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Cushionaire, Cushioned for Comfort, Comfort Fit, Cushion Comfort, and Air-Vac Sweatbands

Messages
18,915
Location
Central California
I’ve been noticing similar sweatbands on various make hats and wondered if anyone knows their story. I also see the same style of sweat using the name “Cushioned for Comfort,” Comfort Fit, and Air-Vac names. I thought they might have been used by a single company making hats under different names. It could also be that it was just a sweatband that any maker could buy to use on their hats.

Please educate me/us and post photos of your Cushionaire, Cushioned for Comfort, Comfort Fit, and Air-Vac sweats. Thanks!


Volk Hats:

0afd2aa807f45e498ea7d476f722b0e7.jpg


c7482bb6d69cd0d73b9557a0583b630e.jpg



MacLachlan:

a4db3fe4a896811fbb7fce332ec05d39.jpg



Jobber hat made for the store Charles Royce

9649149ea4cbcc67d10edf7000687570.jpg


35b26e754d98702ff13e264805409ee5.jpg



Caxton

ab5a319437486b547bf324963c393787.jpg





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Last edited:

Steve1857

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,306
Location
Denmark
Interesting topic, Brent. I too would love to hear more about these sweats.

I have something similar on a 1920s Moores & Sons' Bowler. One of the great group of Manchester based hat makers. No vents on this one though.

On mine, the sweat seems to expand due to the heat of my head, vacuuming it to fit tightly, if that makes sense. There's no way it will fall or easily be knocked off.
e7d397e442ead0564e0895a382bddc84.jpg
5ef3693a51756ec9d2b7bfd4d5caa48b.jpg
0d7b43cbe9de78c5ae856f000d673943.jpg
7bed39134b3f92f192186a3cd23ce393.jpg


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AbbaDatDeHat

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,638
I’ve been noticing similar sweatbands on various make hats and wondered if anyone knows their story. I also see the same style of sweat using the name “Cushioned for Comfort,” Comfort Fit, and Air-Vac names. I thought they might have been used by a single company making hats under different names. It could also be that it was just a sweatband that any maker could buy to use on their hats.

Please educate me/us and post photos of your Cushionaire, Cushioned for Comfort, Comfort Fit, and Air-Vac sweats. Thanks!


Volk Hats:

b3cddf5344e970dff5c892f6d3ec5e7a.jpg


a65f6a60a22ff8fbdf22c367b0a6beaf.jpg



MacLachlan:

a4db3fe4a896811fbb7fce332ec05d39.jpg



Jobber hat made for the store Charles Royce

9649149ea4cbcc67d10edf7000687570.jpg


35b26e754d98702ff13e264805409ee5.jpg



Caxton

ab5a319437486b547bf324963c393787.jpg





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
I’ve wondered the same for some time.
As an observation, in no way definitive, i have a branded Stack hat that does not have the Air Vac sweatband while other pics of Stacks did.
I can only surmise it might be an upgrade at the time.
Also, they all seem very similar across different brands. I wonder if there might be a stamp or logo on the insides??
B
 
Messages
18,915
Location
Central California
I’ve wondered the same for some time.
As an observation, in no way definitive, i have a branded Stack hat that does not have the Air Vac sweatband while other pics of Stacks did.
I can only surmise it might be an upgrade at the time.
Also, they all seem very similar across different brands. I wonder if there might be a stamp or logo on the insides??
B


Are you willing to risk an avalanche and add photos of the Stack? Love to see it for comparisons.


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Just Daniel

One Too Many
Messages
1,447
I believe those are hats manufactured by Mac Lachlan for other brands or specific hat stores to sell under their own label. I am pretty sure the cushion air and airvac in particular indicate they are Mac Lachlan made; we can know for sure by looking up the trademarks.

All of the hats I have seen with those unique padded air holes in the sweat have Mac Lachlan manufacturing tags behind the sweat.
 
Messages
18,915
Location
Central California
I believe those are hats manufactured by Mac Lachlan for other brands or specific hat stores to sell under their own label. I am pretty sure the cushion air and airvac in particular indicate they are Mac Lachlan made; we can know for sure by looking up the trademarks.

All of the hats I have seen with those unique padded air holes in the sweat have Mac Lachlan manufacturing tags behind the sweat.

There are some old postings here that mention Dobbs and others with these sweatbands, but unfortunately the photos are dead.

I wonder if they were also available as replacement sweatbands? It also be a completely different sweatband using a similar name “Cushion-Aire.”


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Last edited:

Just Daniel

One Too Many
Messages
1,447
That’s interesting, I have not seen them on other hats.

As a rule I assume when I see one of those sweats that the hat is a Mac. Now we’ll have to keep our eyes peeled!


There are some old postings here that mention Dobbs and others with these sweatbands, but unfortunately the photos are dead.

I wonder if they were also available as replacement sweatbands? It also be a completely different sweatband using a similar name “Cushion-Aire.”


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Messages
18,915
Location
Central California
Here’s my circa 1943 Stack, with an earlier version. What’s difficult to show here is the (distinct when new) embossing in the felt on the underside of the brim in the front of these hats. I tried, but am hoping someone with a better example will post a good shot.

View attachment 184815 View attachment 184816 View attachment 184817

Interesting, Charlie. Did the vented pillows on the sweat come after the style on your Stack, or were both styles offered at the same time?


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suitedcboy

One Too Many
Messages
1,346
Location
Fort Worth Texas or thereabouts
I had a Caxton fedora with the cushion-aire sweatband. I don't have it now and I am unsure of the actual wording as I also think it might have been Comfort-Air. It did have a sweat in great condition and the perforated area was "bubbled" up from the embossing. I had one of the Borsalinos with the corrugated piece under the sweat at front and for the times I wore them I thought the embossed and perforated system worked better.
 

AbbaDatDeHat

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,638
CF5923C8-0933-4271-8F5F-4B9CFBA445D4.jpeg
B54BAC6C-B903-4E68-893E-E11114F58C05.jpeg
44976CDA-27F6-476E-BA9E-E110F225B874.jpeg
B4FB6ED5-9800-40F6-A55D-8218F7CB6CC1.jpeg
Greetings All:
Here you go Brent et al.
Requested anticlimactic pics of a nice Stack hat with a plain sweatband. Sorry so tardy, it was well hidden and i was well...forgetful.
B
Ps: now that i played with it...it is a very thinly felted, pillowy crowned hat. A nice ORish style.
 
Messages
18,915
Location
Central California
View attachment 185175 View attachment 185176 View attachment 185177 View attachment 185178 Greetings All:
Here you go Brent et al.
Requested anticlimactic pics of a nice Stack hat with a plain sweatband. Sorry so tardy, it was well hidden and i was well...forgetful.
B
Ps: now that i played with it...it is a very thinly felted, pillowy crowned hat. A nice ORish style.

Thanks, B. Nice hat all around...and a 7 1/2...you haven’t been sending hats to Ignacio have you? ;)


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