Frequently Asked Questions

Where are the products made?

All our handcrafted headwear products are crafted within the UK by our teams of specialist trained and skilled craftspeople.  We are always seeking to recognise and train new talent to keep the heritage of handcrafting hatting knowledge and expertise alive to ensure these endangered skills do not die out throughout the UK.

What size should I purchase?

We recommend that all our customers have their head size professionally measured in our London shop or take this measurement themselves at home.  Please do not simply order your Herbert Johnson hat in the size you may be accustomed to wearing for other brands, as we cannot guarantee the accuracy of other brands hat sizes.  Please always ensure you order the correct size by following the instructions below.

For hats, simply place a string or flexible measuring tape around your head just above your ear and across the mid-forehead, completely circling your head.  Hold the tape firmly, but not too tightly.  Measure your head exactly where you want the hat to sit on your head.  Measure in centimetres.  If your measurement falls between sizes, round up to the nearest half centimetre. It may help to either do this in the mirror or have a friend to help for accuracy.  It is advisable to repeat this process to ensure your measuring technique is yielding accurate results.  Follow our Illustrated How To Guide for further information.

To get the perfect fit, we suggest ordering your hat in the nearest half size and then send your order reference number with your exact head measurement to 2 decimal places to enquiries-hj@herbert-johnson.co.uk and we will craft your hat to fit.  If you are in any way unsure of which size you should order, please contact us for advice.

For hats in our Traditional or Military Headwear Collections including top hats, bowler hats, military and equestrian hats, please contact the makers directly via ian@herbert-johnson.co.uk for more information.

How long will my product take to handcraft?

All our orders are completed on a first come first served basis.  To check your position in our current order queue, please email our workshop via enquiries@herbert-johnson.co.uk for an update on how long it may take before we are able to start working on your order.

Our handcrafted hats normally take between 6-8 weeks to create once your order reaches the front position in our order fulfillment schedule.  Timings will vary should you chose a style that includes felts or components that are currently out of stock or not normally held in stock at our workshop.  In such circumstances you will be made aware of this and kept updated throughout.

The reasoning behind our production times is due to all products being individually crafted by hand using traditional methods.  However we do have some products in stock and in our London shop, so if you do require something urgently, please email us to see if  can help.

Please email us via enquiries-hj@herbert-johnson.co.uk to check our current lead times or expected completion dates for your order.  Lead times are variable depending on how busy our workshops are and the length of our current queue for production at this time.  Once your order has been completed at our workshops, it will go on to our shipping department where it will be packed and made ready for collection by our shipping agent (currently we use DHL).  Once your order package has been handed over to our shipping agent, you will receive a confirmation email which will include your parcel tracking details with an ETA, allowing you to follow its progress to you.

Can I get a Custom Design?

Yes, we like to call this our #yourhatyourway service!  All of our products are individually handcrafted so we can create bespoke features to suit your style and needs.  If you would like to customise any of our products or create something completely bespoke, please feel free to email us at enquiries@herbert-johnson.co.uk and we will be happy to talk through all the options with you and provide you with a quote.  Please note that due to the item being custom it may take a little longer to create and source any materials as required but our hatter will keep you informed throughout the process.

We also offer an embossing service for all our leather sweatbands as well as many other bespoke options - this could be a great idea for gifts as it really gives that personalised touch!

Can I chose my hats Liner Colour?

Yes, we currently offer 4 colour options of our high quality branded hat liners.  Each hat style on our website will specify which colour liner is included with the specific style as standard.  The vast majority of our styles will include our White branded liner as standard but please check the individual listings for full details.

Should you wish to swap the standard liner colour included with your chosen style for another colour preference, we currently offer a free liner upgrade service.  Simply contact us at enquirires-hj@herbert-johnson.co.uk including your order reference number with your request for your hats liner preference and our team will make sure this note is included with your order when it goes through to our workshop.

Our current liner options are White (standard), Olive green, Champagne and Regal Purple.  Other custom handmade liner options are also available in certain styles from time to time and more standard options may also become available in the future.

How do I care for my Herbert Johnson handcrafted fur felt hat?

• Store your hat brim side down somewhere dry and out of direct sunlight, preferably protected in a hat box.
• Avoid handling your hat by the crown as you could wear out the front pinch.  Holding your hat by the brim or cradling the crown in an open palm are the best ways to handle any hat.
• Never leave your hat in a hot car as this can fade your hat and can age the leather sweatband.
• We advise against wearing your hat in heavy rain but if your hat does get wet, shake off and excess water and allow it to dry naturally brim faced down.  Do not force dry or place it on a radiator.
• When dry, lightly brush to clean.  Brush your hat counter-clockwise to free any dust particles from the felt using a light clothes/hat brush.  Gently steaming and brushing your hat can help lift light marks from the felt.
• For more advanced cleaning needs and repair work, please navigate to our Hat Care pages or consult your hatter for professional advice.
• We offer a full range of re-blocking, re-trimming and hat care services here at Herbert Johnson to help you keep your hats looking their best for years to come.  All brands considered.

Where can you deliver my order?

We are pleased to provide a worldwide delivery service.  The courier we use is DHL.  For those who may prefer, collection of your order from our London shop may be possible on request and can be arranged if you place your order directly with us by email to enquiries-hj@herbert-johnson.co.uk. 

How are items packaged for delivery?

Our hats are carefully packaged in a simple hat box within a cardboard postal box for protection during shipping internationally.  Other smaller items such as caps or accessories will be packaged with other larger boxed items in the same order if appropriate or packaged securely and shipped separately.

How much does Delivery Cost?

UK delivery is approximately £15.90 and International shipping is automatically generated by DHL which can be seen when you carry out the order and add an item to your shopping basket.  This is dependent on the weight of the product and the country shipping is required to.

*Disclaimer: Some of the weights may appear different due to the packaging requirements of the product for international transportation.

Please note that all prices shown on our website are inclusive of UK VAT.  If you are ordering from outside of the UK please expect your local customs office to charge Duty and Tax at the applicable rate for your country.

How long will it take for the delivery of my order?

Once the product has been made, UK delivery is sent on a next working day delivery service and international shipping will take approximately 5-10 working days.  However, if you would like to check where your order is in the delivery process, all of our orders have tracking numbers and can be tracked online via the DHL website.  Your tracking information will be sent to you by email.

In the unlikely event that your order is detained in customs handling, we will work with you and the delivery company to help rectify the issue.  Please contact us via enquiries@swaine.group for any assistance.  Each countries import procedure is different and are outside of our control as are any unexpected delays or charges added to your parcel once received in your destination country. Please make yourself aware of the individual regulations and possible import tax charges that your country may make subject to parcels coming from the UK.

Do you sell Gift Vouchers?

We currently provide gift voucher options of £10, £25, £50, £100, £500 and £1000.  However, if you require a different amount you are able to add more than one of any of these denominations to your shopping cart.

What is the Swaine London Group repair policy?

If the item is in need of repair after purchase and is deemed faulty by our repair specialist then the repair will be carried out free of charge.  However, if the item is not faulty but has been damaged, the repair will be assessed, quoted for and will require payment by the customer.

We offer a full range of refurbishment and repair services here at Herbert Johnson on all of our own brand products and some other brand items as well.

If you would like to have your hat assessed for refurbishment work, you can either bring your item in person to the London shop (located at : 18-19 Burlington Arcade, London, W1J 0PN, United Kingdom) or ship it to our workshop directly (c/o Herbert Johnson Hatters Repairs, Unit 1 & 2 Deal Farm Business Park, Cambridge Road, Sawston, Cambridgeshire CB22 3FL, United Kingdom).  Please note that if you are sending the product from overseas please be sure to note to your delivery company that it is a repair, otherwise the product may be delayed at customs due to commercial import tax.

Your item will then be sent on to our hatting workshop to be assessed by our professionals.  A full assessment report of the hats condition, recommended works and an itemised quote will be returned to you for your consideration.  If you decide you would like to proceed with the work as agreed, you will be sent or be shown a copy of our Repair & Refurbishment work Terms & Conditions form.  On agreement to this form and your quote, we will then carry out the work on your item.  Once the go-ahead is confirmed, we request a 50% deposit of the final quote.  The final 50% should be received on completion of the work before your item is returned to you.

Please be aware that not all hat damage and wear can be successfully repaired and some hat repair requests will be rejected if on assessment, the damage is found to be irreparable.  It may be advantageous to first send photos of your hat directly to our hatter by email to be assessed.  It may be the case that the photos of the hats condition and damage would clearly demonstrate that the hat is not a viable candidate for repair works and may save you time and expense in getting your hat to us for assessment.  In cases where the hats damage makes it an unsuccessful candidate for refurbishment or repair, we will be happy to discuss the possibilities for recreating a new copy of your well-loved hat or creating something entirely new and bespoke to your specifications.

For all enquiries, please email our workshop directly via enquiries@herbert-johnson.co.uk

What is your returns policy?

We ask that great care and attention is taken to ensure you order the correct size and style you want and that you are happy with the details of your order prior to completing it.  We recommend having your head measured professionally in our shop but if this is not possible, we ask that customers follow our clear instructions on measuring at home.  It is the clients responsibility to ensure they order the correct size and style that they want.

On receipt of your order, if you believe your item has a fault or is damaged in any way that is not of your making, please contact our workshop straight away to discuss the issue.  Many minor issues can be easily corrected by the customer themselves under proper instruction from our hatter so please always do contact us first if there is anything concerning you about your purchase.  If you request to take the matter further, your item will need to be assessed by our hatter directly and a report will be sent to you to discuss.

If on assessment it is agreed that the damage or fault you reported is apparent and that we are liable, we will arrange a replacement or refund as requested.

If it is clear that the damage the item has sustained is the fault of improper care and handling on the part of the customer, the item will not be eligible for refund.  Any repair services needed will be quoted for and will be carried out on the agreement by the customer and at their cost.

If you place an order which includes any custom bespoke options, we are unfortunately not able to receive your product back as a return for refund as these cannot be resold.

In cases when the customer has placed an order and then changed their mind, it is at the companies discretion whether we agree to cancel and refund the customers order depending on what was ordered and at what stage the order has reached in production.  It is the customers responsibility to consider their purchases carefully before placing their order and to contact us straight away should this situation arise.

If a request for a return, replacement or refund is agreed, we will provide you with our returns address to send your item to us or we will arrange to have your item collected from your address depending on what has been agreed.

Please contact us directly via enquiries-hj@herbert-johnson.co.uk to discuss any issues or potential returns.

How can I get in touch?

For all enquiries, please contact the Herbert Johnson team directly via enquiries-hj@herbert-johnson.co.uk.  Additional information can be found through our contact page via the menu at the top of this page.  You can also direct message us through our various social media pages.