Collection: Leather Fedora Hats

Every fedora in Ghelter's leather fedora collection is genuine leather, cowhide or sheepskin, and the material line on each listing says which one it is. Ten are cowhide, including two in nubuck, and three are sheepskin. The line reads, for example, "100% Genuine Leather (Cowhide)".

Cowhide feels firmer and holds a crisp crease; sheepskin is lighter and more supple. Genuine leather softens and deepens in color with wear. Whichever you choose, the stitching, the band and whether the hat has an inner sweatband tell you more about the build than the photo does.

A leather fedora and a suede fedora differ in the surface of the hide. Leather shows the smooth outer grain, which resists scuffs and wipes clean. Suede is brushed to a soft, matte nap, which looks warmer and more relaxed but takes water marks and stains more easily. Nubuck sits between the two: it is the outer side of the hide, sanded until it feels velvety like suede.

In this collection, two fedoras are nubuck, a few offer suede-finished colors, and the rest are leather in plain, distressed or patterned finishes. As a rule, smooth leather is the easier hat to live with outdoors, and nubuck and suede are the ones to keep for dry days and evenings.

A leather fedora should sit level on your head, about a finger's width above the eyebrows, snug enough that a gust will not lift it and loose enough that it leaves no red line on your forehead. To find your size, wrap a soft tape around your head about 1-2 cm (0.5-1 inch) above the eyebrows, where the hat will sit, keeping the tape straight.

Most of Ghelter's leather fedoras come in three fitted sizes, in two-centimeter steps of 55-56, 57-58 and 59-60 cm (21.7 to 23.6 inches); three models add a fourth size (53-54, 60-61 or 61-62 cm), and two come in single-centimeter sizes from 56 to 60 cm. Three are also listed as adjustable. If you fall between two sizes, order the larger one. The chart with US hat sizes is on our sizing page.

A leather fedora can take a passing shower, but it is not a rain hat. If it gets wet, blot it with a dry towel, set it on its crown at room temperature and let it dry slowly, away from radiators and hair dryers. Soaking and direct heat are what stiffen genuine leather and can make it shrink or crack. Nubuck and suede mark more easily with water, so keep them for dry days.
Shape is mostly a matter of handling. Pick the hat up by the brim rather than by the pinch of the crown, and store it on its crown or on a hat rack instead of flat under other things. Stored that way, the crease and the brim keep their line for years.

As a rule, clean a smooth leather fedora with a barely damp cloth, then let it dry before you condition it. Use a conditioner made for smooth leather two or three times a year, in a thin layer and after testing it on the underside of the brim, because some products darken the hide. Never put the hat in water or in a washing machine.

Nubuck and suede need a different routine. The usual tools are a suede brush and a suede eraser, used in one direction to lift the nap; keep oils and creams off both. Our hat cleaning guide covers other materials step by step.

Ghelter ships every order from its warehouse within 1-2 business days, and the tracked, insured package reaches most addresses in 5 to 12 business days. Orders over 50 EUR ship free.

You have 30 days from the day the fedora arrives to request a return. The hat must be unworn, with its tags, original packaging and proof of purchase; email support@ghelter.com with a photo of the hat and one of the shipping label attached to the package. Free return labels are only sent for hats that arrive in poor condition, are not in the correct size or differ from the photos (small color differences do not count); for sale items and orders placed with a discount code, the buyer pays the return shipping. To change size, the policy asks you to return the first hat and place a separate order for the new one.