Enjoying the shape: comparing wool hats

When you think of winter hats, what comes to mind is probably a knit cap made of woven yarn.

Or perhaps hats with fluffy fur that look warm just to look at, or hats with ear flaps—

many hats are designed to firmly protect the head and ears, which are especially exposed to the outside air.

The head is close to the face, and it's the part that catches the eye of others.

It's no exaggeration to say it determines your overall impression, so it's worth wearing an item that feels like you.

This time, we'd like to introduce hats with a brim that we recommend for winter.

Hats made of warm wool material surprisingly have a long history,

and their appearance, unchanged since long ago, remains a popular item even today.
 

【The Tyrolean hat, born in mountain regions, a traditional classic】

First, we'd like to introduce a hat from Zapf, distinguished by its rounded top shape.

Since 1893, each hat has been made one by one by craftsmen's hands in Vienna, Austria.

Zapf's ZERMATT series is what's known as a Tyrolean hat.

The Tyrolean hat, characterized by its front-sloping shape with the back portion folded upward,

originally takes its name from the farmers of the Tyrol region,

a mountainous area of Austria, who traditionally wore this style.

A small decorative cord is another key feature—some of you may have seen people

dressed in traditional folk costume with a feather tucked into the decorative cord.

By felting the wool, the Tyrolean hat becomes a sturdy hat resistant to losing its shape,

and thanks to wool's high water resistance and warmth, it has long been valued for hunting and outdoor activities.

Its supple, lustrous appearance has also made it fashionable, earning it popularity worldwide.

Zapf has been making this Tyrolean-style hat for about 120 years,

and its high quality and meticulous craftsmanship have earned it great acclaim.

Its achievements include being honored as a purveyor to the royal court,

and winning the Diana Medal silver award at the 1912 Vienna Exposition—

among numerous other honors. Today, it stands as a hat brand representative of Austria.

At Zapf, the wool and felt used as raw materials are dyed first,

then the felt is compressed and shaped over a wooden mold to form the hat.

Pre-dyeing brings out vivid coloring,

achieving a beautiful form along with a supple, pleasant texture.

The ZERMATT, made from rabbit fur, retains the soft feel of the material itself.

Its air-filled fibers provide excellent warmth—you'll feel warm simply by putting it on.

Since the brim and top are soft, you can shape it to suit your head shape or outfit, which is another appealing point.

Lower the wide brim for a composed, settled impression.

Raise the brim at the back or sides for a more active look.

Choose the shape that suits your coordination while showing off the beautiful sheen of the rabbit fur.

The TONI series, with its subdued color tones, features a compact design with the brim fully lowered.

The stitching on the brim serves as an accent.

Made of wool, this series has a more matte texture compared to the ZERMATT,

and benefits from wool's inherent durability—

that is, strong water resistance, resistance to friction, and resistance to staining.

The stitched areas are sewn with the fabric folded over once,

so another appealing feature is that the fabric is less likely to tear or fray.

This is the WAIDMANN, accented with a rope ribbon.

Smaller than the ZERMATT or TONI,

the WAIDMANN has a rather feminine feel and

can be worn in various ways, such as rounding the top for a different look.

The matte texture of the wool, combined with fabric sewn along the edge of the brim, gives it an even more elegant impression.

◇Styling with Zapf

Zapf's wool hats, with their calm color tones, are recommended for both men and women.

Simply paired with your everyday winter clothes, these wool hats serve as an accent,

pairing well with outerwear or scarves made of the same wool material.

Once you put one on, it comes together elegantly, making it an item you'll want to wear casually whenever you head out.

Matching the color of the hat with your clothing makes coordinating even easier.

Paired with the quintessential winter accessory, a tartan check scarf.

Paired with a traditional Cowichan knit sweater, which can double as outerwear.

【Fedoras: sharp in design too】

It was in the 19th century that hats began to play a major role in fashion.

Various hats emerged that are still widely loved today, including fedoras, flat caps, and boater hats,

and they have been cherished as part of fashion ever since.

The fedora, with its dented top, can be said to come in many variations depending on the width of the brim and whether or not it has a ribbon.

ITALIAN HAT COMPANY, founded in Florence, Italy—a city that has long flourished as a hat-producing region—

is also a brand that makes wool hats, including fedoras like these.

In Italy, many small workshops manufactured hats throughout the 19th century, but

in modern times, pushed by the wave of mass production, many workshops have been forced to stop production

while this workshop continues to make hats that hold firmly to being Italian-made.

A wool hat in a very simple fedora shape, without a ribbon.

And yet it carries a certain presence and a refined impression—

this can be credited to the skill of craftsmen who, using wooden hat blocks passed down since old times, have pursued both the natural shape of people's heads and a sense of contemporary fashion.

"Simple, casual, and a hat you can wear with ease in all kinds of everyday scenes"—

the wool hat truly embodies this philosophy.

It's an item you'll want to reach for effortlessly, to put the finishing touch on any outfit.

The crown narrows toward the top, and the brim is made slightly narrower,

giving the wool hat a more compact look that suits the smaller build of Japanese people as well as those with short hair.

It's a relief to avoid the common worry with hats—that they make the head look too heavy and throw off the balance of your whole outfit.

Also, the two colors, GREY/BEIGE and BEIGE, both have a wonderfully subtle tone that can't quite be called brown, white, or red.

Neither too flashy nor too subdued, the tone is easy to incorporate into any outfit and flatters your complexion.

This is the Lapin Felt Hat from ITALIAN HAT COMPANY.

Compared to the long-piled wool hat, this one is finished with shorter pile for a matte texture,

and the brim is made wider.

Like a classic fedora, it comes with a ribbon, and the eye-catching design features a two-tone crown and brim.

True to its name, the Lapin Felt Hat is made from rabbit fur, giving it a smooth touch and excellent warmth.

Because it's soft, you can shape it freely—not only in the classic front-down, back-up style, but also by lowering the brim all the way around,

or rounding out the top.

◇Styling with ITALIAN HAT COMPANY

The compact wool hat pairs surprisingly well with an oversized knit or dress, striking a nice balance.

Since it doesn't give too formal an impression, it also works effortlessly with casual outfits.

For the Lapin Felt Hat, with its distinctive color combination, try pairing it with solid-colored clothing.

Both hats come in colors that blend naturally with the skin, which is what makes them so easy to wear every day.

Pair it with a knit dress for an elegant look.

Easy to match with casual outerwear as well.

Let the hat take center stage with a solid-colored knit.

【Caring for Your Wool Hat】

To prevent the wool hat from losing its shape or changing in texture,

please avoid washing it with water, and use it with an understanding of the material's characteristics.

◇Precautions for Use

・When handling the hat, to prevent it from losing shape or tearing,

please hold it by the brim rather than the top of the crown.

We also recommend using both hands on the brim when putting it on or taking it off.

・Since the hat cannot be washed with water, please take great care to avoid getting it dirty.

・To prevent sweat from soaking in, we recommend removing the hat indoors when it's hot,

or on trains and similar places.

◇Care After Use

・After use, gently brush the hat with a soft horsehair brush, following the direction of the fibers,

to remove any dust or dirt.

・After brushing, let the hat air dry thoroughly in the shade to release any moisture inside.

Resting the hat periodically helps prevent it from losing its shape,

so please leave at least 2 to 3 days between uses.

◇How to Store Your Hat

・To prevent discoloration or insect damage, store the hat away from direct sunlight,

in a well-ventilated place.

・If the product comes with a box, we recommend storing it inside the box.

If there is no box, please wrap the hat in thin paper for storage.

・We recommend using insect repellent and a desiccant when storing the hat.