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That person was mistaken or has been misinterpreted.
The reed is the wire running on the outside bottom edge of the sweatband that's wrapped in a grayish material. The wire being exposed to sweat is what causes the oxidation on the back where the ends are joined.
The reed was once actual reed. In this hat, the verdigris comes from the brass or copper ferrule that joins the two ends of the metal rod at the rear of the hat.
Assuming that the sweatband remains sewn to the reed tape and it is the attachment of the reed tape that has come loos from the body of the hat, the repair should not be that difficult. The fact that you do not see stitching of the reed showing underneath the ribbon might be because the thread that once attached it is gone. A repair would tack the reed tape to the hat body, with any visible stitches hidden by the ribbon.
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