may be imagined, the quality and finish of the hats for the two sets of audiences are quite different.

What to Look Out For When Buying a Felt Cap or Hat

One of the prime considerations in buying a felt cap or hat is affordability. Wool felt is cheaper but the higher cost of fur felt is more than offset by its durability and functional properties. Typically, you will get better quality, you will pay more, but you need to be circumspect because many times, the extra price can be hard to justify. You need to think hard about what you want, your comfort, and the purpose you need the felt cap or hat to fulfill before buying one.

Without getting enamored by the quality and glitter of a fine felt hat, it is more important for you to choose a hat that you look good in and which is of the right size. If it does not fit right or look good, it does not matter what material it is made from. It is why you must try out a few different models with different crown heights, shapes, and creases and find out which suits you. It is vital for you not to get distracted by the specifics. Find a hat you are comfortable in, and half the battle is over. If you are unsure, consult the people at a reputed hat shop or friends and colleagues who wear and know about these hats.

Kinds of Felt Caps and Hats

Apart from the styling differences, the most important point of differentiation between felt caps and hats is the fabric of which they are made. You can choose between wool and fur. Sheared sheep wool is used to manufacture wool felt, and animal fur is treated to make fur-felt. Wool felt is cheaper than fur felt but is not as long-lasting. Because the fur felt is not made from sheared fur, and the pelts are treated in a specific way it makes the hat lighter but more robust.

Taking Care of Hats Made of Fur Felt and Wool Felt

Almost all felt caps and hats can take a shower or two in their stride as long as the intensity of the rain is low to moderate, and the duration, brief. However, if the hat is exposed to heavy rain for a long time, it is likely to lose its shape and shrink when drying. This is the reason why despite being shower-proof, a felt cap or hat should not be worn in heavy rain. To dry the hat, keep it on its crown and let it naturally without exposing it to any direct source of heat. After the hat is dry, you should brush it in a counter-clockwise motion with a soft-bristled brush. Even if the hat has not gotten wet, it is good practice to brush it from time to time to get rid of the dust, dirt, and debris. As with all other hats, you should not leave the hat lying around on its brim. If you cannot hang it on a peg, you should turn it upside down and let it rest on its crown to avoid deforming the brim. You must keep the hat away from extreme heat as it can dry it out and deform it. It is the reason why you must not leave it in a parked car with the windows rolled up.

Conclusion 

After a long hiatus, wearing caps and hats is once again finding favor among the fashionable. Fur felt and wool felt caps and hats are among the most exclusive hats, one can find. While you can wear them all year round in moderate climates, they come into their own when the weather turns cold. However, since they will invariably get dirty with use, you need to know how to take good care of them.