Starting 2017 the Right Way with New Hat Styles!

Voodoo Hatter has never had trouble delivering an edge to the top hat world and this time around they have really pulled all stops.
These new Voodoo hats bring this style to life in reimagined ways to accessorize the way you ride, rock, and rebel!

Ashbury hats reinvents past styles with a fresh batch of neutral colors and fierce eye candy as well as adding new unique and standout looks!

American Outback Hats showing consistent strength in creating the perfect hats for durability, comfort, and the free spirited style of any adventurer!

Double G takes a step back from the sleek, refined cowboy look to deliver some new textures and a new style to keep you looking sharp and feeling good!

Keep your eye out for more new designs and styles, we have some very exciting hats in the works!

unnamed

Take Care of Your Hat: American Hat Makers Shares Hat Care Tips

concho

A great hat may speak for itself ~ but it still needs you to take care of it!

Finding the perfect hat can feel a little like that birthday when you get exactly what you wished for ~ you want to dance about and show it off to everyone!

And right you should, go ahead and show it off! Sport that hat, tip it to strangers, wear it with pride! Your American Hat Makers hat will bring you years and years of joy and happiness – not to mention protection from the sun, rain and wind – especially if you take good care of it.

Here are a few videos to help you do just that – our team has compiled a series of videos to help you clean, pack, shape and even add a chin strap to your  hat.

How to Clean a Suede & Finished Leather Hat:

Here Kameron shares how to do general cleaning of suede and finished leather hats as well as how to get rid of unwanted scuffs and scratches. He also demonstrates the gentle touch required when cleaning our airbrushed and laser etched hats.

How to Pack A Hat:

Watch Kameron demonstrate our hat packing tips! Learn about the hat saving taco move.

 

How to Maintain Your Hat’s Shape:

Learn our best tips for helping your hat maintain its ideal shape.

How to Shape a Hat:

American Hat Makers founder Gary Watrous demonstrates the best way to shape your leather hats using a simple coffee can. He also shows his favorite techniques for utilizing our wire shaping systems.

 

Here is another exclusive video of  American Hat Makers founder, Gary Watrous showing you how to attach a chin strap to your mesh hat using a pencil!

How to Add a Chinstrap to a Hat:

Not one to be left out, we have Gary’s son, Garth, demonstrating how just how indestructible our hats really are! You have to see this to believe it!

Our Hats Are Crushable:

 

If you have any questions please call us – we love to help!

1-800-NICE-HAT

concho

Written by Jessica Johnson exclusively for American Hat Makers.

Happy Birthday to Gary Watrous! 

Gary Watrous & Merrylee Rae- American Hat Makers- Hat Designeer- president- CEO

The American Hat Makers family came together last week to celebrate the 66th birthday of founder and president Gary Watrous.

5a6e4f99b6587e31b31c7fa9187719a2

 

It’s easy to celebrate a man like Gary – he’s far from a stereotypical “boss.” Not only is he profoundly passionate about leatherwork and hat making, he is equally enamored with the team of people working with him at the Watsonville warehouse and boutique.

Gary’s heart of gold is the stuff of legend at American Hat Makers, and each and every employee knows they can come to him if they need anything and he will do all he can to help.

To Gary, the team he works with is like family. In fact, many of the folks working at American Hat Makers are family. Gary’s wife, Merry Lee contributes to design and creative development; son, Garth, is second in command; and his daughter-in-law, Hannah, is the Director of Global Marketing and Branding.

“Family has always been the most important part of life to me,” Gary said. “There is a satisfaction in sharing the creative process and continuing the dream with those you love.”

e9b5907d4c084cb4adcf02d124696d1e

Daughter-in-law Hannah serves the birthday cake.

Speaking of those he loves, Gary’s constant companions, Ruby and Pearl, come with him to work everyday. They are an important part of the team and if you come to the shop you may well be greeted by them. If he could, he would likely bring his gorgeous horse, Tucker, to work too!

 

Ruby & Pearl American Hat Makers Daogs with hats

DoubleGHatsAmericanHatMakers-Gary Watrous-Horses

Gary is undoubtedly the golden heart of American Hat Makers – and he is the first to say his family and team are the soul.

Please join us all as we wish Gary a very Happy Birthday!

 

concho

American Hat Makers in the Community: Aptos High School Hall of Fame

American Hat Makers welcomes the opportunity to support the local community and was pleased to donate hats for the 2016 Aptos High School Athletic Hall of Fame silent auction on Saturday, April 30 at the Seascape Golf Club.

Inductees included big wave surfer Tyler Fox, extreme skier Cody Townsend, track athlete Stephanie LeFever and many other Mariner standouts.

IMG_0259_2

Members of the Aptos High School Hall of Fame committee said they were honored to have American Hat Makers’ contributions from the Sol Air, Ashbury and American Outback lines. “The hats are gorgeous and they really raise the bar on our silent auction. We are grateful for American Hat Makers’ support of our Hall of Fame.”

American Hat Makers congratulates the Aptos High School Hall of Fame Class of 2016!