Sourcing Hat Bodies Wool, Straw, Blends?

[Millinery Warehouse]

What kind of leather?
What widths? (1 5/8 in and/or 2 in)
What colors?
Is there a minimum order quantity?

No MOQ. 2" width, black, natural, tan, ginger, and chocolate.

 

[Millinery Warehouse]

Any delivery date yet for the 160gr western weight?

The 160G are not going to restock unfortunately. We will primarily be moving forward with 140G Velour, 180G Smooth Western Weight and 210G Smooth Western Weights.

Thanks!

 

[belfastboy]

I just received my order of Leather sweatbands from Tim @Purebeaver (instagram). I really like them. Lamb skin, 2" width, Great colour selection. Nice and soft/supple yet substantial. I really like them.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I just received my order of Leather sweatbands from Tim @Purebeaver (instagram). I really like them. Lamb skin, 2" width, Great colour selection. Nice and soft/supple yet substantial. I really like them.

I thought the sweatbands were from Sullivan. Did you get some from Tim too?

 

[jlee562]

Tim added three new colors recently, I like the lightest shade "Russet"

https://www.instagram.com/p/CB_LAe2JxXB/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

[belfastboy]

I thought the sweatbands were from Sullivan. Did you get some from Tim too?

I picked up some from Tim on the hunch I would get them quicker, he mailed them directly to me. I needed one for a hat order for a birthday present. Tim's are very much like the ones from Bond, about the same price. Great quality but Sullivan's are much cheaper. Tim will charge me just what the postage costs him while Sullivan charges a set $45 fee for shipping to Canada. So in the end, for a few sweats Tim's price comes out a bit lower.

 

[belfastboy]

Tim added three new colors recently, I like the lightest shade "Russet"

https://www.instagram.com/p/CB_LAe2JxXB/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

I cannot recall what colours I ordered but I really like the one I am calling OxBlood. It is a brown with decided red tones to it. He was out of dark brown and black.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

My bottle green western using the felt from The Millinery Warehouse is not to be. I sent the felt to Mike at NW and this was his response:

“...here is what I know right now. This is not a 100% fur felt body. It feel (sic) very much like a wool blend. Which is not good for the size you need this thing to me (sic). It is a rather small body for what you need. The wools don't have the kind of stretch the furs do.”

I don’t know if it’s a wool blend or just a rough fur felt hat, but it’s not a quality felt and it’s not big enough to be made into the western I wanted. Live and learn. The good news is I’m going ahead with the hat just having Mike source the felt. I would have went with another nutria felt from Sunrise but they aren’t in stock yet.

 

[belfastboy]

My bottle green western using the felt from The Millinery Warehouse is not to be. I sent the felt to Mike at NW and this was his response:

“...here is what I know right now. This is not a 100% fur felt body. It feel (sic) very much like a wool blend. Which is not good for the size you need this thing to me (sic). It is a rather small body for what you need. The wools don't have the kind of stretch the furs do.”

I don’t know if it’s a wool blend or just a rough fur felt hat, but it’s not a quality felt and it’s not big enough to be made into the western I wanted. Live and learn. The good news is I’m going ahead with the hat just having Mike source the felt. I would have went with another nutria felt from Sunrise but they aren’t in stock yet.

There seems to be a two very distinct markets for felts. The felts made for the women's millinery market are different animals than those made for men's fedoras. I am thinking the millinery market is more slanted towards fashion and throwaway goods. I have 4 of the MillWharehouse felts but I bought all of them for women's hats. I have yet to work with them...now am interested and am scared about what I will find out. Tim @purebeaver has some Winchester mink/beaver blend...that might be an avenue to pursue.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

There seems to be a two very distinct markets for felts. The felts made for the women's millinery market are different animals than those made for men's fedoras. I am thinking the millinery market is more slanted towards fashion and throwaway goods. I have 4 of the MillWharehouse felts but I bought all of them for women's hats. I have yet to work with them...now am interested and am scared about what I will find out. Tim @purebeaver has some Winchester mink/beaver blend...that might be an avenue to pursue.

This hat body was/is advertised as 100% rabbit fur felt. I only have what Mike told me, but I believe him completely. Odd that this western felt isn’t big enough to make a standard western hat, and the felt is either a wool blend or very poor quality fur felt. I really wanted a bottle green hat, but I insist on a decent quality hat.

 

[belfastboy]

This hat body was/is advertised as 100% rabbit fur felt. I only have what Mike told me, but I believe him completely. Odd that this western felt isn’t big enough to make a standard western hat, and the felt is either a wool blend or very poor quality fur felt. I really wanted a bottle green hat, but I insist on a decent quality hat.

Yes, I really wanted to like the Ukraine felts w/a US source and have an alternate to the European suppliers but I guess not. Overall I am happy with the Tonak bunny but it doesn't help you with the larger western size needed.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

My bottle green western using the felt from The Millinery Warehouse is not to be. I sent the felt to Mike at NW and this was his response:

“...here is what I know right now. This is not a 100% fur felt body. It feel (sic) very much like a wool blend. Which is not good for the size you need this thing to me (sic). It is a rather small body for what you need. The wools don't have the kind of stretch the furs do.”

I don’t know if it’s a wool blend or just a rough fur felt hat, but it’s not a quality felt and it’s not big enough to be made into the western I wanted. Live and learn. The good news is I’m going ahead with the hat just having Mike source the felt. I would have went with another nutria felt from Sunrise but they aren’t in stock yet.

I just heard back from The Milliners Warehouse. The gentleman was more than accommodating. He informed be that the hat body was indeed 100% fur felt. It could be that the finish or felting process was just different from what Mike at Northwest was used to.

I was also offered a new hat body with larger proportions for free. The Milliners Warehouse has provided immediate and outstanding customer service. I’m unable to edit my original post due to the time that has passed, but I wish I could.

The Milliners Warehouse is reaching out to Mike directly and seeing about sending him the new felt for my project. As I said, the customer service and willingness to go above and beyond has been most impressive. I don’t know how these felts will finish out or how the finished hat will compare to a staple Winchester or a rabbit Tonak. I do know that the company has been a joy to work with and offers some interesting felts: I wish them well.

 

[mayserwegener]

Tonak has many felts that are special that require factory contact for samples. Back in 2011 I was going have Tonak make a hat based on this 1930s J. Hückel´s Söhne "Sigma Foulard Seal Velour". The writing is from Tonak.

Here are some correspondences I had regarding the Velour samples (which I can't find now).

"Hello Bohdana,

I received the Velour samples and Shadecard. Thank you so much!

I do like the Special Velour Platino finish.

I have a couple follow-up questions if you don't mind.

I didn't see the 6286 color in the Shadecard. What color is this?

I noticed with the Special Velour Monsun sample the nap went top to
bottom. Can the nap go side to side like the Special Velour Platino
sample?

The Shadecard mentions the Velour felts are made from Hare fur. Is the
Special Velour Platino and Monsun a Hare / Rabbit fur blend or 100% Hare
fur?

Thanks,
Steve

Hello dear Steve,

very sorry for the my late reply.
I´m so busy these days...
Here are the answers to your questions:
The color n. 6286 is our old color (old code). But we still made this
color. It is not in new shadecard only.
The Special Velour Monsun is finish with long hair.
We are able to smooth hair ( go side to side).
The Special Velour Platino is made from 100% hare fur.
The Special Velour Monsun is made from 90% hare fur and 10% rabbit fur.

Have nice weekend

Bohdana

Hello Steve

I spoke about your hat with my colleague. To enter into production is
needed to order a minimum number of pieces - 60 pcs.

We try to find the most appropriate form for production this hat.

We think that this is a quality special velour - platino.
Have nice day.

Bohdana"

Here is Tonak 1799 Colour Card Furfelt and Woolfelt Hats and Hatbodies from 2015.

https://germanaustrianhats.invision...card-furfelt-and-woolfelt-hats-and-hatbodies/

I sent a photo of this hat to Tonak regarding the color I was looking for.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Tonak has many felts that are special that require factory contact for samples. Back in 2011 I was going have Tonak make a hat based on this 1930s J. Hückel´s Söhne "Sigma Foulard Seal Velour". The writing is from Tonak.

Here are some correspondences I had regarding the Velour samples (which I can't find now).

"Hello Bohdana,

I received the Velour samples and Shadecard. Thank you so much!

I do like the Special Velour Platino finish.

I have a couple follow-up questions if you don't mind.

I didn't see the 6286 color in the Shadecard. What color is this?

I noticed with the Special Velour Monsun sample the nap went top to
bottom. Can the nap go side to side like the Special Velour Platino
sample?

The Shadecard mentions the Velour felts are made from Hare fur. Is the
Special Velour Platino and Monsun a Hare / Rabbit fur blend or 100% Hare
fur?

Thanks,
Steve

Hello dear Steve,

very sorry for the my late reply.
I´m so busy these days...
Here are the answers to your questions:
The color n. 6286 is our old color (old code). But we still made this
color. It is not in new shadecard only.
The Special Velour Monsun is finish with long hair.
We are able to smooth hair ( go side to side).
The Special Velour Platino is made from 100% hare fur.
The Special Velour Monsun is made from 90% hare fur and 10% rabbit fur.

Have nice weekend

Bohdana

Hello Steve

I spoke about your hat with my colleague. To enter into production is
needed to order a minimum number of pieces - 60 pcs.

We try to find the most appropriate form for production this hat.

We think that this is a quality special velour - platino.
Have nice day.

Bohdana"

Here is Tonak 1799 Colour Card Furfelt and Woolfelt Hats and Hatbodies from 2015.

https://germanaustrianhats.invision...card-furfelt-and-woolfelt-hats-and-hatbodies/

I sent a photo of this hat to Tonak regarding the color I was looking for.

I don’t know about sixty, but you can put me down for one.

 

[mayserwegener]

I don’t know about sixty, but you can put me down for one.

Yes that is why I backed out. You could get various sizes but only one color. Also the distance factor.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I recently exchanged some emails with Mikael of Hufvud. I had asked him if his 50X (50% beaver 50% rabbit) fur felt had the same re-shapable qualities as Hornskov advertised for their 50/50 hats. Both hatters use FEPSA felt. Mikael wasn’t sure. Along with the fur content, you can specify the weight of the felt from FEPSA. When I mentioned that Hornskov said their 100X (100% beaver) felt wasn’t as re-shapable as their 50X felt. Mikael said that the 100X would have to be ordered thinner from FEPSA for it to be re-shapable in the same was Hornskov’s 50X. It’s a bit confusing as neither hatter specify the weight of the felt they use and various weights are not offered by either.

Let’s hope that FEPSA makes it easier for small US hatters to access their felt.

 

[jlee562]

I wonder what options are available to hatters that FEPSA will actually correspond with. I can say that my HJ is substantially heavier than either of the felt bodies I bought from Tim.

 

[belfastboy]

If you saw today's email from Optimo about their Insiders Club.....they are about to offer a whole new array of felts. Marketing genius!

 

[mayserwegener]

You definitely have to have a special contract with FEPSA or a source (probably in Europe) that does. I can ask around see what I can find out. Graham at Optimo buys direct and has special status.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I see that the Milliner’s Warehouse has started to sell 100% beaver hat bodies.

https://millinerywarehouse.com/fur-felts/210g-western-weight-beaver-capelines

My bottle green itch is being scratched, but maybe a burnished copper? Hopefully they restock. After my disappointment with the rabbit fur felt, I think I’ll let someone else be the Guinea pig with the beaver.

https://millinerywarehouse.com/fur-felts/210g-western-weight-beaver-capelines