Are cowboy hats made of beaver?

Asked by: Joshua Black

Modern high end cowboy hats are still made with beaver felt. Just how much beaver fur is in the mix of a modern beaver hat is a trade secret. The Stetson Hat Company may have been the first makers to use an “X” designation to represent felted fur formulas as early as 1904.

What material are cowboy hats made of?

Cowboy hats today are made from fur-based felt or straw, or less commonly, from leather. Felt hats used to be worn in the winter to help protect the cowboy from cold and dampness. Straw cowboy hats were made for the summertime to protect from sun and heat.

Are Stetson hats made of beaver?

Stetson uses a variety of quality furs, such as rabbit, hare and beaver fur to make the fur felt material for their weather resistant and durable hats. Stetson still uses a century old felting process to turn the fur into fur felt, and most of Stetson’s machines still used today are original antique equipment.

What kind of fur is used to make cowboy hats?

Despite being an expensive investment Stetson hats soon became the norm for cowboys. Today the company uses rabbit felt instead of beaver. Fur felt is far more durable than wool, which is really saying something when you consider how many years a wool hat can be worn!

What hats are made from beaver?

A beaver hat is a hat made from felted beaver fur. They were fashionable across much of Europe during the period 1550–1850 because the soft yet resilient material could be easily combed to make a variety of hat shapes (including the familiar top hat).

Are beaver hats still made?

Modern high end cowboy hats are still made with beaver felt. Just how much beaver fur is in the mix of a modern beaver hat is a trade secret. The Stetson Hat Company may have been the first makers to use an “X” designation to represent felted fur formulas as early as 1904.

What are expensive cowboy hats made of?

According to Stetson, these brands produce premium Cowboy Hats that are made from Straw, as they are easy to maintain and are primarily lightweight. There are other Cowboy hats made from fur felt, leather, and wool.

How can you tell a beaver hat?

You'll see will be a little bit more furry meaning it has more wool in it and the more beaver has the more shinier. The actual hat will look. And obviously the more exits you get the more shiny. Look.

When did they stop making beaver hats?

The beaver hat remained fashionable for centuries but was eventually supplanted by the silk hat in the 1800’s. By the 1860’s, the beaver hat was no longer the height of fashion and the fur trade was in decline.

Are top hats made of beaver?

Hats were made of a variety of fur felt but the best quality and most popular felt was made from beaver.

Can a beaver cowboy hat get wet?

Since Limpia Creek Hats uses only beaver and rabbit fur felt without cosmetics, it will not hurt your hat to get wet, or even drenched. We actually prefer that you wear your hat in the rain, and do not cover it with plastic or a rain cover. When you get out of the rain, just hang it up to dry.

Are beaver hats waterproof?

Beaver hats are durable, water-resistant, light-weight and thin. In addition to cleaning up better and lasting longer, they hold their shape better than most other materials.