Blocks UV Rays and Keeps You Cool: Over 100 Years of Straw Hat Crafting for Summertime Style

Straw hats are a summer staple. I was surprised to see that Tanaka Hat's straw hats boast "99% UV cut."

Straw hats have long been worn by farmers for summer fieldwork, believed to cut ultraviolet rays. Until recently, there was no scientific proof, but when a media outlet tested their UV-blocking performance, it was found to be a full 100%. Even though we promote "99% UV cut," that’s simply because a little UV exposure can occur with movement. In reality, the shielding rate is 100%.

Straw hats don’t let UV rays through but remain breathable. The secret lies in the straw stalk itself: its hollow tube channels release humidity and warm air. The hat gently and softly envelops your head, keeping you cool even on hot days. It’s a hat that makes full use of its natural material and is finely tuned to its purpose.

So, in Kasukabe, straw hats have been continually crafted by artisans’ hands?

Our company was founded in 1880 and originally started as a wheat farm. This area was once filled with wheat fields. Thanks to the nutrient-rich soil from downstream rivers, wheat grew abundantly here.

The wheat ears were used for beer production, but the straw was discarded. That seemed wasteful, so in the Meiji era, we began transforming the straw into "Sanada-himo," the material for straw hats, and exporting it to Europe. During the Taisho Roman era, hat culture became popular, people ventured outside in boater hats, and we imported sewing machines from Germany to begin making hats.

The popularity of hats boosted the industry, and the number of hat makers in the area grew to about 10, turning Kasukabe into a major hub for straw hats. However, issues like a shortage of successors and declining hat demand reduced those numbers, and now only our company remains.