I recently acquitred this Stetson Fedora. I'm curious to know it's approximate age, where it was made and if it was made by Stetson or Hatco. I discovered this:
If you are examining a Stetson to determine its age, the presence of a barcode is one of several modern indicators:
The Stetson Hat Company officially produced hats in Canada through a subsidiary, John B. Stetson (Canada) Ltd., beginning around 1935. The Canadian operation was later acquired by Biltmore Hats of Guelph, Ontario, in 1970. Biltmore continued producing Stetson-branded hats in Canada until the Guelph factory closed in 2012.
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Key details regarding Stetson in Canada include:
If you are examining a Stetson to determine its age, the presence of a barcode is one of several modern indicators:
- Barcode Implementation (1994): The introduction of barcodes on the interior specification tags marks the transition to modern inventory and manufacturing systems.
- Metric/US Dual Sizing (1994): Around the same time barcodes were introduced, Stetson also began including both European (metric) and American sizes on the same tag.
The Stetson Hat Company officially produced hats in Canada through a subsidiary, John B. Stetson (Canada) Ltd., beginning around 1935. The Canadian operation was later acquired by Biltmore Hats of Guelph, Ontario, in 1970. Biltmore continued producing Stetson-branded hats in Canada until the Guelph factory closed in 2012.
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Key details regarding Stetson in Canada include:
- Production Location: The primary Canadian production facility was in Brockville, Ontario, before shifting to Guelph, Ontario.
- Acquisition History: Stetson acquired the Brockville factory in 1935, which had previously been in operation since 1902.
- Factory Closure: The Biltmore Stetson Canada plant in Guelph shut down in 2012, at which point production moved to Texas.
