Hats off TONAK

HATS OFF

TONAK, based in Novy Jicin, Czech Republic, is one of the world’s major manufacturers of headwear. A 200-year tradition, coupled with extensive knowhow and unique skills, has made the company a trusted partner for customers in more that 50 countries worldwide. Romana Moares reports.

The history of textile manufacturing in the Novy Jicin region stretches back over 500 years. The beginning of the actual millinery manufacture in this area dates back to 1630, while the first millinery shop in Novy Jicin was opened in 1799. TONAK is one of the few Czech companies which has managed to continue this tradition throughout various historical upheavals, political regimes and economic changes.

Today, TONAK is an important producer of headwear with two manufacturing plants. The factory in Novy Jicin specialises in manufacturing woollen and fur felt hat bodies and hats. The exacting production of felt is characterised by a large number of production steps, technological variability and perfect handicraft. “Even today, each hat is made using traditional technologies containing a high percentage of manual processing, of which we are very proud,” says Lenka Urbánková Jarešová, CEO and chairman of the board.

The production of knitted headwear – i.e. berets, fezzes, hoods and woollen hats – is located in the manufacturing facility in Strakonice, which was acquired in 2001.

Despite continuing recession in the Eastern markets, the company achieved a turnover of over 440 million CZK in 2015. The Novy Jicin plant made almost 410,000 felt hats and semi-finished products, while the output of the Strakonice factory exceeded an impressive 1.7 million pieces of knitted headwear.

150 steps

The millinery range in Novy Jicin includes, as described above, ladies’ and men’s hats made of rabbit fur and wool in various shapes and forms. Semi-finished products in a wide range of shades and colours and with a variety of surface treatments are also offered. The company’s offering is complemented by knitted headwear made in the other plant in Strakonice.

In addition to the classical made-to-order production delivered to customers around the globe, TONAK also prepares its own exclusive collections each year, reflecting fashion trends set by leading world designers.

“From time immemorial, the key raw material for the production of felt hats has been rabbit fur,” says Mrs Urbánková Jarešová. “Each year, TONAK consumes over three million rabbit pelts. Hats and semi-finished products of fine pastel colours can be made only from white fur,” she explains, and adds that each and every hat requires a high degree of skill and experience and about 100 to 150 individual processing operations.

Heading up

Hats are currently undergoing a major fashion comeback. TONAK’s key competitive advantage is the unique set of skills and know-how needed for the production of not only top quality final products, but also semi-finished products that are shipped to customers in many countries. “Our objective is to further increase TONAK’s market share – in many countries our brand is hidden under various private brands, including the most prestigious names,” says the CEO.

She further stresses that as the company honours its century-long tradition, classic hat models are continuously being included in current collections. “Each new collection retains the brand’s characteristic attributes, supplemented with elements of new fashion trends. We employ leading current fashion designers to create limited collections for TONAK, such as the young and talented Klára Nademlýnská and Petra Ptáčková, who have gained international recognition. TONAK is one of the very few producers whose 2016 collection includes children’s felt and knitted headwear,” she says.

TONAK exports over 90 per cent of its output to 50 countries, not only under the TONAK brands but also under the traditional brands of Hückel (felt hats) and FEZKO (knitted headwear). Jewish hats are sold to the United States and Izrael, and fezzes to Africa, while the felt hats and semi-finished products are in demand around the world. In the Czech Republic, TONAK supplies uniform headwear for the army and police forces, prison guards as well as fire fighters.

Designed for royalty

The downside of hat production is the relatively large amount of waste. To address this issue TONAK, in partnership with Tomáš Baťa University in Zlín, has developed a special, ‘waste free’ technology for rabbit pelt waste processing. “Pelts are an important source of much-valued natural collagen. We have invented a bio-technological process in which they are turned into fertiliser for organic agriculture. Its effect is comparable with commercial industrial fertilisers and it has an added benefit of improving the plants’ health and fertility,” the CEO claims. The fertiliser is sold to farmers and winemakers throughout Europe.

The company has an impressive customer base including famous names such as Stetson (for which TONAK makes complete collections) and Borsalino (semi-finished products) and, last but not least, the renowned designer Philip Treacy, the court designer of the British Royal family.

“To support further growth, we now wish to focus on the development of our retail network in the Czech Republic. The first step has been made – our Flagship Store TONAK in the centre of Prague was opened last year,” says Mrs Urbánková Jarešová, adding that, in the next two years, the company wants to open shops in every large Czech district city. n