Plastic Liners

[J. M. Stovall]

I'm sorry if this has been talked about before but I searched for a while and couldn't find anything. When did fedoras start having just the top panel covered with plastic, and about when did they start covering the complete liner with plastic.

Thank you in advance.

 

[jimmy the lid]

J.M. --

There was a Stetson Stratoliner on the 'Bay many months ago that clearly had a plastic covering on the top of the liner -- and there was paperwork dating the original sale of the hat to 1954. So, it appears that, at least by 1954, plastic liner coverings were being used by Stetson. [Note: when I use the term "plastic," I am referring to a more modern plastic, not the translucent material that was used in '40s lids].

Cheers,
JtL

 

[J. M. Stovall]

Thanks Jimmy. So I guess that translucent material covering the top panel in my oldest fedoras is not plastic? Some kind of cellulose or something maybe?

 

[J.T.Marcus]

Thanks Jimmy. So I guess that translucent material covering the top panel in my oldest fedoras is not plastic? Some kind of cellulose or something maybe?

It's probably some kind of plastic. Plastics have been around longer than we tend to think. There are also cullulose based plastics.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic

 

[jimmy the lid]

J.M. -- I'd love to finally get a definitive answer as to what to call "that translucent material." In my own mind, I differentiate between that material and the more familiar form of "plastic." As a general matter, I associate "that translucent material" with hats from the '40s or earlier. That being said, I don't know when hat manufacturers first began to put this translucent material on the crown of the liner. That would be interesting to find out, as well.

Cheers,
JtL

 

[jimmy the lid]

It's probably some kind of plastic. Plastics have been around longer than we tend to think. There are also cullulose based plastics.

You could be right about that, J.T. Maybe we should call the more recent material "shiny" plastic...


Cheers,
JtL

 

[J. M. Stovall]

I'm sure someone with 200 hats would have some insight on this...Douglas.

 

[J.T.Marcus]

That being said, I don't know when hat manufacturers first began to put this translucent material on the crown of the liner. That would be interesting to find out, as well.

I think it came along about the same time as the invention of hair tonic.