Felt hats are stylish accessories that both men and women can wear. For many reasons, people wear it as a fashion piece, for weather protection, as costume accents, and in the past, as an indicator of social status. And let’s admit it, felt hats give a classic and elegant vibe that is irresistible. But what do you do if your felt hat does shrink?
Here Are 3 Ways Felt Hats Do Shrink:
If you have found that your felt hat has shrunk, this is normally due to:
Excessive Sun Exposure: You have left your hat in a car or outside
Your hat has gotten wet: left in the rain
Shrunk over Time
If you want to know more about how a hat shrinks (read below). We have some great fixes you can implement to stretch you hat and get it back to the way it was.
Ways Felt Hats Do Shrink:
One of the biggest reasons felt hats shrink exposure to natural elements. These include the following factors below:
Excessive Sun Exposure
A felt hat protects you from the heat of the sun on summer days. However, continuous exposure will lead it to shrink. Lessen the risk of its wear and tear by proper care and storage. After using your felt hat, store it in a cool place and away from direct sunlight. Doing this will lessen its experience of extra stress from unnecessary heat exposure.
There will be instances you will be washing your felt hat. Dry it properly and not subject it to extreme heat. Choose air drying instead of direct sunlight, and hang it on a rack. The possibility of it shrinking due to sun exposure is less.
When Felt Hats get Wet
Aside from heat, moisture is also one of the ways felt hats do shrink. When this accessory gets wet from the rain or gets exposed to water due to washing, wear and tear are possible. Even contact with sweat can also affect the quality of your felt hat.
Do note that even if the job of a felt hat is to protect you from the rain, it is not advisable to wear it during heavy showers or blizzards. Its wool or fur fabric can only withstand rain showers, drizzles, and light snowfall. If you keep these in mind, the lifespan of your felt hat will be longer.
Overtime And Repeated Use The Felt Hat Shrinks
The accumulated combination of exposure to heat and moisture can shrink your felt hat. Over time your storage, washing, and handling method can cause it to wear and tear. To prolong the use of your accessory, here are some tips you can follow:
1. Do not machine wash it harshly. It can ruin the form and shape of your felt hat.
2. Do not forget it inside the car or near heat emitting devices. It will shrink and fade due to the intense heat.
3. Store it in a cool and dry place without direct sunlight. In this way, your felt hat will not get warped.
4. Hanging it on the rack is a good way to let it dry when used after light rain showers and snowfall. But do not hang it for a long time, as it could ruin the shape of the felt hat.
5. If you want to maintain the form of your felt hat when dusting it. Use a damp towel or lint roller to clean it.
6. Do not use hair dryers to remove moisture. It will do more harm than good. The materials can get deformed with the usage of direct heat.
7. When storing your felt hat, do not put its brim down on a flat surface. Keep it upside down on the crown part so it will not flatten.
How To Stretch Your Felt Hat
Is your felt halt too small? Or has it shrunk through time? There are some tricks to stretch it to your desired size. The following actions can be done by yourself or with professional help. Whichever you choose, it will maintain the beauty of your felt hat. Check out the options below.
Use A Hat Stretcher And Apply Some Steam
A hat stretcher is a device made of wood used to push the sides of the hat without damaging the materials. A hat stretcher is also known as a hat jack. This method is effective for felt hats, baseball caps, and straw hats. Use this tool too to maintain their shape. Using the hat stretcher is simple. Just follow these steps.
1. . Place it on the center of the felt hat hollow portion. Once it is secured, push it gently to your desired size.
2. Turn the center knob clockwise slowly to tighten the hat stretcher.
3. Apply steam beneath the brim of the felt hat. You can use a tea kettle to generate steam.
4. After applying steam, continue the rotation of the hat stretcher to make it wider. Be careful not to stretch too much as it could warp the shape.
5. Release the hat stretcher by turning the knob counter-clockwise. Be sure that the tool is loose enough when you pull it out. Then wear it on your head to see if the fit is right.
Take The Hat To A Milliner
A milliner is a person who makes hats for all types of customers. They are creative individuals that can turn your dull felt hats into something new and stylish. When you are not confident about stretching your felt hat by yourself, it is best to seek help from a milliner. This way, you can be assured that your beloved fashion accessory is in good hands.
