The profession of a hatter is rooted in a long history of artisan skill and precision. A hatter is a person who designs, makes, repairs, or sells headwear, maintaining the traditional methods of the craft. This occupation is a blend of artistry and technical knowledge, focused on creating durable, shaped head coverings.
Defining the Hatter’s Craft
The hatter’s craft centers on transforming raw materials, such as felt or straw, into structured headwear. This specialization traditionally involved working with materials requiring substantial manipulation, like felting fur fibers into a cohesive sheet. A key distinction separates the hatter from a milliner, who primarily creates women’s hats using finished fabrics, trims, and embellishments. The hatter’s core work involves the technical processes of shaping, blocking, and finishing the foundational material. Blocking uses heat and moisture to mold the material over a wooden form, giving the hat its permanent crown and brim silhouette.
A History of Headwear and the Hatter’s Role
The hatter became an important figure in fashion and industry from the 17th through the early 20th century. During this period, hats were a mandatory part of attire, signifying social status, profession, or cultural identity. Demand for quality headwear ensured the hatter’s high relevance in society. The Industrial Revolution introduced mechanized production, allowing hats to be manufactured at a larger scale. Although factories produced headwear at lower costs and higher volumes, the demand for bespoke and finely crafted pieces ensured the continued existence of the skilled artisan hatter.
The Origin of the “Mad Hatter” Myth
The historical “Mad Hatter” stereotype stems from a severe occupational health hazard in the 18th and 19th centuries. Hatters used mercuric nitrate in a process called “carroting” to prepare animal furs, such as rabbit and beaver, for felting. This chemical treatment encouraged the microscopic barbs on the fibers to lock together, creating a dense, high-quality felt. The mercuric nitrate solution stained the fur a reddish-orange color, giving the process its name.
Workers were continuously exposed to mercury vapor, especially when the treated felt was heated and steamed during blocking. This chronic exposure caused mercury poisoning, leading to a neurological disorder known as erethism, or “mad hatter syndrome.” Symptoms included pathological shyness, irritability, low self-confidence, memory loss, and a characteristic physical tremor often called the “hatter’s shakes.”
Modern Hat Making
Contemporary hat making has moved away from the industrial scale of the past to focus on bespoke and artisan creations. Today’s hatter often operates as a specialized small business owner, creating custom pieces for individual clients or specific markets. This revival of the handmade aesthetic has created a niche for hatters focused on high-end, custom felt or straw hats. Modern artisans often cater to luxury fashion, film, television, or theatrical productions requiring historically accurate or unique headwear. The emphasis is on quality materials and meticulous craftsmanship rather than mass production.
The Tools and Techniques of Hat Creation
The creation of a finished hat involves several precise stages, guided by specialized equipment. The process begins with hat blocks, which are carved wooden molds used to define the hat’s crown shape and size. The felt or straw material is softened using steam and hot water, allowing the fibers to become malleable enough to be pulled over the wooden block. Once blocked, the hatter uses tools like a “pusher downer” to stretch and secure the material tightly to the form. The brim is often shaped using a separate brim block, or a brim iron is used to create a crisp, finished edge. Final stages include sanding or pouncing the felt surface for texture, trimming the brim, and hand-stitching interior elements like the sweatband and lining.
Pursuing the Craft Today
The path to becoming a professional hatter today requires a combination of traditional training and entrepreneurial drive. Aspiring artisans typically seek out apprenticeships with established bespoke hatters to learn material handling and shaping techniques. Specialized vocational courses and workshops are also available, teaching focused skills like felt blocking and brim finishing. Because the craft is niche, a hatter must be dedicated to traditional methods and cultivate the business skills necessary to market custom creations to a discerning clientele. Self-teaching through online resources and reverse-engineering antique hats is a common starting point for those entering the trade.