Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-07
THE MAKING OF HATS
SOME FACTS ABOUT THEIR MANU-
FACTURE
Visit to Large Factory Proved Inter
esting-Braided or Plated
Straw is Imported.
From the Cleveland Leader.

Few women know how their hats are
made The majority of the sex, when in the
millinery store selecting a new hat, proba>
bly, unconsciously think that the beautiful
hats that they see there are the particular
creations Of that store, and little realize
that all these hats-at least their bodies
are factory made No doubt the feminine
mind would rather not know this, for it
does seem kind of plebeian and vulgar to
think that such pretty headgear is factory
made, that the hats are made by machinery
and hand work combined.
Then, too. the fact that each hat while
in the process Of manufacture passes
through many hands, including the vulgar
hands of men, and Is glued. vanished.
steamed, blocked and subjected to treat
ment at many machines, is not nice to
think about. But the plain truth is that all
women's hats are machine made. and the
majority of them are even fully trimmed,
ready for wear. in the factory.
To supply the feminine demand for head
gear many big factories In this country are
in operation all the time. and give employ
ment to many thousands of women and
men. One of the largest such factories in
the country Is located in Cleveland. Its
output is from 400 to 500 dozen finished hats
per day during the busy season of eight
months in the year.
Switching the Seasons.
began to make spring and summer hats for
women, and the work of turning out such
hats will continue until next June. Then
in July the work of making hats for fall
and winter wear will be begun, and will
continue until the following October All
kinds of hats are made, straw, felt, beaver,
plush and velvet.
The braided or plated straw from which
the hats are made Is imported from Japan,
Italy, Switzerland, France and Germany,
In the shape Of long and narrow strips an
inch or more wide. The most of this ma
terial comes from Japan. for the Japanese
have made great strides in making excel
lent braids of straw. The straw of Japan
is of fine quality, durable, clean, bright and
of light weight. The chip braids made from
trees also come from Japan.
The Cleveland factory does a great deal
OF this importing itself and also buys from
the big importers in New York. For the
spring hats over 100 different styles of
braids are used The braided straw comes
to the factory in its natural color, and the
first step in the process of manufacture is
when 1t Is sent to the dyeing department.,
where it is colored black white, brown or
whatever color is desired.
Sewed by Hand.
From the dyeing department the braided
straw is taken to the stock room. where
1t Is stored in large boxes and piles await
Ing use as needed The next step in hat
making is to sew the straw together into
the shapes desired. This work is done In
the sewing department, an immense room
IN winch 2oO or more women preside at as
many sewing machines. They also do much
or the finer work by hand sewing The
straw is sewed into the shape desired by
patterning the hat after blocks of plaster
OF paris made into the form of the style
desired These blocks made in the
mold1ng department in the basement of the
building. Incidentally it should be stated
that the styles for women's hats nearly
all come from Paris.
The sewing machines in use are not the
ordinary kind but are more complicated
and costly. Each runs 5000 revolutions a
minute. stitch to every revolution, and
the stitches are a good imitation Of the
handmade stitch
FROM this department the hats go to the
sizing room, where they are stiffened with
preparation of glue. They then go to
the hat room. where they are dried ont
While the hats are in the shapes of the
style desired, they must pass through sew
eral other stages of preparation before they
obtain a perfect and lasting shape For
instance. In the blocking room they must
be blocked on blocks that are heated nv
steam or gas.
Finishing Up.
The unfinished headgear Is now ready
for the pressing room. where 1t IL put
under pressure on machines. which process
gives it an even finish. In the pressing
room there are twelve hydraulic presses
and twenty-six steam presses Hats that
require a smooth finish are placed under
hydraulic presses. and when the rough eff
fects are wanted the hats are placed under
the Streaming machines The work of block
Ing and pressing is all done by men. The
metal dies or patterns used in the blocking
and pressing are also made in the molding
or block shop in the basement.
The next step is to give the hats a light
coat of varnish. to brighten them. The
hats are then wired and lined After this
Is done. and If the factory is not going to
put on trimmings. they are ready for the
market-for the milliners. However. this
factory does it's own millinery work on
many or the hats. SO the headgear to be
thus treated is sent to the trimming depart-
ment where tailor-made effects are added
that Is. the decorations of silks. ouflls.
cords. etc. H'