Classic Boater Panama Hat

Tumahy Hat Care Guide (Felt & Straw)

Proper hat care is the first step to keeping your Tumahy hat looking its best. With the right handling, cleaning, drying, and storage habits, you can help preserve the shape, finish, and lifespan of both felt hats and straw hats.

1) Handle with care (how to pick up your hat)

• Avoid repeatedly picking up your hat from the front by pinching the dents. Over time, this can reshape the crown, and prolonged stress may eventually damage felt.
• If you lift your hat by the brim, do so as close to the crown as possible to reduce brim distortion.
• Ideally, handle your hat by the crown, which generally holds its shape better than the brim.

2) Protect the shape (storage best practices)

• Store each hat on a wide peg or hook that won’t leave dimples.
• If storing on a flat surface (e.g., a closet shelf), place the hat upside down so the brim doesn’t flatten.
• For long-term storage, use a supportive hatbox to protect both crown and brim while keeping dust and moisture away.

3) Use the correct brush

Regular brushing can make a big difference—just choose the right tool:

• Felt hats (fur felt / wool): use a soft bristle brush.
• Straw hats (including Sinamay-style materials): gently dust with a small whisk broom or soft brush.

4) Avoid water (and dry properly if it gets wet)

No hat enjoys heavy rain. If your hat gets wet:

• Shake off excess water immediately.
• Don’t use high heat to dry (no hairdryer, radiator, or clothes dryer). Heat can shrink, warp, or weaken materials.
• Straw hats: you may gently wipe surface moisture.
• Felt hats: avoid rubbing with a towel; allow to air-dry naturally and brush when dry if needed.

5) Use steam to remove dents or bends

If your felt or straw hat gets dented or bent:

• Hold it over steam (from a kettle) or near a garment steamer for about 30 seconds.
• Gently reshape with your fingers and let it cool/set.
• Straw hats only: if needed, you may lightly press with an iron on a low heat setting—too much heat can scorch the straw.

6) Treat grease stains with dry cornstarch

Cornstarch can help absorb oily marks:

• Apply dry cornstarch to the stain, let it sit, then gently brush away.
• Always check the care label inside your hat for any specific instructions.

Note: These tips are general best practices. If your hat includes specific care directions, please follow those first.

WHAT'S YOUR HEAD SIZE?

Everyone knows their shoe size. Hats? Not so much. But with a few quick measurements, you will know your hat size which, unlike your waist size, will stay the same for the rest of your life.

HOW TO MEASURE YOUR HEAD AND HAT SIZE USING STRING OR A MEASURING TAPE

This is the traditional way that you can use at home to find your hat size.

What You'll Need:

• String or ribbon
• Ruler
• Hat sizing chart
• Pen or marker
• Standard Measuring Tape

Step 1: Use a Piece of String to Measure Your Head

With the piece of string in your hands, wrap it around the back of your head just slightly above your ears or about 1/8 of an inch higher than your ear tip.

Pull the string around to meet at the center of your forehead just above your eyebrows. If you like your hat to sit a bit higher, you can pull the string around your head exactly to match how your hat rests on your head.

It's important that you don't pull the string too tight. Rather, the string should fit comfortably around your forehead so that it isn't too tight or loose. This should feel exactly the way you want your hat to feel as it rests on your head.

You can mark the distance where the string meets with a pen or marker.

Step 2: Measure the String with a Ruler

Once you have marked the point of circumference on the string, you can lay it flat and place a ruler underneath to find the circumference in inches. You will likely have to measure the size to the nearest 1/8 of an inch.