Akubra’s dedication to quality has made them one of the premier hat makers throughout Australia and the world.  David Morgan has proudly sold their hats in the United States since 1965.

Will Morgan visited the Akubra Headquarters in Kempsey, Australia. We thought you might like to get an inside peek into the making of an Akubra hat.

Brian Tucker, Production Manager, stands before the blowing machine.  Here the fur is mixed, removing any clotted hair, felt or dirt.

When the fur leaves the blowing machine, it is like soft cotton.

In the first stage of making the hat, the forming machine (not seen) will make a large cone that is extremely fragile and three times the size of the finished hat.  From here, the hats will be shrunk, dyed and then shaped.

Stoving is the final wet process.  The hats are dried overnight.

Trimmings, such as linings, ribbons and sweatbands (pictured here), are prepared in the factory.

Ready for shipment!

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Akubra Hats

Phillip Hawk has 35 years experience as an expert saddler and shoemaker.  After a three year apprenticeship as a saddler in Colorado, he moved to to Virginia to study English saddles, strap goods and shoemaking.  He was master of the Saddle/Harness Shop and the Boot/Shoe Shop of Colonial Williamsburg.  His skills include every facet of leatherworking except gloves and clothing.  His work marries traditional craftsmanship with modern consumer demands. 


For his belts, Phillip only uses leather from the Tarnsjo Tannery in Tarnsjo, Sweden.  It supplies, arguably, the finest strap and upholstery leather in the world.  The world’s best saddlers, harness makers and fashion designers purchase their leather from this tannery.  Phillip uses leather stained only on the grain (the hair side), leaving the flesh side unstained to prevent bleeding on clothes.  The surface colors used by Tarnsjo Tannery maintain the integrity of the leather.


David Morgan is proud to be a retailer for Phillip Hawk. Contact him at:

Below are just a few of the procedures in making a belt.

Phillip first cuts the leather into strips.  The tool is a draw gauge knife.

Laying out the belt blank.

Staining the edges

Stamping with his maker’s mark

Mounting the snaps

Ready to wear!



LEARN MORE ABOUT:

Philip Hawk Belts

Buckles