Pic of Winchester felt and Fepsa felt

[deadlyhandsome]

Thanks for the response! Oh I see, what was the cost of the shipping if you don't mind me asking? Also, what other supplier for hat bodies would you recommend if not Fepsa?

I don’t recall the costs, it was some time ago. However, I do occasionally still hear from others that FEPSA is still hard to work with. Agnoulita in Greece is trying to work out a deal to become a wholesaler, but so far the results have been poor. Agnoulita is also not too easy to work with, but for different reasons.

Almost all custom fedoras/dress hats in the US are made from Winchester felt. The last we heard, Winchester wasn’t taking on new clients. Tonak is another big player, but I don’t think they offer beaver. Tonak rabbit fur felt can be quite nice too.

Sourcing quality felt is difficult when just starting out. If you spend some time searching threads here you’ll see that this subject comes up with some regularity.

Good luck.

 

[KarlEscobar10]

Th

I don’t recall the costs, it was some time ago. However, I do occasionally still hear from others that FEPSA is still hard to work with. Agnoulita in Greece is trying to work out a deal to become a wholesaler, but so far the results have been poor. Agnoulita is also not too easy to work with, but for different reasons.

Almost all custom fedoras/dress hats in the US are made from Winchester felt. The last we heard, Winchester wasn’t taking on new clients. Tonak is another big player, but I don’t think they offer beaver. Tonak rabbit fur felt can be quite nice too.

Sourcing quality felt is difficult when just starting out. If you spend some time searching threads here you’ll see that this subject comes up with some regularity.

Good luck.

Thanks so much for the input! I was also considering sourcing rabbit fur bodies from Agnoulita also, in fact I was just reading your thread about it! Based from that thread it seems that the quality of their hat body is worth it plus it doesn’t seem they have a minimum order for it which is good.

 

[belfastboy]

Th

Thanks so much for the input! I was also considering sourcing rabbit fur bodies from Agnoulita also, in fact I was just reading your thread about it! Based from that thread it seems that the quality of their hat body is worth it plus it doesn’t seem they have a minimum order for it which is good.

I have a Tonak rabbit felt (antelope finish) in both a finished hat and a raw body. I think they represent great value. It is a very good product, nice hand in both the raw and finished hat. Much nicer than the Winchester rabbit. I am in a hat making workshop in a few weeks and they supply rabbit bodies from Czech Republic that are not from Tonak. I will find out where she sources them and post in a few weeks.

 

[belfastboy]

Thanks for the response! Oh I see, what was the cost of the shipping if you don't mind me asking? Also, what other supplier for hat bodies would you recommend if not Fepsa?

My custom hatter would love to work with FEPSA but the deal breaker is the opening order is around $10K.....a bit much for a small custom house to handle. Fepsa are not interested in would seem, in the small orders from custom houses unless they do volume. Seems there might be an opportunity for someone wanting to get the NAmerican distribution rights for Fepsa and import and resell to the custom hatter market. If I was younger I might have at least done some inquiries.

 

[belfastboy]

Even the European custom hatters that do offer Fepsa beaver only carry very limited colour selection. I make the assumption is it because of the Fepsa minimum order demands so the custom hatters only carry the limited colour selection.

 

[KarlEscobar10]

I have a Tonak rabbit felt (antelope finish) in both a finished hat and a raw body. I think they represent great value. It is a very good product, nice hand in both the raw and finished hat. Much nicer than the Winchester rabbit. I am in a hat making workshop in a few weeks and they supply rabbit bodies from Czech Republic that are not from Tonak. I will find out where she sources them and post in a few weeks.

Please do! I’m always on the look out for good source of hat bodies. Kindly give us an update when you find out.

 

[KarlEscobar10]

My custom hatter would love to work with FEPSA but the deal breaker is the opening order is around $10K.....a bit much for a small custom house to handle. Fepsa are not interested in would seem, in the small orders from custom houses unless they do volume. Seems there might be an opportunity for someone wanting to get the NAmerican distribution rights for Fepsa and import and resell to the custom hatter market. If I was younger I might have at least done some inquiries.

Oh wow that’s a lot lol. Yea would definitely like to sample their work but for that amount it’s too much.

 

[mayserwegener]

Even the European custom hatters that do offer Fepsa beaver only carry very limited colour selection. I make the assumption is it because of the Fepsa minimum order demands so the custom hatters only carry the limited colour selection.

I am not aware of another Czech source. Could it be PolkaP in Poland?

https://sklep.polkap.pl/

There is also Khust Felt Wears in Ukraine. I learned of them from Andreas Bahner at Bahner Hat Machines.

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/are-there-no-hatters-in-europe.29873/page-3#post-2583336

 

[belfastboy]

I am not aware of another Czech source. Could it be PolkaP in Poland?

https://sklep.polkap.pl/

There is also Khust Felt Wears in Ukraine. I learned of them from Andreas Bahner at Bahner Hat Machines.

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/are-there-no-hatters-in-europe.29873/page-3#post-2583336

The workshop doesn't start til Feb 19th. I will find out her source and report on the what and where. She did say, in a brief conversation, the felts were rabbit, Czech and not Tonak.

 

[KarlEscobar10]

The workshop doesn't start til Feb 19th. I will find out her source and report on the what and where. She did say, in a brief conversation, the felts were rabbit, Czech and not Tonak.

Hi man! Any update on the supplier?

 

[belfastboy]

Hi man! Any update on the supplier?

The felts were from Czech Republic but there were too light weight to make a fedora. The women in the class used them to make women's millinery style hats. I used the two felts I brought. One a Tonak Antelope finish the other a Winchester beaver and used the felt provided in the class to make a small hat for my wife. I didn't bother asking for the source as it was just not up to an acceptable grade of felt for a decent men's hat. I think for the money the Tonak that Mr. Papa sells out of Agnoulita Hats on Etsy is good value.

 

[KarlEscobar10]

The felts were from Czech Republic but there were too light weight to make a fedora. The women in the class used them to make women's millinery style hats. I used the two felts I brought. One a Tonak Antelope finish the other a Winchester beaver and used the felt provided in the class to make a small hat for my wife. I didn't bother asking for the source as it was just not up to an acceptable grade of felt for a decent men's hat. I think for the money the Tonak that Mr. Papa sells out of Agnoulita Hats on Etsy is good value.

Oh I see! Gotcha, I'm already planning to source my hat bodies from him. Thanks!

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Oh I see! Gotcha, I'm already planning to source my hat bodies from him. Thanks!

If you buy from Agnoulita make sure you tell them that you’re from The Fedora Lounge.

 

[KarlEscobar10]

If you buy from Agnoulita make sure you tell them that you’re from The Fedora Lounge.

Noted! Why tho, does he give better prices if he knows you're from The Fedora Lounge?

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Noted! Why tho, does he give better prices if he knows you're from The Fedora Lounge?

He was offering free shipping on completed hats with the special code: FEDORELOUNGE. I don’t think it would apply to a single hat body, but he does try to give us special pricing. There’s more in the Agnoulita thread.

 

[KarlEscobar10]

He was offering free shipping on completed hats with the special code: FEDORELOUNGE. I don’t think it would apply to a single hat body, but he does try to give us special pricing. There’s more in the Agnoulita thread.

Oh nice good to know! Will check it out, thanks!

 

[belfastboy]

If you buy from Agnoulita make sure you tell them that you’re from The Fedora Lounge.

What do you think of his leather sweats? The price is good but unless I buy in quantity the shipping is a killer.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

What do you think of his leather sweats? The price is good but unless I buy in quantity the shipping is a killer.

I like his sweats a lot. They are very comfortable and supple. Since Sullivan’s are cheaper and closer I don’t know what kind of value the Agnoulita is in comparison. I haven’t tried The Hatters Supply House sweats and for all I know they are the same as Sullivan’s. I have a replacement sweat from Agnoulita that I’m planning on sending to Rick at some point and maybe he will give us the benefit of his expert opinion.

 

[belfastboy]

I like his sweats a lot. They are very comfortable and supple. Since Sullivan’s are cheaper and closer I don’t know what kind of value the Agnoulita is in comparison. I haven’t tried The Hatters Supply House sweats and for all I know they are the same as Sullivan’s. I have a replacement sweat from Agnoulita that I’m planning on sending to Rick at some point and maybe he will give us the benefit of his expert opinion.

One of the skills I learned at the Workshop was hand sewing the leather sweats. I am a 10 thumb seamstress at best. It takes me about an hour and with practice I should be able to reduce that some. Now the changing of sweats no longer requires the mailing out and the wait at the hatters.
I have been buying from Scott at Fine Vintage. Really like his sweats but they are pricey. I think I will try Sullivan just to compare. Thanks,

 

[mayserwegener]

The felts were from Czech Republic but there were too light weight to make a fedora. The women in the class used them to make women's millinery style hats. I used the two felts I brought. One a Tonak Antelope finish the other a Winchester beaver and used the felt provided in the class to make a small hat for my wife. I didn't bother asking for the source as it was just not up to an acceptable grade of felt for a decent men's hat. I think for the money the Tonak that Mr. Papa sells out of Agnoulita Hats on Etsy is good value.

I am still curious because the only Fur Felt producer I know of in the Czech Republic is Tonak. Maybe it's a Felt supplier? I will check with Bahner Maschinenhandels.