Sunrise Hat Company felt (nutria) and hatters’ tools

[deadlyhandsome]

Thanks to @J Williams who brought this company to my attention. Gannon and Phoenix both currently offer hats made from nutria (coypu) hat bodies sourced from the Sunrise Hat Company.

These felts are described as mid-way between dress weight and western weight. In addition to the weight and fur type, these hat bodies are also offered in new colors (and maybe some old colors under new names).

They are currently out of stock on their felt swatches, but they will accept backorders:

From Sunrise;

“100% Coypu, pre-pounced, and ready to become your next great masterpiece. A 180 gram body will yield around a 4.5" brim with a 5" tall crown. The weight is between dress and western. In-stock hat bodies will ship within 1-2 business days.”

Driftwood:

Pewter:

Rain Cloud:

Cobalt

Black:

White:

Playa:

Sage:

Redwood:

Forest:

Midnight Blue:

Burdock:

Sunshine:

Honey:

Slate:

Espresso:

Hat bodies are currently $120 with discounts for volume purchases. I know several of us are excited to see how the hats turn out.


https://www.sunrisehatsupply.com


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[JessieJames]

So this is a new company on the market? Finally some competition from Winchester. Does it price competitively compared to Winchester? Do you know if any hatters are currently using them I just got my Gannon hat made in Western weight a few weeks ago and it was Winchester from what I know, no mention of this company at the time.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

So this is a new company on the market? Finally some competition from Winchester. Does it price competitively compared to Winchester? Do you know if any hatters are currently using them I just got my Gannon hat made in Western weight a few weeks ago and it was Winchester from what I know, no mention of this company at the time.

This is a new company and source of felt as far as I know. As I said in the original post, both Gannon and Phoenix are offering hats made from these hat bodies. I’m sure that additional companies also use them, or will be. I do not know what the wholesale price is for a Winchester beaver, as they only sold wholesale.

As an aside, you can make a hat on your own and get something wearable, but unless you are willing to invest large sums the end product will not compare favorably with a hat made by a well-equipped hat shop. A block, flange, flange stand, band block, puller downer, rounding jack etc. are all relatively affordable and you can get the basics for one size/shape hat for under $1,000, but then you’re still missing the big stuff. You can’t replace the specialized tools with more time and/or hand work. It doesn’t work that way. The tools are needed for best results. For what Gannon, Phoenix, and some others change you will be hard pressed to find any economy in making your own hats. If it’s just a fun project that’s something altogether different.

It’s the same with felt; you can’t pounce a modern felt into the same quality as vintage felt. You just can’t get there from here.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[1961MJS]

Hi, their website doesn't say where they're from. Are then in the US? I would have THOUGHT that an American company would have called them a Nutria, which is all I've ever hear them called. On the other hand, only 1 in 1000 American's have used the term Nutria in their life anyway. I like the honey color, and I could stand to get a forest color Western Dress hat for Okie Octoberfest.

Later

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Hi, their website doesn't say where they're from. Are then in the US? I would have THOUGHT that an American company would have called them a Nutria, which is all I've ever hear them called. On the other hand, only 1 in 1000 American's have used the term Nutria in their life anyway. I like the honey color, and I could stand to get a forest color Western Dress hat for Okie Octoberfest.

Later

I wonder if they are from the same felter as the nutria bodies The Hat Maker’s Emporium offered? The forest looks identical to my dark green and they are both sold as 180 gram felts. I don’t know the location for nutria felting operation, but The Hat Maker’s Emporium’s is in Australia.

I’ve ordered a swatch sampler (on back order) and I’ll be curious to see where it’s shipped from.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[JessieJames]

I wonder if they are from the same felter as the nutria bodies The Hat Maker’s Emporium offered? The forest looks identical to my dark green and they are both sold as 180 gram felts. I don’t know the location for nutria felting operation, but The Hat Maker’s Emporium’s is in Australia.

I’ve ordered a swatch sampler (on back order) and I’ll be curious to see where it’s shipped from.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

keep us updated! I want to hear thoughts on the color, density, softness, if it's really close to a vintage as we can get or not and curious to see when the hatters start using it how it is

 

[J Williams]

Thanks to @J Williams who brought this company to my attention. Gannon and Phoenix both currently offer hats made from nutria (coypu) hat bodies sourced from the Sunrise Hat Company.

Thanks for starting the thread Brent - I too am excited to see what you think of the swatches and some natural light photos when they arrive. I'm going to be planning another hat with Michael most likely next month and I will prod him for his thoughts on the Nutria bodies as I'm sure by now he has had one to play around with.

 

[Scooterz]

I am interested to find out if the raincloud is light blue or more gray? Also if the cobalt is more of a blue gray than a steel? The honey looks really close to stetson's cornhill.

 

[Tukwila]

I'm curious to know the quality. I mean, isn't this the same nutria @deadlyhandsome bought to have made into a hat and the color/dye fell apart when steamed for blocking?

 

[Hurricane Jack]

I'm going to be planning another hat with Michael most likely next month and I will prod him for his thoughts on the Nutria bodies as I'm sure by now he has had one to play around with.

He has done one at customer request.

 

[JessieJames]

Thanks for starting the thread Brent - I too am excited to see what you think of the swatches and some natural light photos when they arrive. I'm going to be planning another hat with Michael most likely next month and I will prod him for his thoughts on the Nutria bodies as I'm sure by now he has had one to play around with.

ohhh do keep us posted on this thread if and when you get this made

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I'm curious to know the quality. I mean, isn't this the same nutria @deadlyhandsome bought to have made into a hat and the color/dye fell apart when steamed for blocking?

It sure looks the same, but the issue with mine was immediately revealed early in the process and the seller offered a full refund within 30 minutes, and he let me keep the felt. Can’t get fairer than that. The seller also said he’s since sold his entire stock of 100% nutria felts and mine was the only one with an issue. Based on this, I’m willing to give them another try. Aside from the dye issue, Rick and I were both impressed by the quality of the felt. Very dense and tightly felted with minimal stiffeners (if any). Rick is still working on re-dyeing the felt black and making me a hat from it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[JessieJames]

It sure looks the same, but the issue with mine was immediately revealed early in the process and the seller offered a full refund within 30 minutes, and he let me keep the felt. Can’t get fairer than that. The seller also said he’s since sold his entire stock of 100% nutria felts and mine was the only one with an issue. Based on this, I’m willing to give them another try. Aside from the dye issue, Rick and I were both impressed by the quality of the felt. Very dense and tightly felted with minimal stiffeners (if any). Rick is still working on re-dyeing the felt black and making me a hat from it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

how does it compare to FEPSA felts and vintage felts vs Winchester in terms of softness and density?

 

[deadlyhandsome]

The only FEPSA beaver I have is a sample sent by Hornskov. It’s fine, but nothing spectacular and not any nicer than my better modern Winchester dress weight felt. I will order a FEPSA beaver hat at some point, but after receiving my felt swatches I’m not in a hurry; although, that video of their new “vintage” style felt might be a game changer.

The nutria I had (and that Rick at Phoenix has) is a different animal, no pun intended. The nutria was dense and tightly felted, but it was a thicker heavier felt and it was just a body and had not been ironed or pounced. No way for me to make a fair comparison.

As to vintage, that’s an impossible question. Vintage is all over the map. The best vintage felt is, I strongly believe, far superior to any felt currently made anywhere. “Vintage” also takes in some average felt and even some below average.

If I had your hat size I’d be drowning in vintage hats.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[JessieJames]

The only FEPSA beaver I have is a sample sent by Hornskov. It’s fine, but nothing spectacular and not any nicer than my better modern Winchester dress weight felt. I will order a FEPSA beaver hat at some point, but after receiving my felt swatches I’m not in a hurry; although, that video of their new “vintage” style felt might be a game changer.

The nutria I had (and that Rick at Phoenix has) is a different animal, no pun intended. The nutria was dense and tightly felted, but it was a thicker heavier felt and it was just a body and had not been ironed or pounced. No way for me to make a fair comparison.

As to vintage, that’s an impossible question. Vintage is all over the map. The best vintage felt is, I strongly believe, far superior to any felt currently made anywhere. “Vintage” also takes in some average felt and even some below average.

If I had your hat size I’d be drowning in vintage hats.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Fair, I know nothing (so far anyway) will compare to a good ol vintage. I have my Stetson 7x 1950 to compare it to (and for a short time before I returned a vintage Borsalino), if I can find a hat made today that can be 90% of what my vintage is in terms of felt density and softness, I'll be happy. I have to see a dress weight Winchester at some point, because the Western weight Winchester I have, I'm not impressed with the felt quality. It's soft but it doesn't have that super even finish that my vintage has, it kind of looks hairy, as in you can see the hairs.

 

[Rmccamey]

I hope you will work through a few more sample, JJ. Comparing a vintage 7XCB to any other hat, and certainly any other modern hat, is like comparing apples to shotgun shells!

Fair, I know nothing (so far anyway) will compare to a good ol vintage. I have my Stetson 7x 1950 to compare it to (and for a short time before I returned a vintage Borsalino), if I can find a hat made today that can be 90% of what my vintage is in terms of felt density and softness, I'll be happy. I have to see a dress weight Winchester at some point, because the Western weight Winchester I have, I'm not impressed with the felt quality. It's soft but it doesn't have that super even finish that my vintage has, it kind of looks hairy, as in you can see the hairs.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Fair, I know nothing (so far anyway) will compare to a good ol vintage. I have my Stetson 7x 1950 to compare it to (and for a short time before I returned a vintage Borsalino), if I can find a hat made today that can be 90% of what my vintage is in terms of felt density and softness, I'll be happy. I have to see a dress weight Winchester at some point, because the Western weight Winchester I have, I'm not impressed with the felt quality. It's soft but it doesn't have that super even finish that my vintage has, it kind of looks hairy, as in you can see the hairs.

I get when you want/order a finely pounced hat that’s what you expect; however, I really like the long hair finishes too.

 

[JessieJames]

I hope you will work through a few more sample, JJ. Comparing a vintage 7XCB to any other hat, and certainly any other modern hat, is like comparing apples to shotgun shells!

like I said, it will never be the same, I'm aware of all of that. But having felt the FEPSA swatches, I was extremely satisfied by the softness, evenness and density and that is in comparison to my vintage, knowing all well the limitations. I'm not trying to get a 1:1 exact, although that would be nice. But I would like something similar.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

As quick as Sunrise sold out of these nutria hat bodies, I was hopeful that we’d see a completed hat show up. Does anyone have one in the works?

The first lot were 180 gram felts advertised as being between western and dress-weight. The current offering is 220 grams, a larger body suitable for larger hats, and with more stiffeners added.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[belfastboy]

As quick as Sunrise sold out of these nutria hat bodies, I was hopeful that we’d see a completed hat show up. Does anyone have one in the works?

The first lot were 120 gram felts advertised as being between western and dress-weight. The current offering is 180 grams, a larger body suitable for larger hats, and with more stiffeners added.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

They are out of the 180gr bodies and the newest are 220gr and reportedly pretty close to western weight.