GIGI PIP Hat Care Guide: Prolonging the Life of Your Stylish Headwear

Your Gigi Pip hat is built with timeless quality, but everything lasts even longer with consistent maintenance + care. Our hat experts are here to empower you with the information you need on maintaining, reshaping, restoring + packing your hats so that you can keep them looking new.

MUST-HAVE'S FOR CLEANING YOUR HAT

Cleaning your felt hat can be a delicate task. Whether you need a light cleaning to refresh or you literally wear your hat every day + would run it through the washing machine if you could (don't do that!), we've got the tips, tricks, + products you need for keeping your hat looking fresh every day. Check them out below!

HAT BRUSH

Use our Gigi Pip Hat Brush to help remove dust + dirt from the surface of your hat. For best practice, gently brush the hat counterclockwise, starting at the front + working your way around while moving with the natural grain of the felt.

+ TIP: Always brush your hat before spot cleaning or applying treatments + always brush in the same direction consistently.

LINT ROLLER

A good rule of thumb: always keep a lint roller on hand to remove lint, hair, and dust from your brim. Our Felt Hat Lint Roller was specifically designed so you can take it on-the-go! A quick + often lint roll will help to preserve the quality of your felt hat.

+ TIP: Rip off a sheet from your lint roller + press into the hard-to-reach crevices of your hat, like the crown!

HAT SPONGE

A good hat sponge is one of the oldest tricks in the books to remove smudges + give your hat a clean new look. Use the Gigi Pip Hat Cleaning Sponge dry to shave off loose nap, surface dirt + imperfections. This works great for makeup smudges!

+ TIP: Be sure to use one sponge for your dark felt hats + one for your light felt hats!

HAT STIFFENER SPRAY

Hat need a little lift? Use our hat stiffener spray to preserve the shape + stiffness of your hat.

First, clean your hat with a brush or sponge. Then, hold the bottle 8-10 inches away from your hat + finely mist over the entire hat only using a couple of sprays. Allow to dry + then wear with confidence!

CLEANING THE SWEATBAND

Your hat's sweatband tends to see a lot after multiple uses, being anything from makeup to oils to sweat.

To freshen up your sweatband, use a toothbrush, water + mild soap to gently scrub + blot dirt. Wa-la! Your sweatband is good as new + smelling fresh.

CARING FOR STRAW HATS

Looking to maintain + freshen up your straw hats? We've created a step by step guide to keep your straw hats shaped, clean + smelling fresh no matter what adventures your straw has been along on. Check out the Complete Straw Hat Guide below!

Straw Hat Care Guide

SHOP HAT CARE PRODUCTS

Gigi Pip hat care products - a handheld hat cleaning brush to remove dirt + lint made of wood + features the Gigi Pip name engraved on the handle [natural]

Hat Brush $ 10.00

Gigi Pip hat care products - Felt Hat Lint Roller Pack of 3 - a three pack of miniature lint rollers, perfectly sized to use for your hat [black]

Felt Hat Lint Rollers - Pack of 3 $ 10.00

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Gigi Pip hat care products - Hat Siffener Spray - hat stiffener spray to restore the sturdy, stiff feel of your felt hat [natural]

Hat Stiffener Spray $ 12.00

Gigi Pip hat care products - Hat Care Kit - a kit of hat care products featuring a branded hat brush, hat cleaning sponge, branded lint roller, hat stiffener spray + 3 Gigi Pip stickers in a clear zipped vinyl bag [black]

Hat Care Kit $ 32.00

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HOW TO FIX A SMASHED HAT

Has your hat ever been misshapen from taking it on vacation, keeping it in storage, or from lending to a friend? Have no fear, we are here with a number of tips on how to reshape + restore your smashed hat back to new. Let's work some magic!

+ HOW TO RESHAPE A FELT HAT WITH A STEAMER

Fixing your hat's crushed areas is the most straightforward with a steamer - handheld or industrial will do! Let the steam envelope the hat one section at a time. The steam will make this area softer + more pliable so you can easily reshape that specific spot with your hands. Avoid letting the hat get too wet - if this starts to happen, let it dry out + take another pass at it a few minutes later.

1. Steam the area of your hat that needs to be reshaped.
2. Make sure you can feel the material soften slightly.
3. Use your hands to push out the dents + straighten the brim. It's okay to be heavily hands on!
4. Let the hat cool. Wa-la!

+ HOW TO RESHAPE A FELT HAT WITH A BOILING POT OF WATER

Don't have a steamer on hand? No biggie, you can boil water in a tea kettle or a regular pot you would use for cooking. As the water boils, hold your hat about a foot from the steam, or open the tea kettle and let the steam roll out onto your hat one section at a time. If you’re a fan of multitasking, simply set your hat on the bathroom sink + let the steam from your shower work it's magic. Click HERE to see a quick video demonstration on our Tik Tok page!

+ HOW TO RESHAPE A FELT HAT USING A HOT SHOWER

Steam your hat by turning on the shower to a hot setting. Remember to shut the door to keep the steam in. Keep in mind you want the hat to get steamed but not too wet. Hang your hat away from the water's steam on the back of the door, or set it on the bathroom sink for about 20 minutes or so + that should do the trick!

+ TIP: This method also works great for floppy hats that have creases in them + is a good first step when restoring a bent brim after major damage.

+ MORE TRICKS TO CONSIDER WHEN RESHAPING YOUR FELT HAT

1. Use both hands to guide steamed sections of the hat back where they need to be. You can use an open palm for large, flat areas like the brim, and your fingers to focus on smaller parts such as a pinched crown.

2. Be sure to check the overall shape of the fedora every few adjustments so that the general shape keeps moving in the right direction.

3. The brim is one of the most classic elements of the fedora. Use photos for inspiration + as a reminder of the style of your brim while reshaping it so it ends up looking new!

4. Felt hats sometimes require just steaming the brim. Make sure it is heated evenly and work your way around the hat until it's back to its initial shape.

5. Rancher-style hats like our bestselling Monroe + our popular Zephyr hat have upturned brims. They’re flat near the break line where the crown meets the brim, then the brim begins to turn up slightly toward the edge.

An upturned brim takes a little more technique to steam. Near the break line you’ll want to flatten it evenly all the way around. When you’re happy with that part, aim some steam underneath the brim near the edges. Gently reshape the brim back to it's original form. This type of brim will take more finesse than a more relaxed floppy brim.

HOW TO STORE + TRAVEL WITH YOUR GIGI PIP HATS

Hat storage is one of our many talents + fields of expertise. Not only does the proper storage preserve the shape + longevity of your hats but allows you take them with you on the go safely!

Our hat experts have broken down how you can take care of your hats in confidence with a few simple techniques below.

TRAVEL BAGS

Have you ever dreamed of wearing your River Guatemalan Palm on a catamaran or taking your Gigi Pip collection to see the world? This is where fashion meets function.

Traveling with a hat isn't always an easy task, so we recommend using the travel bags that were made for hats on the go.

+ TIP: Need a last minute packing solution? Roll or fold a sturdy clothing item (socks, tank tops) + stuff them into the crown of your hat to support it.

HAT KEEPSAKE BAGS + BOXES

Hat Keepsake Bags + Boxes are perfect for short + long term storage of your hat. The cotton bag will protect your hat from dust, dirt + other particles to ensure your Gigi Pip brim lasts. Use the Keepsake Bag + Box simultaneously for ultimate protection.

WALL HANGING PEGS + HAT STANDS

Two of our most favorite ways to store your hats -- on display! Keep your hat on display + out of the way by hanging them on the walls of your home. Our decorative wall hanging pegs provide more support to your hat than a basic nail + can double as a space to hang other prized possessions.

Hat stands shine beautifully on your countertop + take up little counterspace by putting your hats on a pedestal.

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HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR GIGI PIP