We offer various finishes to suit our clients' wardrobe, the climate, season, and lifestyle. Our Smooth finishes in both Classic and Lightweight can be adapted to any climate. Our Flecked finished hats perfectly complement a sweater or tweed jacket during colder months. The sleekness of Optimo Melusines adds an air of sophistication. There are no stiff rules for what kind of hat finish to choose.

Ultimately, it's what feels and looks right on you, and we are always on hand to guide you in this process. We constantly work with our mills to create the best hat bodies available today. The principles of how we treat our felt remain the same throughout this complicated process. We don’t stress our materials, but respect them as they move towards one final desired shape.

Optimo introduces new colors every year, and all of our hats are colorfast and residue-free. You can wear them with confidence next to white clothing, or in the rain. Many companies use powders as part of their manufacturing process which permits them to cover up uneven color, 'mottling', discoloration or defects. Along with the use of powders, it’s common to push the byproduct of abrasive surface finishing back into the hat. We strive to keep the hat clean throughout manufacturing. During the dyeing process of the felts, we strive to never force a color. The type and mixture of fur, and subsequent dyeing of the felt bodies can significantly impact the tone of the color and feel of the felt.

Each Optimo goes through multiple vacuuming and brushing operations to maintain its purity, cleanliness and richness of color. Working this way enables us to more clearly spot any imperfections and concentrate on delivering the most beautiful finish to our felt.

Our felt hats are noted for their remarkable density, soft hand and uniformity of finish. Snapping the brim of your hat or creasing the crown should not reveal any breaks or thinning. It should be smooth and mellow. Color should be rich and consistent. The felt should never show spotting, mottling, or “spidering.” Spidering is a web-like pattern often seen in poorly made hats. The felt should feel good to the touch and be easy to manipulate. The wearer can shape or crease the hat without the use of steam.