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Toyo Straw - I love this straw. It is manufactured in China from paper fibers. It dyes up beautifully, and as it gets older, fades in a manner similar to denim. Toyo straw is lightweight, soft, and cooling to wear in the summertime. I dye the color myself. Panama Straw - Actually from Ecuador, only called Panamas because workers from Ecuador wore them while working on the Panama Canal. These hats are hand-woven by whole villages from cultivated grasses, then dried and colored. This straw is very strong and can take a lot of abuse. Felted Wool - This fabric is made from 100% wool fibers in the Czech Republic, and is created by pressing the fibers together at a high temperature with steam as the glue. The result is a hat that is water-resistant, warm and comfy. Felt - I use 100% fur-felt, manufactured in the Czech Republic. It is soft, pliant and holds the shape well. Felt is easy to clean, feels luxurious to the touch, and is very warm. The process to create felt involves drawing the fiber together, compressing them, and shrinking the final product with steam until it is a strong, cohesive fabric. The way I work with felt is to steam it until soft, then to pull it over wooden hat blocks. When the felt has dried, the hat takes on the shape of the block. Felt can be used in many ways; steamed, pressed, embroidered, cut, and re-felted. It's the ultimate in recycling. Felt will be listed as Velour fur-felt (rabbit), Salame (mixed fibers), or Beaver fur-felt Angora - 90% Angora for warmth, 10% Nylon for stretch, manufactured in the Czech Republic. This fabric stretches to fit the head snuggly, yet is still comfortable and light. It is a luxurious fiber. Cotton Knit - 100% Cotton stretch knit. It is soft and pliant. Made in the USA. A note on production: All hats are manufactured in the USA. Thank you for supporting American businesses! |