Flyin’ High Hat Co. Crafts Custom Hats with Purpose

NEWBERG, Ore. — In 2021, while selling a unique salsa product on the road, Sean McClellan told his wife, Jessica, it might be time to reconsider their product offering. The cost of operation was too high.

“I turned to Jess on one of our business trips and told her, ‘If you could find a product that’s nonperishable, that would be the best thing in the world,’” Sean said. “Not even two minutes later, she said, ‘Hats. Let’s do hats.’”

That idea eventually became Flyin’ High Hat Co., a custom hat-making company now operating out of the couple’s Newberg home.

Inspired by an article about Ötzi the Iceman, the oldest recorded natural mummy, and his primitive bearskin hat, Sean realized hats have served a vital purpose since prehistoric times.

“From there, we grabbed pen and paper and started calling around,” he said. “We wanted to find the most basic construction of a hat.”

In October 2022, they secured their LLC, and Flyin’ High Hat Co. was officially born. But they didn’t start selling hats right away — they had to learn the trade first.

The McClellans reached out to Jessi Lloyd of Grey Collective Hats in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and signed up a two-day hat-making workshop. There, they learned about the value of handmade hats, sourcing materials responsibly, using what’s locally available, and embracing each hat’s unique character.

Before the workshop, their work involved reshaping or decorating existing hats. But the class gave them hands-on experience with raw hat bodies—large, blank sombrero-style felts—allowing them to shape and mold custom fits from scratch.

They learned that a hat’s structure is simple: the crown fits over your head, the brim provides shade, and the sweatband keeps perspiration out of your eyes. Other details — like crown dimples or decorative bands — now serve a style more than function.

“I picked my finished hat off the block and put it on my head and said, ‘Whoa, I think we can do this,’” Sean said.

In February 2024, the couple opened their first retail space in Silverton, where they offered consultations and services such as cleaning, reshaping, and restoration. But more than anything, they saw the space as a marketing opportunity — a storefront that could catch the eyes of tourists passing through.

They closed the storefront in February of this year, focusing on production and bringing their operations in house, literally.

The Process: Making a Custom Hat

The McClellans say every custom hat begins with understanding the customer’s intent.

“Hats are a utility as much as they are an expression of personality,” Jessica said. “Is it just an heirloom piece you want to have, or maybe something to wear to your Kentucky Derby parties? Do you want a hat for your wedding? Or is this your everyday hat that’s going to see the elements day in, day out?”

The ideal hat, she added, is both durable and stylish — something that fits a customer’s daily needs and can still be worn for special occasions.

Next, they take head measurements and begin shaping the hat body, which they source from Sunrise Hat Supplies in Berkeley, California. Using steam and a shaping block, they stretch the felt to match the customer’s head, allowing space for a headband. Then, they use sandpaper to “pounce” the hat, adding texture and polish based on customer preference before adding a sweatband to absorb moisture and prevent sweat rings.

After the initial construction, the McClellans consult with the customer to shape the brim, define the crown, and finalize the fit.

Finally, they add personal touches. The crown band might be a simple leather strap or a woven heirloom fabric. A feather from a special hike or a single grandmother’s earring can serve as meaningful additions.

“These hats change over time,” Jessica said. “They change based on who you are at any given moment as you’re living with them. They grow with you.”

Because of this, Flyin’ High Hat Co. offers a lifetime guarantee on its products.

“We want to see that hat every year,” Sean said. “We want this hat to go to your grandkids, and then to your great-grandkids. We want that.”

Using What’s Available

Sean said Flyin’ High Hat Co. is rooted in a sense of place. He hopes to eventually tan his own leathers from local animal harvests, though he acknowledges that takes time, experience, and infrastructure.

For now, they focus on responsibly sourced materials that can endure fieldwork and still look stylish. Rabbit felt, for example, holds up well for five to 10 years and has decent water resistance due to the rabbit’s natural environment.

Beaver felt is considered the gold standard — it’s naturally water-repellent, thanks to velcro-like fibers that create a tight, durable bind.

But Sean said a close contender, with a sustainability edge, is an unlikely invasive species: nutria.

Nutria, or coypu, were introduced to North America in the late 1930s for the fur trade, according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Native to South America, these large rodents resemble beavers but lack the distinctive flat tail. In Oregon, they’re considered unprotected wildlife due to their destructive burrowing and impact on waterways and crops. They can be legally trapped or shot, depending on local regulations.

In February, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service posted on Facebook: “EAT ME! Please? I’m invasive and delicious,” alongside a photo of a nutria and a recipe for smoked nutria and andouille gumbo.

“What makes it better than beaver for me,” Sean said, “is that nutria are overly abundant. They’re being harvested just to be thrown away in most cases. What if we could use that to make a beautiful hat that will last a lifetime without synthetics?”

In their own durability tests, the McClellans found that nutria was slightly more forgiving than beaver. When dirtied on trails, nutria hats needed light reshaping, while beaver hats required more intensive care.

“It’s marginal, and most people probably wouldn’t notice the difference,” Sean said. “But we had to know and test these out. It’s pretty much even, but it was a fun and interesting test.”

While they can’t currently accept nutria pelts, the McClellans hope to work with legislators to support responsible harvesting. Their goal is to one day use local animal materials to build sustainable, long-lasting hats — closing a gap in the current supply chain. First, however, the business model has to support that shift.

Flyin’ High hats start at $340 and rise from there depending on materials and customization. Sean said while the prices justify the investment, it saves money — and the environment — in the long run. 

“When you buy a hat every couple of years for a hundred or two hundred bucks, that adds up,” he said. “And you’ll keep doing it every time the hat fails, which it will. But when you buy a hat from us, you’re getting a lifetime hat that will grow and change with you. And you’re only buying it once.”

Flyin’ High Hat Co. products are sold at Minthorn Mercantile in downtown Newberg and makes custom hats out of their home in north Newberg. Their next event is at Minthorn Mercantile during the June 6 First Friday to answer questions and take custom hat orders. 

Interested customers are encouraged to contact Flyin’ High Hat Co. directly via its website for custom hat inquiries. Customers can also follow them on social media, as they will pop up at events around the area.