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 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (March 2012) |
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| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 1865 |
| Founder | John B. Stetson |
| Website | www |
Stetson is an American brand of hat manufactured by the John B. Stetson Company. "Stetson" is also used as a generic trademark to refer to any campaign hat, particularly in Scouting.
John B. Stetson gained inspiration for his most famous hats when he headed west from his native New Jersey for health reasons. On his return east in 1865, he founded the John B. Stetson Company in Philadelphia. He created a hat that has become symbolic of the pioneering American West, the "Boss of the Plains". This Western hat would become the cornerstone of Stetson's hat business and is still in production today.
Stetson eventually became the world's largest hat maker, producing more than 3,300,000 hats a year in a factory spread over 9 acres (36,000 m2) in Philadelphia. In addition to its Western and fashion hats, Stetson also produces fragrance, apparel, footwear, eyewear, belts, bourbon, and other products evoking the historic American West.
Stetson University and Stetson University College of Law in Florida were named after John B. Stetson in 1899 for his contributions to the school. The university's athletic teams are known as the Hatters, and the official mascot is known as "John B."