Our Materials, and the Certificates Behind Them
By Will Conner, owner of Conner Hats · Updated October 2026
The short answer: Conner hats are made from Australian wool, organic cotton, organic raffia, straw, hemp, genuine leather and recycled plastic bottles. The certifications belong to our suppliers, not to Conner Hats itself. Most of our wool hats are made in a Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) Certified Factory, our labels and organic cotton sweatbands are GOTS-certified organic cotton, and our recycled hats use Repreve, a bluesign®-approved material. Below is every material, the standard behind it, and the exact hats that use it.
Every material at a glance
| Material | Standard or certification | Hats |
|---|---|---|
| Australian wool (non-mulesed) | 29 are made in a Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) Certified Factory (list below) | 34 wool hats |
| Organic cotton | GOTS-certified organic cotton | 5 hats made entirely of it, plus organic cotton sweatbands on 51 hats |
| Recycled plastic bottles | Repreve, a bluesign®-approved material | 9 hats |
| Bloom algae foam | Replaces petroleum-based foam | 14 hats |
| Yulex | Plant-based replacement for neoprene, from FSC/PEFC-certified, deforestation-free forests | 1 hat: the Seven Mile Surf (strap and inner band) |
| Organic raffia | From Madagascar, harvested without cutting down the tree | 20 hats |
| Hemp | Natural fiber | 3 hats |
| Genuine leather | Oily leather, buffalo hide and steer hide | Leather hats |
| Straw (toyo/paper, Bangora, palm) | Natural fiber | Paper straw hats |
Labels in every hat are GOTS-certified organic cotton with vegetable dyes. All our materials are tested by ARPANSA, the Australian government's radiation protection agency, for sun protection (UPF).
Wool: Australian, non-mulesed, from an RWS Certified Factory
Our wool hats use Australian wool. It took two years to set up a non-mulesed wool supply. After that, our factory started buying RWS (Responsible Wool Standard) wool, so we moved to that supply. Wool hat bodies are biodegradable; the inner and outer bands are not.
These 29 wool hats are made in a Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) Certified Factory, and their product pages say so: 1970 Australian Wool Floppy, Arizona Wool Gambler Hat, Aussie Wool Crusher Hat, Austin Cattleman, Banjo Paterson Wool, Bird and Feather Wool, Bowler (Derby) Wool Hat, Buster Wool Fedora, Carson City Wool Bowler Hat, Crossroads Crushable Wool, Dakota Western Shapeable Wool, Detroit Wool Fedora, Hat Bar Rancher, Indy Crushable Wool, Jackeroo Crushable Wool, Kimberly Rancher Wool, Mt. Warning Wool Boho Hat, Mumford Pork Pie Wool Fedora, NorCal Open Road Outdoor, Outlaw Western Shapeable Cowboy Hat, Quincy Water Resistant Wool Gambler, Renegade Australian Wool, Rockaway Beach Wool Hat, Stagecoach Australian Wool Cowboy Hat, Tambourine Outback Wool Hat, The Axe Western, Trident Wool Boater Hat, Uluru Outback Wool Hat, Wide Open Spaces Outdoor.
What we don't claim: the certification belongs to the factory, not to Conner Hats. Wool tracing relies on our suppliers, so we don't claim farm-to-factory tracing.
Organic cotton: GOTS-certified
Our organic cotton is GOTS-certified and grown without synthetic pesticides.
- The whole hat: these 5 hats are made entirely of GOTS organic cotton, including the hat body: Aussie Surf Organic Cotton Hat, Henry Long-Bill Organic Cotton Newsboy Cap, Hiker Bucket Hat, Sahara Aussie Cotton Slouch Hat, Yellowstone Cotton Outdoor Hiking Hat.
- Sweatbands: 51 hats have a GOTS organic cotton sweatband. Each one says so on its product page. Hats with a terry stretch sweatband are not organic.
- Labels: every label is GOTS-certified organic cotton, printed with vegetable dyes.
Recycled plastic bottles: Repreve
When natural materials aren't suitable for a design, we use Repreve, a bluesign®-approved material made from plastic bottles and other single-use plastics. Each hat uses about five bottles. These 9 hats are made with it: Airflow Lightweight Recycled Outdoor, Aztec Boater Recycled Hat, Boat Yard Outdoor Recycled Fedora, Mojave Recycled Floating Sailing, Seven Mile Surf, Sun Shield Recycled Boater Hat, Sunblocker Lightweight Recycled Outdoor, Tarpon Springs Recycled Floating Sailing, Way Outback Recycled Hiking Hat. The Recycled Sun Hoodie uses recycled material too.
Bloom algae foam
Bloom algae foam replaces petroleum-based foam in many brims and some crown tops. Bloom has been our partner since 2018. These 14 hats use it: Aussie Surf Organic Cotton Hat, Aztec Boater Recycled Hat, Boat Yard Outdoor Recycled Fedora, Bounty Hunter Water Resistant Cotton, Indy Jones Water Resistant Cotton, Mojave Recycled Floating Sailing, Mountain Trail Waxed Cotton, Murchasin River Water resistant, Northern Front Oilskin, Portland Waxed Cotton Rain, Seven Mile Surf, Sun Shield Recycled Boater Hat, Tarpon Springs Recycled Floating Sailing, Tracker Water Resistant Cotton Outback Hat.
Thanks to the foam, these hats float if they come off on the water: Aussie Surf Organic Cotton Hat, Aztec Boater Recycled Hat, Boat Yard Outdoor Recycled Fedora, Mojave Recycled Floating Sailing, Murchasin River Water resistant, Seven Mile Surf, Sun Shield Recycled Boater Hat, Tarpon Springs Recycled Floating Sailing.
Yulex
Yulex is the first plant-based replacement for neoprene, and all Yulex comes from FSC/PEFC-certified, deforestation-free forests. We use it in one hat: the strap and inner band of the Seven Mile Surf, which also floats thanks to its Bloom algae foam brim.
Organic raffia
Our raffia comes from Madagascar. It's harvested from palm leaves without cutting down the tree, and it's rain-fed with no irrigation. Raffia is natural and biodegradable: untreated raffia composts in about 6 to 12 months. Its natural resin gives it mild water resistance, and wrinkles come out with steam. See all 20 raffia hats.
Hemp
Hemp uses about half the water of cotton per kilogram of fiber, and it's 2 to 3 times stronger, with 2 to 3 times the yield per acre. Industrial hemp absorbs about 8 to 22 tonnes of CO2 per hectare a year. Our hemp hats: Black Creek Safari Hemp Hat, Cool Air Hiker, Nathan Hemp Mesh Hiker.
Genuine leather
We use genuine leather: oily leather, buffalo hide and steer hide. Our BC Hats styles and hand-braided leather hat bands were handmade in Byron Bay before 2020; that stock is limited and they are no longer being made. See our leather hats.
Straw
Our straw hats use toyo (paper) straw, Bangora and palm. Straw hat bodies are biodegradable; the inner and outer bands are not. See our paper straw hats.
Where our hats are made
Our hats are handmade in Australia, Sri Lanka, China, Pakistan and Mexico. They are not made in the USA. Where a factory is a member of BSCI, the product page says "Made in a BSCI Member Factory".
Packaging and tags
- No single-use plastics. We use biodegradable and recyclable materials, and there are no garment bags.
- Metal emblems ship flat on cardboard, held by their prongs, not in plastic bags.
- All paper and cardboard is recycled, and most boxes are reused.
- Hang tags are FSC certified, made at an FSC-certified print house, and attach with biodegradable string.
Certificates
Certificates are available on request to retailers and press. Email customerservice@connerhats.com.
Questions
Is Conner Hats certified?
The certifications belong to our suppliers. Most of our wool hats are made in a Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) Certified Factory, our organic cotton is GOTS-certified, and our recycled hats use Repreve, a bluesign®-approved material. Conner Hats itself is not certified.
Is your wool mulesed?
No. Our wool hats use non-mulesed Australian wool, and our factory buys RWS wool.
Which hats are 100% organic cotton?
Five hats are made entirely of GOTS organic cotton: the Sahara, Aussie Surf, Henry Long-Bill, Yellowstone and Hiker Bucket.
How many bottles go into a recycled hat?
About five plastic bottles per hat.
Are your hats biodegradable?
Straw, raffia, organic cotton, hemp and wool hat bodies are biodegradable. The inner and outer bands are not, and neither is the wax on waxed cotton.
Where are your hats made?
In Australia, Sri Lanka, China, Pakistan and Mexico. They are not made in the USA.
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