Bollman Hat Company
Pennsylvania hatmaker selling felt, straw and wool hats under its own and licensed labels. It markets itself as America's oldest hat factory.
Status: Watchlist
- Founded
- 1868
- Website
- bollmanhats.com
- HQ
- USA
- Manufacturing
- USA,Various
- Ownership type
- Employee-owned
- Parent
- Bollman Hat Company (employee-owned)
- Status since
- 2026-10-30
Ownership
Employee-owned, with 240 employees on four continents (Central Penn Business Journal, Nov 2025). Its 2023 "merger" with G.J. Littlewood & Sons was a purchase of Littlewood's dyeing and drying equipment after a 2021 flood. Its "American Made Matters" seal was run by a subsidiary, SaveAnAmericanJob, LLC.
Why Watchlist
Bollman marketed hats as "Made in USA since 1868" and ran an "American Made Matters" seal it licensed to other companies on self-certification. The FTC alleged that more than 70% of its hat styles were wholly imported, and Bollman settled in 2018 under an order barring unqualified US-origin claims. It still makes wool felt, fur felt, straw and knit hats at its own factory in Adamstown, Pennsylvania.
Reversibility
What would change our verdict
Country of origin shown on every product page, so buyers can find the Adamstown-made hats; a later FTC finding of a breach would move it to Avoid.
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