Cushionaire, Cushioned for Comfort, Comfort Fit, Cushion Comfort, and Air-Vac Sweatbands

[deadlyhandsome]

I’ve been noticing similar sweatbands on various make hats and wondered if anyone knows their story. I also see the same style of sweat using the name “Cushioned for Comfort,” Comfort Fit, and Air-Vac names. I thought they might have been used by a single company making hats under different names. It could also be that it was just a sweatband that any maker could buy to use on their hats.

Please educate me/us and post photos of your Cushionaire, Cushioned for Comfort, Comfort Fit, and Air-Vac sweats. Thanks!


Volk Hats:

MacLachlan:

Jobber hat made for the store Charles Royce

Caxton

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Steve1857]

Interesting topic, Brent. I too would love to hear more about these sweats.

I have something similar on a 1920s Moores & Sons' Bowler. One of the great group of Manchester based hat makers. No vents on this one though.

On mine, the sweat seems to expand due to the heat of my head, vacuuming it to fit tightly, if that makes sense. There's no way it will fall or easily be knocked off.

Sent from my HUAWEI VNS-L31 using Tapatalk

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

I’ve been noticing similar sweatbands on various make hats and wondered if anyone knows their story. I also see the same style of sweat using the name “Cushioned for Comfort,” Comfort Fit, and Air-Vac names. I thought they might have been used by a single company making hats under different names. It could also be that it was just a sweatband that any maker could buy to use on their hats.

Please educate me/us and post photos of your Cushionaire, Cushioned for Comfort, Comfort Fit, and Air-Vac sweats. Thanks!


Volk Hats:

MacLachlan:

Jobber hat made for the store Charles Royce

Caxton

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

I’ve wondered the same for some time.
As an observation, in no way definitive, i have a branded Stack hat that does not have the Air Vac sweatband while other pics of Stacks did.
I can only surmise it might be an upgrade at the time.
Also, they all seem very similar across different brands. I wonder if there might be a stamp or logo on the insides??
B

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I’ve wondered the same for some time.
As an observation, in no way definitive, i have a branded Stack hat that does not have the Air Vac sweatband while other pics of Stacks did.
I can only surmise it might be an upgrade at the time.
Also, they all seem very similar across different brands. I wonder if there might be a stamp or logo on the insides??
B

Are you willing to risk an avalanche and add photos of the Stack? Love to see it for comparisons.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

Are you willing to risk an avalanche and add photos of the Stack? Love to see it for comparisons.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Sure. Let me find it. It will be anti-climatic though.
B

 

[Just Daniel]

I believe those are hats manufactured by Mac Lachlan for other brands or specific hat stores to sell under their own label. I am pretty sure the cushion air and airvac in particular indicate they are Mac Lachlan made; we can know for sure by looking up the trademarks.

All of the hats I have seen with those unique padded air holes in the sweat have Mac Lachlan manufacturing tags behind the sweat.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I believe those are hats manufactured by Mac Lachlan for other brands or specific hat stores to sell under their own label. I am pretty sure the cushion air and airvac in particular indicate they are Mac Lachlan made; we can know for sure by looking up the trademarks.

All of the hats I have seen with those unique padded air holes in the sweat have Mac Lachlan manufacturing tags behind the sweat.

There are some old postings here that mention Dobbs and others with these sweatbands, but unfortunately the photos are dead.

I wonder if they were also available as replacement sweatbands? It also be a completely different sweatband using a similar name “Cushion-Aire.”


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Just Daniel]

That’s interesting, I have not seen them on other hats.

As a rule I assume when I see one of those sweats that the hat is a Mac. Now we’ll have to keep our eyes peeled!

There are some old postings here that mention Dobbs and others with these sweatbands, but unfortunately the photos are dead.

I wonder if they were also available as replacement sweatbands? It also be a completely different sweatband using a similar name “Cushion-Aire.”


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[deadlyhandsome]

That’s interesting, I have not seen them on other hats.

As a rule I assume when I see one of those sweats that the hat is a Mac. Now we’ll have to keep our eyes peeled!

I haven’t “seen one” either. I wish the photos still worked.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[steur]

I've found this ad in the Hat Life yearbook of 1946

Seem that MacLachlan provided the felt bodies and the hats were finished by Stack. Likely they did the other brands like Volk and Caxton too.

 

[Bamaboots]

 

[hatsRme]

Here’s my circa 1943 Stack, with an earlier version. What’s difficult to show here is the (distinct when new) embossing in the felt on the underside of the brim in the front of these hats. I tried, but am hoping someone with a better example will post a good shot.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Here’s my circa 1943 Stack, with an earlier version. What’s difficult to show here is the (distinct when new) embossing in the felt on the underside of the brim in the front of these hats. I tried, but am hoping someone with a better example will post a good shot.

View attachment 184815 View attachment 184816 View attachment 184817

Interesting, Charlie. Did the vented pillows on the sweat come after the style on your Stack, or were both styles offered at the same time?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[suitedcboy]

I had a Caxton fedora with the cushion-aire sweatband. I don't have it now and I am unsure of the actual wording as I also think it might have been Comfort-Air. It did have a sweat in great condition and the perforated area was "bubbled" up from the embossing. I had one of the Borsalinos with the corrugated piece under the sweat at front and for the times I wore them I thought the embossed and perforated system worked better.

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

Greetings All:
Here you go Brent et al.
Requested anticlimactic pics of a nice Stack hat with a plain sweatband. Sorry so tardy, it was well hidden and i was well...forgetful.
B
Ps: now that i played with it...it is a very thinly felted, pillowy crowned hat. A nice ORish style.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

View attachment 185175 View attachment 185176 View attachment 185177 View attachment 185178 Greetings All:
Here you go Brent et al.
Requested anticlimactic pics of a nice Stack hat with a plain sweatband. Sorry so tardy, it was well hidden and i was well...forgetful.
B
Ps: now that i played with it...it is a very thinly felted, pillowy crowned hat. A nice ORish style.

Thanks, B. Nice hat all around...and a 7 1/2...you haven’t been sending hats to Ignacio have you?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

Thanks, B. Nice hat all around...and a 7 1/2...you haven’t been sending hats to Ignacio have you?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Lol
Not a chance!!
One i regret only being able to appreciate it’s qualities in hand, not on head. Arghh!!
B

 

[Just Daniel]

Mac Lachlan claims a trademark on Air Vac, but I cannot find the mark on the US Trademark database.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

How does Caxton fit in?

Photos are of someone else’s hat on eBay.

 

[Just Daniel]

I get nothing in the Trademark search for Caxton or Cushionaire.