In the millinery world, some hats are forever favourites, lasting a lifetime in the service of their owner. Berets, and other hats such as trilbys and fedoras find a place in their owner's wardrobe, year after year.
Other hats have a more transient place in the owner's life; this is particularly true of hats purchased for special occasions; these hats may only be worn once or twice and then only for a few hours in total. Most often these hats are made of some form of wool or straw and/or fabric. Depending on the manufacturing process, good quality material components of discarded hats can be re-used in new designs.
It's often easier to use new millinery materials, because reusing the component materials can be very labour intensive. And sourcing high quality materials for a particular hat design can also be time consuming. Hats made with upcycled materials usually work out similar in price to those made with exclusively new materials, because of the extra work involved in the production process. However, as well as the obvious benefits of reducing consumer waste, there is also the advantage that vintage millinery materials are frequently of higher quality than their modern equivalents.
Hats made in the Spangled Bobbins Millinery Studio will usually be made with new materials or with a mix of new materials and where available, high-quality materials salvaged from hats which are no longer wanted for the occasion for which they were originally purchased. Materials from salvaged hats will be carefully inspected and cleaned, to ensure they are at least as high quality as equivalent new materials. The option to use of upcycled materials will be discussed with prospective clients, during the commissioning process.
Occasionally I might find a vintage hat that will be perfect for a particular occasion without significant restyling. If this happens, I will clean the hat and replace the lining, so that the hat can really be fully restored and you can take confidence in the quality. Details of the restoration will be made available at the time of purchase.
If you wish to reuse a hat, to have it restored or restyled, contact Julie at the Spangled BoBBins Studio to discuss how this might be achieved. It will usually be possible to make some changes so that the hat works with a different outfit. Prices will vary depending on the specific circumstances, but it will usually be a cost effective approach to getting a new look for your hat.
