Hey UK! Where do you buy your hats?

carranty said:

While I completely agree with what TheDane just said, I think you're right that this is exactly the way to do it. Start small. Perhaps start with the equipment to make a hat that would fit your spouse/friend/close relative etc, to give you practice in hat making itself. To do custom hats, for everyone, is indeed quite a task, but you could perhaps initially just gather together some of the more popular size/shape blocks, and just offer hats made on those those (which is really all that the current UK hat retailers do anyway, just set styles in 4 or 5 different sizes), then move onto custom if you think it'll be economically viable. To bring in some extra coin you could offer a re-ribbon, binding service -- I know I have a couple of Akubras I'd like a different ribbon on but don't dare do myself. It just isn't worth the expense for me to send the entire hat to the US and back just for a $35 service.

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bloc said:

Thanks for the advice. It's always good to have a reality check and that does all sound overwhelming. My ladies hats are bespoke so they are made to measure but I don't have the mountain of hat blocks you describe. On the plus side I do have a local chap who makes blocks for me which should save a lot in the wood department and I do have a lot of equipment already. I don't have tens of thousands to spend in one go by any means. I wonder if I can build up the necessary block pile piecemeal. There is a lot to think about and the hat-making will definitely have hobby status alongside the millinery business while I try it out.

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