Why are liners sewn or glued to felt fedoras?

[Drdan]

On my modern Borsalino, there's a very nice white liner with the Borsalino logo glued to the felt in the area underneath the sweatband. Being that the crown of the hat is approximately 4" tall and the liner touches the top of my head, surely sebum, sweat, and any applied hair products can come into contact with the liner and stain it. Being that the liner is white makes it particularly susceptible...

Why are liners sewn on to the felt or affixed with glue? I don't surmise that there would be any difference if the liner was just tucked under the sweatband. This would be much more practical, and soiled liners could be simply removed for cleaning and then replaced. Manufacturers could also sell replacement liners in various colors and materials.

I doubt that there is any practical reason as far as semi permanently keeping the liner in place. Perhaps the manufacturer merely has a nice area to display their logo.

Any input? Thanks!

Daniel

 

[Lean'n'mean]

Why are liners sewn on to the felt or affixed with glue?

as far as semi permanently keeping the liner in place

I think you've answered your own question.

Some liners are merely tucked in behind the sweat bands but it's far more practical to fix them, you won't lose them & you won't find them stuck to your head when you remove your hat, especially if you're perspiring.
Times have changed, we are cleaner now than before & very few of us wear hair grease or creams nowadays so liners don't need changing so often.
I imagine back in the day when there was a hatter's on every street, folk used to take their hats to be cleaned & shaped on a regular basis & if necessary have the liners professionally replaced.

 

[T Jones]

When I reblock my hats I remove the liners. After the blocking is done I replace the liners without reaffixing them to the hat. I just tuck them under the sweat. They'll stay in place. I haven't any problems with one moving around because it wasn't glued or sewn back in.

 

[APP Adrian]

Doesn't the liner prevent sweat/everything from penetrating the felt? I'm fine with wearing felts during summer in Toronto.

 

[mayserwegener]

Most liners were also stitched at the crown. I am not sure anyone is still doing that. You also see some old stiff felts with stitched in liners. Here is an example.

http://germanaustrianhats.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/14-mockel-hutfabrik/#entry674

 

[Drdan]

When I reblock my hats I remove the liners. After the blocking is done I replace the liners without reaffixing them to the hat. I just tuck them under the sweat. They'll stay in place. I haven't any problems with one moving around because it wasn't glued or sewn back in.

The impression I get with the Borsalino is that the liner would not be moving around if it was tucked under the sweatband instead of being glued to the felt and then tucked under the sweatband. I understand the need for the liner, but not the need to have it sewn or glued.

 

[Lean'n'mean]

On mass produced hats, it's far easier for the manufacturers to include glueing the liner in place along the assembly line so that after being thrown about in the factories, stacked, transported & then stored, the hats should still have their liners at the point of sale & so less customer complaints. Similarly, many hat bands are glued on, it's a cheap manufacturing process & ensures the hats don't lose them along the way. The fact that some folk would like to change/clean the liners (or bands)at some point is not the hat manufacturers concern, they are just trying to ensure that each hat arrives at it's final destination as described in it's publicity.
If it really bugs you, then why not take out your liner, try to remove any traces of glue & then just tuck it back in. Problem solved.

 

[Lean'n'mean]

Doesn't the liner prevent sweat/everything from penetrating the felt?

Indeed & some folk even go as far as staining their liners with tea for that authentic look.

 

[T Jones]

The impression I get with the Borsalino is that the liner would not be moving around if it was tucked under the sweatband instead of being glued to the felt and then tucked under the sweatband. I understand the need for the liner, but not the need to have it sewn or glued.

When I replace my liners after working on a hat I just tuck them under the sweat without gluing them or sewing them back in. They won't go anywhere. On the other hand, if I have a hat that doesn't need worked on I leave everything "as is", especially if it's vintage. In that case I don't go through the trouble of taking anything apart if it doesn't need "fixing".

 

[navarre]

Most liners were also stitched at the crown. I am not sure anyone is still doing that.
4[/URL]

There are at least a couple of us left Steve.

 

[Drdan]

On mass produced hats, it's far easier for the manufacturers to include glueing the liner in place along the assembly line so that after being thrown about in the factories, stacked, transported & then stored, the hats should still have their liners at the point of sale & so less customer complaints. Similarly, many hat bands are glued on, it's a cheap manufacturing process & ensures the hats don't lose them along the way. The fact that some folk would like to change/clean the liners (or bands)at some point is not the hat manufacturers concern, they are just trying to ensure that each hat arrives at it's final destination as described in it's publicity.
If it really bugs you, then why not take out your liner, try to remove any traces of glue & then just tuck it back in. Problem solved.

Thanks!

I'm gleaning information so that when I order a custom, I can make informed decisions. If there are obvious pros in having a fedora made with a sewn in liner rather than having it merely tucked under the sweatband, then I'll go for the sewn in liner. It does seem that for hygienic reasons, a liner is desireable, whether it be sewn, glued, or tucked.

I'm certain that I can clean a soiled liner by myself, and confident that I can neatly tuck it under the sweatband. Woulld there be any compelling reason to have it sewn on the felt instead when I order a custom fedora?

 

[RJR]

Several members remove the liners in hot weather,so personal preference I'd say.

 

[rogerstg]

Woulld there be any compelling reason to have it sewn on the felt instead when I order a custom fedora?

I can't think of any.

FWIW, another reason that manufacturers affix the liner is to make it more difficult to counterfeit their brand hat. It would be easy for someone to slip out a name brand liner and put it in a cheap hat to sell on ebay.

I read that Akubra stopped selling their branded replacement liners to avoid counterfeits. Now you can only buy a plain white replacement liner.

Roger

 

[Lean'n'mean]

It does seem that for hygienic reasons, a liner is desireable, whether it be sewn, glued, or tucked.

Not necessarily, liners nowadays are more a personal preference for tradition or for the aesthetics rather than for hygene. A hat without a liner isn't automatically less hygenic than a hat with one. It all depends on the cleaniness of the wearer & what he does with/in his hat. I don't think many folk wear the same hat everyday, all day now, they alternate so a liner shouldn't get that soiled anyway.
Don't be so worried about soiling your liner, it may never happen :

 

[Lean'n'mean]

Woulld there be any compelling reason to have it sewn on the felt instead when I order a custom fedora?

None what so ever, it's your choice.

 

[mayserwegener]

There are at least a couple of us left Steve.

Bob, Super! You might be the only one left.

 

[mayserwegener]

None what so ever, it's your choice.

I don't agree. The liner at the least needs to attached at the crown (at the piping).

 

[Bob Roberts]

I don't agree. The liner at the least needs to attached at the crown (at the piping).

+1.

 

[-30-]

"You might be the only one left."
mayserwegener.

Also Leon Drexler, but would think that quite a number of other custom hatters would as well.


Regards,
J T

 

[Rogera]

Art Fawcett and John Penman sew their liners in as well