The Consortium “Il Cappello di Firenze” was established in 1986 under the auspices of the Industrialists’ Association of the Province of Florence. Its members include some of the leading companies in the sector, heirs to the traditional art of working with straw—a craft that reached its pinnacle in the Signa area from the late 19th century to the present day.
The production of the world-famous Leghorn hat originated in this very region. Today, the companies of the Consortium export their products worldwide, from the United States to Europe, and from Australia to Japan.
Magic on Your Head
by Simona Fulceri
Let’s debunk a common misconception: a hat is not just a fashion statement. The revival of this extraordinary creation is driven by reasons that go beyond the evolution of taste and fashion, as a phenomenon linked to humanity’s cultural and communicative changes. Now we can finally say it: the hat has always been with us, in its myriad colors and changing shapes—reliable summer companion, cooling our hair, and protective winter friend, offering us a warm embrace. Its presence in our seasonal wardrobes shows that it no longer makes sense to view the hat as an outdated item simply because it has deep roots in the past. Rather, one might ask why contemporary society, so different from the past, continues to take so much pleasure in its existence. Fashion can help us find answers only if we free it from the superficial judgment of pure aesthetic whim and recognize its profound value as a human phenomenon of social equality and individual differentiation.
Fueled by creative thought, fashion is both an object of imitation and a tool for distinguishing one’s personality—a practice that, in essence, means striving for an enticing way of taking care of oneself.
Today, in a world of products available in limitless quantities, someone who freely chooses to wear their favorite hat is not only attentive to their image but also a savvy selector of rare and exclusive items, consistent with their lifestyle.
Meeting these needs is the primary goal of companies that embrace the Made in Italy philosophy. Continuing the journey between what we were and what we are, fifteen companies associated with the “Il Cappello di Firenze” Consortium will guide us towards their vision of business, where the heritage of Florence’s artisan straw hat tradition meets today’s dynamic marketing. The production network covers the entire straw supply chain: hats, of course, raw material and semi-finished goods suppliers, accessories, and machinery manufacturers for hat making.
The contemporary identity of the leading companies is deeply connected to the artisanal heritage of the Florentine region. The straw hat industry, documented as early as the Middle Ages, was actively developed in the following centuries, when the leftover stalks from wheat harvesting were used to create a rather coarse braid, sufficient to make simple headwear. From the early decades of the 18th century, Signa became the driving force of the straw hat industry, thanks to the introduction of a new wheat cultivation method, the “Marzuolo” wheat, which involved dense sowing and an early harvest before the stem reached full maturity.
More suited to straw production than food use, this stem produced the finest straw braid for hats, known for its delicacy, flexibility, and shine, establishing the worldwide renown of the “Florentine straw hat.” Since then, Tuscan companies have experienced an alternating existence, from periods of great development to those of deep recession, even disappearing in the 1950s when the hat’s role in fashion was changing. Along with a clientele increasingly inclined towards the liberalization of customs, which would later be energetically championed by the younger generation of the following decade, the hat gradually became outdated, regarded as an accessory tied to the fashion of past social classes.
In the contemporary era, the companies that have survived these fluctuations have remained responsive to the changes dictated by fashion and the economic trends of foreign markets, all in the name of the exclusivity of their products. Fashion may have changed the hat in its deeper values, but it has never abandoned it. Continuing to make hats today, preserving the secrets of this typically artisan craft, means safeguarding the manual expertise of masters skilled in shaping the work, knowing how to select the best materials, and verifying their conformity during the production phase.
Today more than ever, companies have the responsibility to protect the historical values of their brands, presenting themselves to the public with creative, artistic, and managerial receptiveness. With a spirit of territorial collaboration, the “Il Cappello di Firenze” Consortium was established in May 1986 within the Straw and Hat section of the Florence Industrial Association. Its mission is to protect the artisan production of Florentine hats and support companies in promoting and marketing their products on international markets. The soul of the Consortium lies in its companies and their belief in the historical values of the ancient art of hat-making. In our country, the industrialization of this craft is carried out by courageous and often ambitious families, enchanted by attention to detail and creative passion.
