Brimmed wool hats are versatile fashion accessories that are as functional as they are stylish. Over time, the fibers of your wool hat may relax, causing the brim to lose its stiffness. Rather than replacing the hat or sending it to a professional for a costly repair, consider repairing your hat yourself. You can inexpensively re-stiffen the brim of your wool hat at home, bringing your hat back to looking like new.
Things You'll Need
Large basin
Liquid laundry detergent
Meat tenderizer mallet
Rolling pin
Steam iron
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Step 1
Fill a large bowl or basin with hot water. Dissolve 3 tablespoons of liquid laundry detergent in the water.
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Step 2
Turn the hat sideways and submerge the brim of the hat in the water. Rotate the hat until the entire brim is saturated with the detergent solution. Do not moisten the crown of the hat.
Step 3
Lay the hat on a large flat surface.
Step 4
Beat the entire brim with the pointed side of a meat tenderizer mallet until the wool takes on a compacted, felted appearance.
Step 5
Roll the brim with a rolling pin. Press down as firmly as possible and roll from the outside of the brim inside toward the crown. Continue rolling until the surface of the brim is completely smooth and all markings from the mallet are gone.
Step 6
Iron the brim with a steam iron. Set the iron to the "wool" setting and be sure the steam is turned on.
Step 7
Allow the hat to dry thoroughly, at least 24 hours, before wearing.