 Not a long way from the sea or the Sibillini mountain range, Montappone is a rural small town where handmade hat manufacture set up as early as the 17th century has got increasingly more important and profitable over the years allowing for converting traditional handcrafts into industrialized production. One of the first Italian sites to make a fortune with hats, with 70% of the domestic output made here and in six neighbouring towns, Montappone is now Europe's most important hat-making district.
The lovely Museum of Hats in Montappone shows the hat making steps - straw picking and selection, plaiting, weaving and sewing. Each step is illustrated by slides, pictures, panels and vintage machines. There is a remarkably wide collection of traditional and innovative hats, including the priceless straw hat last worn by the Italian cinema maestro and film director Federico Fellini .
There are not many factory outlets that sell to the public in Montappone, but if you call in advance to make arrangements some factories will be happy to sell directly and provide guided tours to visitors. One of the top manufacturers – Sorbatti – has an outlet in the Strada provinciale montapponese that offers high quality felts, panamas, ladies' hats as well as baseball caps.
A hat Festival that celebrates the hat making traditions and folk culture is held in Montappone in July and December each year. |