About Bench & Block

My work in the hat business began when I was looking for the right fedora for an Indiana Jones costume. Living in China, I could not find one that captured the shape and character I wanted, so I worked through the process of developing one. That project eventually became Hero Hat Co. Along the way, I developed a real appreciation for the materials and small details that can make a hat feel right or noticeably wrong.

As I learned more about how hats are made and became friends with people in the community, I began to see a clear divide between the resources available to beginning hatters and smaller businesses and those available to large factories. Someone learning may need dependable materials in quantities that allow room to practice and experiment. A smaller business may need consistent quality and reliable availability without ordering at factory scale. Many resources become far more accessible at factory volumes, leaving individual makers and smaller companies with fewer practical choices.

Bench & Block grew from a desire to help close that gap. The goal is to offer dependable hat-making materials, supplies, and equipment in quantities that make sense for individual makers and growing businesses, while keeping quality high and prices reasonable. Whether someone is working on a first hat or building a product line, they should have access to options that support serious work.