BARMAH Hats Brand Story | From the first hat in 1990 to the Australian leather foldable hat that fits in a bag

Traditional leather bush hats can block the sun and possess a distinctive Australian style. However, the real trouble often isn't how to wear them, but where to put them during travel to prevent them from getting crushed along the way.

What makes BARMAH Hats truly remarkable is how they addressed this seemingly simple yet long-standing problem for travelers.

The brand hides a stainless steel spring in the brim, allowing the leather hat to be folded and packed into the accompanying cotton bag, then unfolded upon arrival at the next destination. This design, exemplified by the Squashy hat style, is called "Original and Unique Hat-in-a-Bag" by BARMAH.

First hat sold in 1990, BARMAH Hats officially established in 1994

The story of BARMAH Hats began even before the company was officially established. In 1990, Glenn and Gwenda Turner sold their first hat; four years later, BARMAH Hats officially became the Turner family's Australian leather hat business.

Australia's long hours of sunshine, open terrain, and outdoor lifestyle mean that a bush hat is not just a fashion accessory but a daily tool that needs to be worn for long periods, used repeatedly, and can move with the wearer.

It was in this environment that BARMAH Hats gradually developed a product direction that balances sun protection, durability, comfort, and travel storage. It didn't just apply Australian style to the exterior; instead, it transformed the inconveniences of real outdoor life into part of the design.

Squashy: The Hat-in-a-Bag with a spring hidden in the brim

The crown and brim of traditional leather hats can easily deform if squeezed by luggage. For those who truly need to travel by car, plane, or for long distances, a hat that can only be carefully carried by hand is not truly suitable for travel.

Developed in the mid-1990s, Squashy became BARMAH Hats' most recognizable signature design. A stainless steel spring, made in Australia, is integrated into the brim, allowing the hat to be folded and placed into the accompanying cotton drawstring bag. Once removed, the spring structure helps the brim regain its shape.

BARMAH calls this concept the "Original and Unique Hat-in-a-Bag." It didn't change how leather hats are worn, but rather how traditional leather bush hats can truly travel with people.

No need for a hat box, leather hats can truly travel

The value of a travel hat isn't just how beautiful it looks before departure, but whether it can continue to do its job after being packed, traveling long distances, and being used repeatedly.

Many BARMAH Hats leather hats incorporate the foldable concept of Squashy, allowing bush hats to be free from a hat box. They can be folded and stored in a bag when needed, then unfolded upon arrival at a campsite, trail, or the next city.

This is where the Hat-in-a-Bag is most compelling: it's not about showcasing complex machinery, but about transforming a traditional leather hat, which was once difficult to carry, into gear that can truly be taken on repeated outings.

From a small family business to the Spotswood factory in Melbourne

BARMAH Hats started as a small family business, moved through different locations in Melbourne, and eventually settled in Spotswood. This remains the brand's factory and headquarters, responsible for the production of Australian-made hats, product development, packaging, and distribution.

In 2008, the brand further established dedicated leather finishing capabilities in Melbourne, allowing the team to directly control leather color, feel, batch consistency, and subsequent product development.

For a leather hat that needs to be folded repeatedly, exposed to the sun for long periods, and constantly traveling, style is just the first step; whether the material can maintain stability across different batches and usage conditions determines if it can be used long-term.

Second generation takes over, continuing the Australian family brand

Since 2020, the second generation of the Turner family has become more deeply involved in brand management. BARMAH Hats remains family-owned and operated, and continues to produce Australian-made hats in its Melbourne factory.

The brand collaborates with local Australian suppliers and prides itself on using Australian leather, canvas, and brim springs; where feasible, it prioritizes Australian resources and businesses. This is more accurate than claiming all materials are 100% from the same place, and better shows how the brand integrates local production into its supply and manufacturing.

The continuation of the family business is not just about passing the name to the next generation, but about advancing the design logic that began with Squashy in terms of materials, manufacturing, and usage.

In 2023, after more than thirty years, leather is still being refined

Dri-Hide™ was not a technology that existed at the inception of BARMAH Hats, but rather a new development after more than thirty years of brand operation.

In 2023, BARMAH Hats collaborated with professional tanneries to develop the first Dri-Hide™ leather series designed specifically for hats, focusing on lightweight, durability, water repellency, and consistency in color and surface across different batches.

It doesn't transform a leather hat into completely waterproof rain gear, but rather enhances the leather's performance in travel, daily life, and outdoor environments, while retaining the comfort needed for prolonged wear.

This development strongly illustrates the brand character of BARMAH Hats: even though their most iconic Hat-in-a-Bag has been used for years, the team hasn't just stuck to classic aesthetics, but continues to research how to make leather even more suitable for the next journey.

A hat made to move with people

From the first hat sold in 1990, to its official establishment in 1994, the Squashy brim spring, the Melbourne leather finishing facility, and the introduction of Dri-Hide™ more than thirty years later, BARMAH Hats has consistently addressed the same issue: how to make a leather bush hat truly suitable for travel and outdoor life.

Its most representative action isn't being carefully placed in a display case or hat box, but being folded up and put into a bag; then, upon arriving at the next destination, unfolded again to continue blocking the sun.

A stainless steel spring hidden in the brim ensures that BARMAH Hats not only possesses the appearance of an Australian leather hat, but also provides a very clear brand answer: a good outdoor hat should be able to move with its wearer.