Hello, this is Matsumura from ReqHatter.

ReqHatter is trying to make hats using leather.

However, this proved to be a much more difficult journey than I had expected.

This time, I would like to talk about the struggles and lessons I learned.

1. Choosing the right leather

Although it is generally called leather, the texture and ease of handling vary greatly depending on the type and processing method. For example, full-grain leather is highly durable and ages beautifully, but it is hard and difficult to sew. On the other hand, suede and nubuck are soft and easy to process, but have issues with durability and water repellency.

In order to find the right leather for hats, we ordered samples from tanners in Japan and overseas, and actually touched and tried them out. We found that the leather we thought was great didn't give the hat the shape we wanted, or was too soft and lost its shape, so it was a constant process of trial and error.

2. Sewing Wall

Unlike fabric, once a needle makes a hole in leather, it cannot be restored to its original shape. Therefore, there is a lot of pressure not to be able to re-sew it. At first, I had to re-sew it many times, and ended up wasting a lot of leather...

In addition, because leather does not stretch easily, it is very difficult to create curves, and we had to create a different pattern from that used for traditional cloth hats. Furthermore, leather cannot be sewn with a normal sewing machine, so we had to purchase a special sewing machine and tools.

3. Why do I still want to make leather hats?

Leather hats are hard to make, but we continue to take on the challenge because we want to make hats that people will love for a long time. Leather is a material that can be used for decades if cared for, and the more you use it, the more character it develops. Our ideal is to make hats that will not go out of style and will be treasured as a lifetime item.

We are currently working on multiple prototypes and have finally come to a conclusion that we are happy with. We will continue to work hard so that we can show it to you all in the near future!

At the moment we only have two styles available, a hunting cap and a cap, but we are planning to make pork pies and newsboy caps for the next autumn/winter season!

If you are interested in leather hats, please let me know your thoughts in the comments or messages. I would be happy if we could think together about "hat that you can love for a long time."

See you in the next blog!