Havstad Hat Co.

Lids for days is what’s going on over at Havstad Hat Co. Made by lady boss, Cate Havstad. I love a good girl boss. While her hats are perhaps some of the most badass felts I’ve run across, her story and start makes me love this company that much more.

About Havstad Hat Co.

It all started with an old flat top hat, and a young woman’s search for passion and inspiration.

Three years ago, Cate Havstad was offered an opportunity by friend and songwriter Willy Tea Taylor. Willy Tea was about to embark on a tour of the western United States, playing shows and filming footage for his music documentary, ‘Searching for Guy Clark’s Kitchen.’ He showed up in Santa Cruz, CA one day with an old flat top hat in hand. Willy Tea asked Cate if she wanted to hit the road and assist in filming during the tour. He presented the hat to her, telling her it was her “movie-making hat” and encouraged her to listen to her heart and follow the inspiration that was to be found on the road. The time on the road with Willy Tea, as well as the family of artists and troubadours that they spent time with left a permanent mark on Cate. It was from that trip on that she started her own journey in seeking that which truly inspired her. That hat gave Cate a new silhouette as she embarked on a new direction in her life, and the sentiment behind the hat made it her most prized possession.

For the next year, Cate rambled around the western United States and Canada with her dog Charlie. One day she returned home to find that her beloved “movie-making hat” had been chewed up. Devastated, Cate started researching hatters and the process of hatmaking, hoping to repair her beloved hat. As she learned more about the trade, the process and the small remainder of traditional hand-made custom hatmakers, her interest grew. She sought out an apprenticeship with a Master Hatter and moved to Oregon to pursue trade. In the mornings she worked at a barn leading horseback trail rides, and in her free time she learned all she could about hat making.

With a background of fundamentals in classic western hat-making, Cate has been building hats independently as Havstad Hat Co. out of a horse barn in Central Oregon for almost 2 years now. Each hat is handcrafted from start to finish by Cate. From using the finest fur felts made in the US to utilizing hand-shaping techniques and hunting down original hatter’s equipment dating back to the late 1800s, Cate’s approach to hat making both honors the history and traditions of the past while incorporating her modern day flare into her designs and business.

Now if that doesn’t make you want to custom order your next hat from Havstad Hat Co., I don’t know WHAT will. Her style selection is off the chain, but the handcrafted quality of each hat is what makes Havstad a major hat contender. You can custom order your hat in felt quality ranging from 10X to 100X (depending on your budget), in just about any color you want and she then hand makes each hat into a lid you’ll love!

Shop with, or custom order from Cate at www.havstadhatco.com