Jaxon Basque Beret

Made in Basque Country, Spain

North American hatters have been importing European berets for centuries. The term “Basque Beret”, once an indication of the best quality berets in the world, is today used rather carelessly and often is nothing more than marketing lingo – a disingenuous gimmick. The berets may not even have come from Basque country. In the 27 years that we have been selling headwear, we have seen even the best quality imported European-made beret slowly erode in quality. The sweatband is now vinyl and not leather, the sizes are inconsistent, the label is glued to the interior and not sewn, etc. The people at Jaxon Hats set out to reverse this trend and to reintroduce to the N. American market a true, highest-quality, Basque beret. The result is the product you see here. Don’t be fooled by the low price, Jaxon is the direct importer, no middlemen, and the objective is to compete with the popular European import alluded to earlier that has kept its price in the forties and fifties by lowering the quality.

Okay, enough of an introduction – here are the specs: This highest-quality beret is made in the heart of Basque country in the Pyrenees Mountains by a 148-year old beret manufacturer. The material is pure virgin wool, impermeable (waterproof), and is made of the finest quality European-made felt (felt quality and weight is a huge factor in hat making – a hat can never be better than the quality of the material that it starts with). The sweatband is genuine leather. A satin lining is sewn at the interior tip (but not on the sides so that the felt will not suffocate your head – breathing combined with warmth is the objective here). A label that includes the Jaxon logo and reads “Authentic Basque Beret” and “Impermeable Pure Virgin Wool” is sewn (not glued) to the lining. Colors: Black, Navy, and Grey. Sizes: Small, Medium, Large, Extra-Large, and XX-Large. View our slide show on the Making of the Jaxon Basque Beret. Buy From VillageHatShop.com