Here are some simple rules that will help to keep your hat in shape and looking good.
Felt hats can be used in the rain and will even keep you dry unless the you are in a real downpour. However when you get home make sure you push the crown back into shape by teasing it back out from the inside. Then place it on a flat surface so that the brim dries straight. Do not, under any circumstances, put It on a radiator or any other source of heat, as it will dry out of shape.
To clean the felt use a stiff brush to remove dust. You can restore the sheen of your felt by steaming. Use either a hand steamer or a kettle, leaving an distance of around 10 cms between the source of steam and the felt. Let the steam penetrate the fibres of the felt, wherever it needs buffing. Use a brush to help if necessary.
Caps can be dry cleaned but are liable to shrink, so a specialist dry cleaner, with experience of cleaning hats, is advisable.
Coloured straw or sisal hats can fade in prolonged sunlight so try to avoid leaving them on the back ledge of the car or in other exposed areas. A sun hat that fades can be attractive but a ceremonial hat should be allowed to retain its colour.
Panama hats are made from the fibres of the toquilla plant. In dry conditions they can become fragile, so be careful always to handle them by the brim and never by the pinch marks on the crown. These are prone to crack if handled, unless they are regularly and gently moistened with an Evian or other water spray.
Straw hats should not be thrown into swimming pools or the sea. This will cause them to lose their shape and they will require reblocking one our workshop.