AMERICANS AT WORK : HATTERS

[Music] Americans at work making the crowning touch for the wardrobes that make us the best dressed nation in the world hat makers Craftsman all keep the men women and children at the top of the Fashion World the Hat Maker's product is given every conceivable use today from sportsare to the most formal dress occasions the original hat was probably a large leaf cut from a tree by its wearer to provide portable shade and protection from Sun and rain today's hat maker uses every conceivable material for his products and men wear them for basically the same reason as the wearer of the tree leaf whether engaged in outdoor sports or occupations or as protection while going from place to place without benefit of shelter more often than ever before though the well-dressed man is discovering that the proper hat or cap for business or Recreation is necessary to complete his well-groomed [Music] appearance making a hat is the result of skillful manipulation of the raw materials and mechanical AIDS using a continuous rope of woven straw a summer hat is shaped from the center of the crown to the edge of the brim as this woman guides the material under the needle of her sewing [Music] machine straw hats can be made thick and firm like the skimmer wide brimmed and high crowned like a Panama or narrow brimmed in the current style the original shaping is done the same way as the maker sews the braid in a circular motion shaping as she goes without benefit of a mold the straws are given final shape by blocking and [Music] trimming so skilled are the Hat makers so sure their judgment of size and shape that a steady flow of hats goes from the seers to the finishing room room for the final [Music] touches a combination of heat and pressure give lightweight hats shape and rigidity they will retain for many seasons the shape of the crown the roll of the brim are permanently built in when you buy a hat you want one that will look its best always and always look best on you today there are hats to fit any head shape and to match or contrast with any outfit and they are produced in such quantity that the well-dressed man can have hats for every season and every reason the built-in qualities of these hats good looks and longlasting shape are the results of careful workmanship and inspection in every process [Music] the protection the Hat affords the wearer and the feeling of being welld dressed has made it an important part of a person's wardrobe [Music] hats of felt have long been the standard headgear for men made from wool fibers or the fur of rabbits and beavers hat makers not only form the hats they make the Felts as well the soft under Furs of various animals are combined by using hot water and gentle squeezing motions making the individual hairs cling tightly together after each felt is formed it is stripped from the cone and wet it and compressed many times before it is ready to be shaped into a hat from 2 to 5 O of fur are needed to make one hat and the amount is carefully measured out by the feeders and sent to the forming Dome inside the revolving cone perforated and slightly moist sucks the fur to its surface forming the felt a spray of hot water further strengthens the felt and it is removed from the [Music] cone the newly formed hat body must be processed seven or eight times in sizing machines the operator uses Co cold water to keep his hands cool while handling the boiling hot cone-shaped Felts as they pass alternately through heated water and squeezing rollers after the last sizing process the felt has been reduced to 1/3 its original size into a tight sturdy [Music] cone the sized cones are smooth and stacked as they come from the sizing machine from here on the hats begin to take shape and they may become anything from a pork pie hat to a 10g western a derby or an opera hat every man and woman in the Hat making industry is an expert at a particular operation each step must be as perfectly done as any other or the finished hat will not achieve the standards of quality these people have [Music] set after the cone has been sized and coloring dyes added stiffening materials are blended into it now it is ready to be removed from the water and given a general hat shape a crown and brim The Operators who pull out the shape work quickly because the forming must be done at a certain temperature and wetness if the hat is to hold its final shape applying force with the aid of grips attached to the felt the pointed cone is flattened and rounded and the brim pulled [Music] out again the roughly shaped felt is immersed in hot water or steam to make it pliable so that it can be blocked [Music] clamps are placed on the brim and an overhead press containing a hardwood block the size and shape of the outside of the crown and brim is pulled into place the combination of heat and pressure give the felt a shape that closely approximates its final form and makes the Curve increases permanent a hat is now ready for the final finishing processes before the trim lining and bands are attached the felt is smoothed and lightly blocked several times on a rotating shaft the Hat rubs against fine sandpaper to smooth the rough [Music] felt between sandings the felt is brushed clean then coated with a thin mixture of grease and powder making the finished hat smooth waterproof and durable after the final sanding and coating a hat receives a final blocking to set the shape of the crown and tighten the body of felt trimmers take the completely formed and shaped hats now to do the decorative work the sweat liner is sewn in and the band around the crown is attached the edge of the brim is either bound or sewn down depending on the style of the hat before the hats are packed in their protective boxes they are again inspected completely so that only work representative of the hat maker skill will be delivered to the customers [Music] [Applause] [Music] the cap maker unlike the hat maker uses techniques and machines like those of other garment makers the cloth cutter runs his sharp knife through many layers of fabric around a pre-cut pattern to make the crowns flaps visors and straps today with the return of the open sports car and the convertible and the increased recre recation time available to most families these caps are coming into great demand as the dictates of fashion have restored hats to [Music] [Applause] [Music] popularity cap makers sew the parts together joining the sections of the crowns attaching liners and straps giving the headgear its final shape probably the most popular cloth hats are those made for children the visor and ear flaps offer Perfect protection provided the child can be persuaded to keep it on when you see how much skilled hand workk is involved in producing the Caps their relatively small price seems even lower these cloth caps will soon be protecting the health of children and grown-ups like headgear of all types keeping heads warm in Winter and shaded from the Summer Sun every kind of hat these people create is constructed of common components the best materials to give lightweight full protection to the wearer complimentary style and shape and workmanship that guarantees perfect fit and long [Music] wear when making caps workers substitute sewing machines needles and thread for the blocks and presses used with straw and felt guiding the crown and visor under the highspeed needle the stitcher attaches the individual Parts quickly and with great [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] dexterity all hats and caps straw felt or cloth are blocked in the fin final stage to make the shape firm and Lasting because all headwear receives identical use eventually protecting the wearer from wind Sun rain and cold in addition to being important for the sake of appearance they must be made to retain their original characteristics the quality of workmanship must be excellent at every step in the hands of the Hatters cap and miliner workers of the AFL CIO the best hats are made by Americans at work for [Music] you Americans at work presented as a public service by the AFL CIO next week another interesting story of Americans at work Americans whose skill and effort helped keep our country great and strong [Applause] [Music]