Stetson Hats, an American Legend in Headwear

There is likely no brand that dominates the hat industry quite like Stetson—a household name that conjures up images of the Wild West, cowboys, presidents, and celebrities. Stetson revolutionized headwear by creating the world’s first cowboy hat in 1865, a time when people longed for the West and the dreams of Manifest Destiny. Today, Stetson is a world-famous brand known for its legendary Stetson cowboy hats, Stetson western hats, and a diverse collection of high-quality headwear.

From the Wild West to Beyoncé, who recently embraced the western fashion trend sporting a Stetson Shasta cowboy hat, the brand has cemented its legacy in western style. Stetson’s iconic lineup includes the Stetson Lariat, Stetson Open Road, and Stetson Corral—all celebrated for their durability and authentic design. Beyond western hats, Stetson offers timeless classic hats like the Penn Bogart and Stetson Panama hats, perfect for refined style.

Not to be overlooked is Stetson’s impressive range of flat caps, including the ever-popular Hatteras cap and Texas cap, ideal for vintage-inspired looks. And for a more casual, everyday option, the sought-after Stetson Trucker Caps deliver both comfort and heritage style.

Making a Stetson

The legendary Stetson cowboy hats are made to this day in the Stetson factory in Texas. It takes a skilled but small workforce two whole days to make a hat. First, fur is transformed into felt. Unlike other major hat companies, Stetson produces their hat bodies in house, meaning they do not rely on an outsourced fur felt finished project, but rather maintain the quality in production already at the start. Fur is the marker of quality and can vary in ranges of quality, and this determines the ‘X’ that follows in its name. The Stetson Open Road for example is a 6x fur felt, which means it is of super fine quality, as the scale ranges from 1 to 10x.

Furs are transferred through a machine that separates the strands, retaining the ultra valuable down furs, which are solely used in Stetson hats as they are the finest quality and retain the best attributes in rain and tough weather. From start to finish, it takes about 100 sets of hands to complete the hat. Once the furfelt is produced, it is shrunken and processed until the correct hat size is formed. Crowns are then shaped by stretching and pulling the felts over a shape, to help give form to the beginnings of the hat.

A machine at the same time uses brass fingers to push down and out along the felt to help to begin shaping the brim of the hat. This shape is then passed along to a forming machine, where the raw shape of the hat is submerged in hot water and shaped, to produce a brim and crown that can then be used to make a hat. The hat is then hand steamed and shaped to achieve the desired style of hat. A cattlemans crown for example, which is common amongst the western hats, is produced by pinching and developing its signature grooves by hand.

Stetson Open Road Hat

There are few products more iconic than the Stetson Open Road. Imagine a Porsche 911, or a Coca Cola Bottle, these items are symbols of their branding, and the Open Road is exactly that to Stetson. Its shape dates back to the 1930’s when the idea of “the open road” was just coming to fruition in the minds of Americans. Route 66 was funneling travelers across the country, and the myth and mythos that was inherent in this travel was born: the open road. Thus, Stetson made a hat to embrace this new found American tradition. By taking elements from their DNA with a western Cattlemen's crown, and combining it with a refined slightly upturned short brim more akin to the fedoras of the day, Stetson was able to produce an icon.

This occurred in 1948, after a mass marketing campaign across Texas, which billed the Open Road as the perfect in-between hat, perfect for city life and easily at home on the ranch. The Stetson open Road became a massive success and soon a household name, adjourning the heads of presidents like Lyndon B Johnson, and Harry Truman. Celebrities would go on to rock the hat across music genres, to film sets, the Stetson Open Road is truly an American icon in hats.

Care Tips for Stetson Western Hats & Stetson Cowboy Hats

There’s a wide range of western themed hats from Stetson. The most exclusive and legendary of which are those marked in ‘x’ quality. Take the popular Stetson Skyline for example, it is a 6x quality, which relates to the ratio of furs used and how fine materials they are, as well as how durable and long lasting the material will be. With proper maintenance, a hat of this quality can last several lifetimes. It is recommended never to store your hat resting on its brim, and best case is to store it in a Stetson Hat Box. If the leather sweatband is getting wet, flip it down so it can dry and to not induce any potential shrinking, same applies if the hat gets very wet, shake off excess water and let it dry upside down with the leather band folded out. If dirt and debris are a bother, wipe clean in a clockwise motion with a Stetson Hat brush, or if set into the fur, clean very gently with mild soap.

Stetson Vitafelt western hats and traveller hats are more durable and treated to be waterproof, crushable, packable, and overall more resistant. While not as fine in quality materials, these hats are designed to take a beating and can survive basically anything. Vitafelt Stetson hats are available in several western and cowboy styles, a unisex and womens hat can be worn with the traveller series.

Stetson Hatteras Newsboy and Texas Flat Caps

Flat caps have had a resurgence in recent years, with many striving after a Peaky Blinders style to their everyday wardrobe choice. The Stetson Hatteras is a perfect example of this kind of cap, featuring 6-panels sewn together on the crown and met with a button pinned to the top. Bigger, floppier style of Hatteras hats are called newsboy hats, or 8-panel hats. These have a similar fit, but much more vintage look to them as they are exaggerated and floppy over the sides and back. For a sleek modern look, be sure to check out the Stetson Texas flat cap which lacks the button on top, and is a more shaped duckbill style flat cap which stays in line with the natural shape of the head, perfect for those that are used to a ballcap, but with to transition to something warmer. Stetson flat caps are offered in a range of materials, from wool, tweed, cashmere, cotton and linen. Finding the right model and right material to match the season is no problem with a vast selection of colors and fabrics.

Stetson Trucker Caps

American style at its peak, the Stetson Trucker Cap. Featuring a mesh paneled back for breathability, and embroidered front with different motifs, these Trucker Caps are extremely popular and accessible for all ages and genders. The Stetson Trucker Cap is a statement piece that at the same time remains light and casual, a perfect compliment to any outfit regardless of style preferences.

Stetson Panama Hats And Straw Hats

Fur Felt is an amazing material, but for the heat of summer nothing beats the light breathability of straw, while also offering protection from the sun's rays. Stetson offers a range of both Panama Hats and Straw Hats, but what is the difference? To be a true Panama hat, the hat must be made of a specific straw grown in Ecuador, as well as made by hand by the experienced artisanal craftsman at these factories in Ecuador. Panama hats are made from Ecuadorian straw and made by hand in Ecuador.

Yet, they get their name from the times when the Panama canal was being constructed. The American President Theodore Roosevelt inspected the canal while wearing a straw hat, and the newspapers of the day ran the story that the man was wearing a Panama hat, and the name has since stuck. Depending on the quality of the straw and the weave, an ‘x’ factor may follow, and like fur felt this is a marker of quality. Typically speaking, the greater the ‘x’ value, the finer and tighter the weave. This becomes apparent when you look at the top of a Stetson Panama Hat’s crown and note the intricate pattern where the hats are woven from, this typically takes a worker about 6 days to hand weave a single hat.

Straw hats from Stetson are also available in a wide array of straw materials. Stetson Straw Raffia Hats are more rugged and rough to the touch, offering a bohemian look to them. Stetson Toyo Straw Hats are made from a straw that is essentially paper, which makes them ultra light and a more economic choice. Hemp Straws are also used for a budget friendly alternative to a genuine Panama Hat.

Stetson Beanies

It wouldn’t be winter without proper beanies to protect from the cold. Stetson beanies are some of the finest on the market, made in Italy of merino wool. This wool is soft to the touch, can retain heat when wet, and offers superb protection from the cold. Stetson Northport and Docker Beanies are a favorite in the selection.

Stetson Cologne and Aftershave

Stetson branded cologne and Aftershave produced for Stetson by Cody is a rich and nostalgic smell. With hints of whisky and cinnamon, it is manly yet distinct, the perfect grooming accessory for the Stetson man.