The inside of the hat will look and feel like plastic. The outside will feel slightly furry to the touch. Available in many styles. This is a budget style of hat.

Plastic
The inside and the outside will be plastic. A variety of colours and styles are available. This is a budget style of hat.

Velour
The hat is made up from a thick, velour type of material. Looks expensive and substantial.

Felt
Moulded felt hat available in many styles. Will lose shape if it gets wet.

Rubber
Available in a few styles. Very hard wearing and budget priced.

Straw
Fairly cheap, but strong hats. Mainly used for sombreros and beach style hats.

Wool Felt
Top quality hat. Can be steamed to clean and mould back to shape.

History Of Cowboy Hats

John Batterson Stetson
in 1865, John Batterson Stetson invented and sold his first hat in Central City, Colorado. The hat was a wide brimmed, high crowned design that he called 'Boss of the Plains', more commonly known as the 'ten gallon cowboy hat'.

John Stetson was a hat maker from New Jersey who moved west to seek his fortune during the gold rush. Stetson's cowboy hat was later renamed 'stetson' after the maker. The hats protected the cowboys from the sun and necks from the rain and could also double as a water bowl.