Source: Blog – Alliance for American Manufacturing

Photos courtesy Watson’s Hats

Meet Watson’s Hats from Cave Creek, Arizona.

It is easy to spot Eric Watson, wherever he goes. Perched atop his head is his signature Indiana Jones hat that has become an everyday attachment.

When Watson was 11 years old, he became an enthusiastic fan of the Indiana Jones character played by Harrison Ford in the franchise film series that began with Raiders of the Lost Ark. He longed for a hat like the one that Jones wore but he could not afford or find one in the numerous antique shops he scoured for hats.

“I couldn’t afford a nice quality Indiana Jones hat that was made from beaver or felt,” said Watson. “After I learned how to re-block and reshape a hat, I taught myself as much as I could. I talked to a couple of old hat makers that were willing to talk to me, and I eventually started making hats myself.

“There was a little general store down the road, and I asked the owner if I could put my custom-made hats in the general store and do a consignment thing. So that’s what I ended up doing and it was getting my name out there to people that like quality.”

Watson’s passion for hats turned into a career and in 2012 he opened Watson’s Hat Shop in Cave Creek, Arizona. He makes a large variety of hats for both men and women that include cowboy hats, fedoras, Panama hats, Aussie-style hats, bowlers and hats from numerous movies.

Over the past 13 years, Watson has put chapeaus on the heads of famous folks like Justin Timberlake, Kenny Chesney and the actors from the short-lived Netflix series Godless. Watson and his wife Emily even made a MAGA cowboy hat for President Trump.

The hats at Watson’s Hat Shop are known for their high-end quality and their meticulous construction. They are not stamped out on a big machine in China like many brands. Watson creates every hat by hand with the help of a few antique hat making tools.

“I have been collecting hat making equipment since I was 11 years old,” said Watson. “Twenty years ago, it wasn’t too difficult to find the old equipment but now it is almost impossible in some cases.

“Most of the equipment we use comes from the early 1900s. My hat blocks were made anywhere from the late 1800s to the 1940s. Modern machines press out hats faster, but we’re kind of different. Most people are into making something fast and making more of it. The faster you make it, the more of it you can make.

“We’re different in that we believe in making the same hat, with the same quality by hand, not rushing the process and doing it just the way it should be done.”

Watson and his team, which includes two other hat makers, create most of their products using beaver fur. After going through Watson’s intricate 64-step manufacturing process, the fur is turned into a sturdy, smooth hat. On request, Emily will sew embroidering into the hat that is truly artistic.

Watson says his products are a “functional work of art.” And that they are truly American made.

“All of the raw material that goes to into our hats is 100 percent made in the United States,” he said. “And all of the work is done in our shop in Cave Creek.”

Making a superior quality hat can be a painstaking process but Watson has the patience and skill to churn out the highest quality lids.

Once he gets the raw material – usually beaver pelts – from his American supplier it goes through a blocking process where they introduce hot steam and place it on a block that is the proper size and head-shape of the order. It then is placed in a crown iron, which is an antique machine with a hot metal shank that provides pressure.

“The block is turning with the felt on it and it starts the curing process of the fur, and it starts to condense and compact together,” said Watson. “From there it goes to the plating machine where we can make a really nice, structured brim.”

The fur continues to be refined to smooth it out and then is involved in more of the curing process, which includes shaping and molding the piece. The finishing process includes sewing in the sweat band, adding an outside band if needed and hand-sewing embroidery on the hat if requested.

A passion for the craft of hat making shows not only in the end product but in the manufacturing process as well. This is certainly an old-school process with the best old-school quality, and the price reflects that. Watson’s hats start at $699 with an increase in price depending on the material used to craft the hat. A beaver/mink blend sells for $1,999.

“We have a rare hat that is called the Clear Silver Beaver,” said Watson. “The Clear Silver Beaver, believe it or not, is the equivalent of an albino little beaver. We don’t always know when we will get a beaver with that genetic trait.

“The can only trap so many per season because we don’t want to wipe out that genetic trait. That’s why that is a $5,000 hat.”

Watson’s passion for what has become a rare skill is evident in his products.

“I want to make a nice product, and I want people to love it,” he added. “I am committed to made in the USA as much as possible because if I don’t help the guy that is making a product here, how is he supposed to grow his business and be there for when I need him so that I can grow my business?”

Watson’s hats are available at Watson’s Hat Shop in Cave Creek just north of Phoenix. They, of course, are also available for purchase online purchase.

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