ゴールデンウィートバケットハット：フィールドの中の時代を超えた思い出

A few days ago, I walked into a factory, and the workshop was bustling with activity. Workers were busy making fisherman hats that looked like they were woven from wheat straw. They glowed with a sun-like golden hue, resembling an endless wheat field stretching to the horizon in autumn. I was immediately drawn to this color as soon as I entered. I picked one up and ran my fingertips over the surface, marveling at the ingenuity of technology: upon closer inspection, the woven texture was almost identical to that of wheat straw, and no one would have guessed it was made of PVC.

In my hometown, there are three types of hats.

There are two kinds of bamboo hats, both born out of the versatility of bamboo. One has bamboo leaves as the outer layer and bamboo strips as the frame. Craftsmen split bamboo into thin strips, each about two millimeters wide, retaining only the tough outer skin for support, and then carefully weave the bamboo leaves onto it. This kind of hat is extremely waterproof. On rainy days, raindrops slide off the leaves like silk, keeping the top of your head dry. But it requires careful care. If it is not thoroughly dried after use, the residual moisture will corrode it from the inside, shortening its service life in the blink of an eye.

The other is a palm fiber hat, sewn from the fibers of palm trees. Its production is the simplest: just bundle the fibers into the shape of a hat and fix it with palm leaves. But its practicality is lackluster. It is almost not waterproof at all and surprisingly heavy. After wearing it for a few hours, your neck will ache terribly, no wonder few people are willing to wear it.

However, straw hats are deeply loved by everyone. Almost every adult in my hometown has one, all woven from wheat straw. In summer, it can block the sun while allowing cool wind to pass through. Breathable and sun-proof, it is suitable for both working in the fields and walking in the countryside. It can make you feel cool and comfortable from head to toe. But nature left it with a flaw: when it rains, its gaps allow rainwater to seep inside.

Back then, straw hats were a "necessity" for parents working in the fields. At dawn, they would put on their straw hats and go out to take care of the crops. Under the shadow of the brim, there hid the weight of sweat throughout the summer. When it rained, my brother and I would grab our raincoats, clutch the bamboo hats, and run to the fields through the mud. From a distance, we could see our parents' straw hats swaying in the heavy rain. Before sunset, the straw hats would appear at the village entrance along with them, with mud and grass clippings stuck to the brims.

Now, when I put on this fisherman hat that imitates the texture of a straw hat, its texture is softer than the wheat straw of those years, light and fitting. At that moment, it suddenly occurred to me: maybe one day, the waterproof magic of bamboo hats and the sturdiness of palm fibers can be integrated into the design of new fisherman hats, allowing the wisdom of old objects to continue in modern trends.

Interestingly, Chinese people always have a preference for round-top hats and often classify them all as "fisherman hats". But this is not entirely the case: if the brim is slightly upturned, it becomes a "top hat", with a touch more elegance and a hint of grace.

In fact, popular hat designs always revolve around two things: practicality and simplicity. Fancy embroidery or prints? They are like a spoonful of bright seasoning on a delicious dish, which can add color but will never overshadow the main course.

Do you have a favorite hat design? Contact us. We are skilled in producing baseball caps, driver caps, fisherman caps, and berets. Even if you have more whimsical ideas, we are willing to try making more exaggerated hats. (Minimum order quantity is only 50 pieces).

Turning your clever ideas into tangible, well-crafted hats is what drives us.