What Makes Hat Quality?
All felt hats look similar at a quick glance, and a customer may wonder why one costs $50.00, another $100.00, $200 or more. The difference can be seen and felt once he get them in his hand, and it shows up even more after months of wearing. But the question remains; what make hat quality? The major items of cost are the fur, the trimmings and highly important, the workmanship. Selection of the fur determines the tightness of the felt and the sheen and resilience of the finish. It comes in dozens of grades of rabbit, hare, nutria, beaver, etc., and may vary in price from $10 to $100 a pound. Each has its own property of felting, tightly or loosely, and the tighter the felt the more “live” and shape retaining the hat will be. Certain portions of the fur, the backs of land animals, the bellies of water animals, are superior in quality and command a higher price. There is also the cheaper “short stock” (reclaimed fur) and synthetic fiber which acts as a filler but does not tighten the fel
