Tips for Storing Cowboy Hats to Avoid Damage

More than just stylish wear, cowboy hats are a culture and a statement. To keep your hat looking and feeling like new for a lifetime, it should be correctly stored. Even if you just wear cowboy hats once in a while, you should know these tips for every kind of occasion and every type of hat.  

Picking a Suggested Place for Storing Cowboy Hats.  

Picking a location comes first. Avoid hot places, since heat can warp felt hats, and sun can fade the color. Do not forget that humidity protects your hat since moisture is the foe of every cowboy hat. Focus on a clean and dry place, like the closet or a specially made hat rack. Avoid spots like sun, hot radiators, and damp corners.

Use Proper Hat Storage Accessories

When it comes to proper hat storage, investing in the right tools makes the difference. Hat racks are perfect for keeping your cowboy hat in easy reach and maintaining its shape. Choose racks with wide, curved supports that fit the contour of the hat’s crown to avoid indentations. For travel or long-term storage, hat boxes are useful. Select rigid boxes that allow for breathability and avoid plastic which traps moisture. The interior should be soft to cushion the hat. Some hat boxes come with adjustable straps to hold the hat in place and prevent movement when being stored or transported.

Handle and Position Your Hat Correctly

Where and how you store your cowboy hat is important. Always pick up hats by the brim and never by the center, or crown. The crown is the most sensitive area and will dent if it is pressed. When you set it on a shelf or rack, it is best to keep it upside down. The brim should touch the shelf, and the crown should be upright. This way, the weight of the hat will not set unevenly, and the crown will not collapse. With a straw hat, do not hang it by the brim for a long time or the hat will stretch and distort.

Clean Before Storing

Before you store your cowboy hat, take a few moments to clean it. Dust and debris are bound to build up on a cowboy hat, and even a few small particles left unaddressed can ruin the material over time. Felt hats can have a build up of dust removed with a soft bristle brush, and make sure you are brushing in the direction of the nap to prevent damage. Straw hats can gather dust and small debris removed with a lint roller or soft cloth. If your hat is a little damp from a light rain or from sweat, let it air dry all the way in a dry, open space, or else it will dry unevenly and possibly warp. Never use a hair dryer or heater to dry out cowboy hats faster, as it can make the material shrink.

Safeguard Your Items from Pests and Damage

Moths and some other pests can be a threat to felt cowboy hats because they feed on natural fibers. As a preventative measure, place cedar chips, lavender sachets, or other moth repellent packets within a stash of hats. Also, while strong chemical repellents are effective, they can leave strong and harmful odors on the material, so stay away from them. It is best to keep stored infested hats in clean areas rather than leaving them near crumbs, debris or infestations to attract pests. When hats are stacked, the top of the stack can crush the lower hats. Avoid this by using separate racks or boxes so that each hat is free to breathe.

Routine Inspection and Maintenance  

Proper storage won’t eliminate the need to periodically check on your cowboy hat. Every few months, take the hat from storage and check for damages, including mold, mildew, and misshaping. If you find any, take care of them right away. For example, you can gently brush away the mold with a dry brush and let the hat sit in the sun to dry (only a couple of minutes and avoid long sun exposure to fading). For minor dents in felt hats, use a steam iron on the lowest setting to reshape the crown. Hold the iron a few inches away from the hat, let the steam penetrate the felt, reshape it, let it dry naturally, and the hat will retain its shaped crown.