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Hat materials, explained
We make hats from eight materials and they behave completely differently. Some pack, some don't. Some are right in August, some are for October and after. This is the short version of what each one is and when to reach for it.
At a glance
The whole range, in one table
| Material | Warmth | Breathability | Packs | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Wool felt
|
Warm | Low | – * | Autumn / Winter |
Straw and raffia
|
Cool | High | – | Spring / Summer |
Mesh
|
Cool | Highest | Year round | |
Cotton and linen
|
Cool | High | Year round | |
Cashmere
|
Warmest | Low | Winter | |
Corduroy
|
Warm | Low | Autumn / Winter | |
Mohair
|
Warm | Medium | Winter | |
| Angora | Warm | Low | Winter |
* Wool felt depends on the brim. Brushed and unwired folds; sewn and wired doesn't. See below.
Material 01
123 styles
Wool felt
What it is
Wool fibers matted and pressed rather than woven. Ours is mostly Australian brushed wool, which is softer than a standard felt and has a slight nap to it.
How it wears
Warm without bulk, and it improves. Felt takes on the shape of the head that wears it, which is why an old felt hat fits better than a new one.
How it packs
This is the one that surprises people. A brushed or unwired brim folds and recovers. A sewn or wired brim is holding a shape on purpose, and folding it fights the construction. Two felt hats that look identical can sit two dots apart on our scale for this reason alone.
What it's for
October onward. It's the autumn and winter workhorse: ranchers, fedoras, cowboys.
Rates:
to
depending on the brim
Material 02 - the important one
“Straw” is five different materials
They look similar on a shelf and behave nothing alike. This is the single most useful thing to know before buying a warm-weather hat.
Raffia, crocheted
Palm fiber worked in loops. The loops give and recover, which is why it survives a suitcase.
Packs
Raffia, braided
A flat plait sewn in a spiral. A hard fold cracks the braid and the crack doesn't come out.
Doesn't
Wheat straw
Natural wheat, lightly stiffened. Warm-toned, slightly rustic, the classic summer hat.
Flat, with care
Toyo
Pressed paper straw. Smooth, even, more refined-looking than wheat and lighter than it looks.
Flat, with care
Seagrass and sisal
Coarser fibers with real texture and more built-in structure. Holds a shape well.
Best carried
The rule we don't bend. We never describe a braided raffia hat as packable or foldable - not in the title, not in the tags, not anywhere. The material cracks under compression and no amount of careful packing changes that. If you want a straw hat for a suitcase, choose crochet raffia or mesh.
Material 03
35 styles
Mesh
What it is
An open synthetic weave, built to move air. The least understood material we use and the one that solves the most problems.
How it wears
Cooler than straw, and it doesn't mind getting damp. Reads spring and summer but sells all year, because it's the only thing that works in humidity.
How it packs
Better than anything else we make. It's designed to compress and spring back: roll it, sit on it, it recovers.
What it's for
Heat, travel, and anyone who has ruined a straw hat.
Rates:
to
Materials 04 - 08
The rest of the range
12 styles
Cotton and linen
What it is
Woven natural fiber, unstructured. Crushers, dad caps, canvas buckets.
How it wears
Softens with wear and washing. The most casual thing we make, and the only category you can put in a machine.
How it packs
Roll it into a bag. There's no structure to lose.
Rates:
45 styles
Cashmere
What it is
Fine goat-hair fiber, spun and knitted or felted.
How it wears
Warmer than wool at half the thickness, and it feels like nothing on. This is the material that makes a winter hat worth owning rather than tolerating.
How it packs
Folds easily but wants a little room. The pile flattens under weight and takes a day to come back.
Rates:
Corduroy
What it is
Ribbed cotton pile. Structured, textural, unmistakably autumn.
How it wears
Holds its shape well, which is exactly what you want in a winter bucket or a docker cap.
How it packs
It doesn't, really. The structure that makes it good is the structure that resists folding.
Rates:
Mohair and angora - the warm ones
Mohair
Angora goat. Lustrous, slightly hairy, holds color beautifully. The one that photographs best.
Angora
Rabbit fiber. Extremely soft, extremely light, a small collection because it's a difficult material to get right.
How they pack
Neither of them well. The pile is the point, and compressing it flattens what you're paying for. Wear these; don't fold them.
Rate:
across both
Questions
The ones we get asked most
What's the difference between raffia and straw?
Raffia is a palm fiber; straw is usually wheat, or pressed paper in the case of toyo. Raffia is softer and more flexible and, when it's crocheted rather than braided, it packs far better. Both are lightweight and breathable, which is why both end up on a beach.
Which hat material is coolest in summer?
Mesh, by a clear margin. It's an open weave built to move air and it's the only thing we make that stays comfortable in humidity. After that, crochet raffia and cotton.
Can you wash a straw hat?
No. Straw and raffia are natural fibers that lose their stiffness when soaked and dry misshapen. Spot clean with a barely damp cloth, lift dust with a soft brush, and steam the shape back if it needs it. Cotton and linen are the only category you can put in a machine.
What is toyo straw?
Pressed paper straw. It's smoother and more even than wheat straw, lighter than it looks, and takes a cleaner shape. It packs flat with care but doesn't like being crushed.
Which hat material lasts longest?
Wool felt, and it isn't close. Felt takes on the shape of the head that wears it, so it fits better in year five than year one. Straw is seasonal by nature, though treated well a good raffia hat will give you several summers.
Is wool felt too hot for spring?
Usually. Felt is warm without being bulky, which is what makes it the autumn and winter workhorse. For spring, look at mesh, cotton or a lighter straw.
Now the useful part
Every hat we make carries a travel rating built on exactly this: how the material behaves, not how it looks.