Canadian Stetsons

[deadlyhandsome]

I'm not actually calling these hats "Stetson brand" since they're not marked as such. But I've convinced myself that Stetson did indeed make them. That's just my verdict, not made from any emotional attachment. The details, as I see them, don't allow me to draw any other conclusion. But I won't pretend to be surprised that others disagree. By the way, they are both nice hats.

What I was trying to say is that Stetson didn’t make any of the hats in this thread. They were all made by Brockville or Biltmore or someone else, but Stetson never had a hat factory in Canada. What makes Canadian Stetsons a Stetson was that they were branded as such under license. Take away the branding and they aren’t even Stetsons in name. Without the branding of Stetson they are no more Stetsons than an Akubra Campdraft is a Stetson. What made the Akubra a Stetson was the licensing and the branding of the hat as a Stetson Open Road.

 

[MikeinRome]

What I was trying to say is that Stetson didn’t make any of the hats in this thread. They were all made by Brockville or Biltmore or someone else, but Stetson never had a hat factory in Canada. What makes Canadian Stetsons a Stetson was that they were branded as such under license. Take away the branding and they aren’t even Stetsons in name. Without the branding of Stetson they are no more Stetsons than an Akubra Campdraft is a Stetson. What made the Akubra a Stetson was the licensing and the branding of the hat as a Stetson Open Road.

OK, Brent, I see the distinction you're making. I was pondering what I had already said, and to put a finer point on it, was going to add that perhaps I shouldn't have said Stetson made them, but instead should have said that I'm convinced these hats at least came out of that Brockville factory. However, my 1st hat does seem to have a Stetson-looking Reorder Number, along with about half a dozen other points of similarity to Stetson hats.

 

[MikeinRome]

What I was trying to say is that Stetson didn’t make any of the hats in this thread. They were all made by Brockville or Biltmore or someone else, but Stetson never had a hat factory in Canada. What makes Canadian Stetsons a Stetson was that they were branded as such under license. Take away the branding and they aren’t even Stetsons in name. Without the branding of Stetson they are no more Stetsons than an Akubra Campdraft is a Stetson. What made the Akubra a Stetson was the licensing and the branding of the hat as a Stetson Open Road.

Ok, so I'm still somewhat confused. Other people on the Lounge say Stetson bought the Brockville plant, so didn't need to license anything since they owned the place. In which case Stetson did indeed make these Buckaroo hats. Correct me if I'm mistaken. I knew I had gotten that impression from someplace.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Ok, so I'm still somewhat confused. Other people on the Lounge say Stetson bought the Brockville plant, so didn't need to license anything since they owned the place. In which case Stetson did indeed make these Buckaroo hats. Correct me if I'm mistaken. I knew I had gotten that impression from someplace.

I think you might be right in a sense.

I guess it also depends semantics and maybe legal definitions. Is a Lamborghini a VW since VW owns Lamborghini? Does Stetson owning the Brockville plant mean all hats coming from there, including those not branded as Stetson, are Stetsons? It really doesn’t make any difference to me, and I’d love to find more Brockville hats regardless of their branding.

 

[MikeinRome]

I think you might be right in a sense.

I guess it also depends semantics and maybe legal definitions. Is a Lamborghini a VW since VW owns Lamborghini? Does Stetson owning the Brockville plant mean all hats coming from there, including those not branded as Stetson, are Stetsons? It really doesn’t make any difference to me, and I’d love to find more Brockville hats regardless of their branding.

No, everything coming out wouldn't necessarily be branded as Stetson, but since they owned the factory, there's no denying they made it. They made the Brock brand of hat there, but I wouldn't call it a Stetson, since Brocks were made there long before Stetson bought the place. Don't know what to call the Buckaroos, but since they do have at least some Stetson parts, maybe I should call them Brockville FrankenStetsons.

 

[Bamaboots]