Caring for your hat
At Courtois Paris, we make the quality of our hats a true promise. Here are the keys to ensuring your headwear will be with you every day, for many years to come.
Daily maintenance
While the excellence of our craftsmanship and high quality of our headwear is important to us, headwear requires a certain amount of daily attention. Its maintenance requires rigor, because depending on the material used, it can be very different. Whether your hat is made of felt, fur, or straw, a noble material requires specific care for a lifespan as exceptional as your headwear!
How to care for your panama hat
Courtois Panama straw hats are woven by the expert hands of Ecuadorian artisans. Courtois Panama hats are distinguished by their fine weave grades, which vary in thickness depending on the model. Made from the straw fiber known as "paja toquilla," known for its strength, the Panama hat nevertheless requires great care.
Handling and storing your hat
When putting on or handling your hat, we strongly advise against pinching it. Instead, hold it by its edges! Although the shape of your hat is mascot-like, pinching it damages the straw, which will eventually split.
When not in use, store your Panama hat flat on a shelf in its attractive Courtois canvas pouch. This will protect it from dust and keep it in its original shape!
Living daily with your Panama hat
Heat is the enemy of straw! It dries out the fiber and makes it brittle. We do not recommend leaving your hat in the blazing sun on the back shelf of a car, or near a heater, for example. The sun can also slightly discolor dyed straws.
Avoid contact with water or rain. On vacation, accidents can happen quickly... If your panama hat falls into the water, let it dry flat as it is, avoiding the sun and without rushing the drying with a heat source (such as a heater).
We recommend occasionally moistening your Panama hat with a mist of water. This nourishes the straw so it retains its suppleness.
If your Panama hat gets stained, don't use detergent, nail polish remover, or any other product containing alcohol, which could mark the straw or discolor the hat. The best tip is to rub gently with an eraser or a very soft, dry cloth, being careful not to damage the straw fiber.
Caring for your felt hat
Our hats are crafted in keeping with the millinery tradition, using the finest felts, sometimes using unique materials dating back to the 19th century. Whether you choose a fedora, cloche, bowler hat, or even a wide-brimmed hat, the felt hat is more than just an accessory; it's at the heart of fashion and chic. Here are some tips for caring for your felt hat.
The matter
At Courtois, our felt pens are made from natural materials. Whether they're made of wool, rabbit hair, or beaver fur, they require careful cleaning. We recommend brushing the fur occasionally to remove dust and avoid damaging the material.
The shape
Felt isn't a fragile material, but you should be careful about the weather when wearing it. It can withstand light rain, but it's hard to withstand heavy downpours. To maintain its original shape, it's essential to let your hat dry in the open air and away from any heat source (heater, radiator). As with its summer cousin, the Panama hat, avoid pinching its crown when putting it on or wearing it to prevent it from losing its shape.
How to care for your cap or bob hat
Whether linen, cotton, tweed, or cashmere, our caps and bucket hats are made from a variety of materials depending on the season. Here's how to care for and maintain them properly.
Summer caps and bucket hats
To ensure the longevity of your Courtois cap, if it gets dirty, we recommend dry cleaning it. Using hot water could damage and distort the visor.
When you are not wearing it, we recommend filling its crown with tissue paper and storing it in its Courtois Paris fabric pouch to protect it from dust.
Winter caps and hats, other waterproof materials
In this case too, we recommend dry cleaning if you stain your headgear. If it is made of wool felt (e.g. Carnac model ), or corduroy (e.g. Tim model ), you can also remove the dust with a brush from time to time to prevent stains.
However, if you have any doubts, don't take any risks and take your headgear to a professional, such as a dry cleaner. Or call the store for personalized assistance!
Fitness
Because a Courtois hat accompanies you for a lifetime, your story also becomes ours.
With this in mind, if anything happens to your headgear, we will try to restore it to its original condition. Don't hesitate to visit our Parisian boutiques, where our teams of milliners will be able to assess the damage and advise you.
