Hat trim - sweatbands,
linings, hatbands

Hat sweatbands

After sanding the body of the felt hat, the sweatband is added, a process that requires great precision. There can be no lumps or irregular lines in the sweatband; or it will leave red marks on the wearer’s forehead; a sweatband should grip a wearer’s head just tightly enough so the hat will stay on in a mild to medium breeze; and the band itself cannot be too thick or it will distort the set and shape of the brim and crown.

The quality of leather used in making the sweatband is also a very important factor. Since it is the only part of the completed hat that touches the head, it is imperative that the leather be soft, well-fitted, and absorbent, or the wearer will never fully enjoy the hat. Most hat leathers are made from sheepskin and lambskin. These skins are imported to the United States from countries around the world, the majority come from Argentina and New Zealand. Sheepskin and lambskin are used for hat leathers because they have the requisite properties. They are open textured and they easily absorb perspiration. Additionally, they are neither too soft, too stiff, nor too porous. Calfskin also makes a fine hat leather, but its high cost generally limits its use. Synthetic leathers are frequently used in lower-priced hats, and thanks to the modern synthetics manufactured today, these synthetic leathers can provide the wearer with many of the same qualities of leather but for a much lower price. Occasionally, grosgrain ribbon or other fabric is used for sweatbands when extreme light weight and flexibility are factors.

Hat leathers come in two types - roans and skivers. The roan is the whole skin with none of the flesh side shaved off. Skiver leathers have been split in two, with only the outer or grain side used to make the sweatband. Roans, with their plumpness and tensile strength, are used for higher quality hats. Skivers are usually used in medium and lower-grade hats, or where light weight is a primary concern. More than twenty-five different operations are necessary to transform raw skins into the finished product.

Once the sweatband has been cut, shaped, and dyed, the two ends are then sewn together and a small fabric bow is attached by hand at the top of the joint. The sweatband is then carefully machine-stitched into the hat. This brings us to the mystery of the sweatband ribbon. Just about everyone has wondered, at one time or another, what the little ribbon bow at the back of the sweatband is for. We’ve done some extensive research on this issue, and have heard several different interpretations. At one time, the bow was the adjustment aid, and indeed, in the eighteenth century, hats were made one-size-fits-all. Each hat was constructed with a ribbon running through the sweatband to be tied with a bow at the back, allowing the sweatband to be tightened or loosened as needed. Presumably, the bow we see today is merely a nod at tradition. We’ve also heard that the bow is no more than a subtle reference to where the back of the hat is, thus helping the wearer avoid the embarrassment of putting his hat on backwards. Yet another theory claims that the bow is a measurement guide for the hatter, precisely locating the center of the back, which the hatter uses to create a straight crease in the hat’s crown.

Sometimes, in the modern-day sweatband, the leather is reeded for added appearance and comfort. Originally, rattan reeds were used in this process, but in today’s hat market a resilient synthetic thread is encased in hatter’s glaze and, together with an oiled-silk insert, is sewn to the leather at the base of the brim. Reeded leathers are plumper looking and they cushion the head better, and the oiled-silk insert underneath is added protection against perspiration staining the felt. However, reeded leathers necessarily add to the cost of the hat.

There are also foam sweatbands on the market, consisting of a bond of plastic or rubber foam, with fabric facing laminated on the side next to the head. It provides a yielding, cushioned fit and can overcome slight variations in head size. Additionally, there are stretch sweatbands made of new stretch fibers, which spring back to softly cling to the head for the life of the hat. These stretch sweatbands make it easy to fit the between-size head in non-custom hats.

After the sweatband has been carefully sewn into the hood, it is turned in and the threads of the sweatband are smoothed down to prevent them from leaving imprints on the wearer’s forehead.

Hat linings

Linings in good hats were originally made of fine satins. With the improvement of synthetic textiles, most linings today are made of rayon, with two principal types of rayon linings in use: satin rayon, which has a smooth surface, a lustrous face, and a dull back; and taffeta rayon, which is a fine, plain-weave fabric, smooth on both sides, without the high luster of satin. Because taffeta is generally a lighter fabric than satin, it is used in lighter-weight hats.

We’ve heard the question again and again: What makes the lining stay in? Since most linings in even the finest hats are sewn only at the bottom edge, it’s not a silly question. The fact is that linings are precisely tailored to each hat, and the inserting is done by skilled workers. Careless or inept work can spoil the interior appearance of the hat, and lining application can be a very telling indicator as to the overall care and skill that went into the making of a particular hat.

For the best grade hat, individual linings are made not only for each head size, but also for each crown height. For other hats, one lining can be submitted in a hat with a different crown height. This can be done if they do not differ by more that one-fourth of an inch. The sweatband will conceal any difference, but in a well-done assembly, the seam in the lining should line up with the joint in the sweatband and with the center of the dye in the tip.

Hatbands

After the lining is added, a self band or outer hatband is then applied. The felt for the self band is taken from the brim or other section of the original crown felt to ensure that it matches perfectly. The self band is cut, finished, and then affixed to the outer portion of the hat with a buckle or concho to prevent it from coming off. For every hat there is a band; it is merely up to the wearer to choose one.