A quiet but concerning development has surfaced that may significantly impact one of the most recognizable elements of traditional Orthodox Jewish attire: the black felt hat.
For over 40 years, a Spanish company—Fernandez y Roche, based in Seville, Spain—has supplied tens of thousands of black hats annually to yeshiva bochurim, avreichim, and balabatim in communities across America. These hats, worn daily by bnei Torah from the age of bar mitzvah and onward, are not merely a garment, but a statement of identity and dignity.
But that longstanding partnership is now at risk. Due to newly imposed trade tariffs by the U.S. government on European goods, including imported felt hats, Fernandez y Roche has been hit with a 10% import fee, with a looming possibility of an additional 50% tariff.
Abraham Mazuecos, Managing Director of the 140-year-old hatmaker, expressed deep concern. “Our margins are very tight,” he said, “and we expect demand to decline as a result.” The company currently supplies approximately 30,000 hats annually to the Orthodox Jewish communities in New York and New Jersey—making up around half of its exports in this sector. The other half goes to kehillos in Eretz Yisroel.
For many, this isn’t just a business disruption—it could soon become a practical challenge. The typical black felt hat, often replaced every few years due to wear or changing styles, can cost up to $380. And while hat manufacturers exist in the United States, Mazuecos pointed out that many are geared toward producing cowboy hats and similar styles, not the refined, traditional designs worn by bnei Torah.
“There simply isn’t a local replacement that fits the expectations of our clientele,” he explained.
What’s more, the impact may be felt not only on an individual level, but within the infrastructure of the frum clothing market as a whole. Many local retailers, especially those who serve yeshiva communities and rely on steady imports of these hats, are watching the situation closely. If tariffs continue to rise and supply is interrupted, it could force stores to seek inferior alternatives—or raise prices significantly.
With a July 9 deadline looming for trade negotiations between the U.S. and the European Union, there is still some hope that a resolution will be reached. But should talks fail, this cherished accessory—so central to the levush of a ben Torah—may become harder to access and more costly to replace.
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37 Responses
Halevi, this should be our most significant problem.
Today, I would not have expected our hats to be made in Spain, or other historically anti-Semitic countries. Why isn’t Israel one of our main producers of excellent, and good quality hats at affordable prices. We have the expertise, and access to the materials, and should be a primary supplier. For those who object to buying “Israeli” products, it hasn’t seemed to hurt the talis, tzitzis, sofris, Tefillin, wine, and soferim markets. I’ve bought yeshiva hats from many countries, including the USA (Stetson). I hope this creates an opportunity for Israel located companies to launch major initiatives in this industry.
Its about time to start wearing Shopkoys like they wore in Europe before the war. A parent with 4-5-6 bucherim at home it became a major expense.
Time for CHANGE
The solution is clear: More learning, more hasmodo, more davening.
Sorry, but it is very hard to believe “Our margins are very tight,” when it comes to a stupid hat for $200-$300. They know that they can charge whatever they want because that’s the way Jews work- we will buy it no matter what the price. Sighhhhh
For anyone who paid attention during the campaign Trump promised to tariff the world..Next time think before energetically supporting an unrepentant insurrectionist who pals around with the most notorious antisemities as long as they support him. Trump is a disaster that will cost us dearly and not just black hats but all food and products that the average frum family buys. Plus add the likely expiration of ACA subsidies and cuts to SNAP benefits and many will be feeling the pinch from this self destructive egomaniac. Plus new Iran deal and removal of all Syria sanctions with nothing concrete in return.
It’s not Halacha to wear a black hat.
lakewhut is right. “threatening” is a bit extreme
Crazyk; Nobody is impressed by your incessant Trump hatred. Commies like you would prefer the U.S. be ruled by the Biden politburo. You can go to Cuba or Venezuela if that’s the system you prefer. Take your puerile insurrection to your fellow commie pinkos.
Let’s stop pretending. Hats today are not affordable — and tariffs have nothing to do with it. The truth? It’s a captive market. These are religious items, and companies know they can squeeze every dollar out of a community with limited alternatives.
Let’s talk facts. Kova’s hats are made by Roche in Spain. Go check Roche’s own website — some of their retail prices are as low as $50. You expect us to believe Kova is paying more than that wholesale? Even if tariffs added 20%, that’s $10. How does that justify a final price tag of $350?
It doesn’t. What we’re seeing is price gouging. Plain and simple.
Here’s the reality: fierce competition is coming. The days of charging $350 for a hat that costs a fraction to produce are numbered. Soon, high-quality felt hats will be back on the market for under $100 — with plenty of profit margin. And we don’t need Spain, or any country that treats our community with contempt, to get it done. Manufacturing elsewhere is viable — at under $15 a hat.
Kova, your monopoly is ending. Enjoy it while it lasts.
Bookmark this.
Black caps made of cloth. $10. Lots of Jewish companies make them. Enough with the Chukas Hagoyim.
Various retailers, as the frum-owned yeshivishhats.com, sell “yeshivish”-style hats for around $50. Assuming their cost price is more like $30, even 50% of that would add only $15 to the hat. As another poster noted, halevei that this should be the only issue that anyone has.
crazykanoiy:
Putting aside your general TDS (as shown by the lies that you wrote), would you also have preferred that the border remain open for all sorts of bad people to enter the country and for the continued implementation of hashchasos?
Grow up.
I never heard of Fernandez y Roche and even if the price of hats does go up a price increase on a yearly purchase is not such a big deal that I would worry about it
You can switch to a streimel. Although streimels can now go for as high as 12 thousand dollars but if that goes up as well then you can get a Purim streimel for ten bucks. That would save many families massive expenses. Marrying off five boys can cost fifty thousand just on the streimel expense. The community is spending itself to crazy poverty levels when you add in weddings and furnishings.
“this cherished accessory may become harder to access and more costly to replace.”
Fair enough
“…….Threatening Bnei Torah Across the U.S”
Whaaaat??????
crazykanoiy, I’ve rarely agreed with you in the past but now I think you’re right on
I guess we should all start wearing Shteimlach.
$380:- Umm 🤔 I’d rather procure $190 respectable hat, & donate the remaining $190 towards feeding poor children in 🇮🇱 over יום-טוב
This is anti-Semitism, pure and simple. ANTI SEMI TISM.
So if this lasts, an American company will start producing the hats. This isn’t a hard product to produce.
Catch a couple of squirrels and make your own made in Amerika shtreimel.
I believe the proper categorization of this article is completely “tone deaf”. On one hand, you have Israeli soldiers dying and being maimed in defense of the country and on the other hand, you have bnei yeshiva threatened by the cost of their hats. About as profound as the bnei yeshiva giving up their holidays during bein hazemanim compared to the average young Israeli who has been giving up several months of the year to go away from his family to milluim. What world are you living in?
UncleBen, right – anybody who does not like Trump is a communist. STOP the outrageous propaganda!
There was a hat manufacturer from before ww2 in jersey city. R Baruch ber bought a hat from them
Interesting that the “heilige” Borsalino from Italy was not found worthy to mention.
Mdd1; I’m not saying that anyone who disagrees worry Trump is a communist.
But posters like CrazyK and his ilk who are still pushing the insurrection libel and criticize Trump for everything they fantasize that he’ll do, no matter how much good he accomplishes are rabid leftists who will hate every Republican.
This whole article is just click bait because Trump has shown that these tariff threats are tactics to get other countries to negotiate a fair deal.
Hakatan: You made an accusation now back it up. What lie did I say. Provide me with an example! Do you disagree that Kanye and Fuentes are rabid antisemite? Do you deny that Trump recently had the notorious antisemite Enrique Tarrio at Mar A Lago? Do you deny that he has given prime speaking slots to holocaust revisionist Tucker Carlson? Do you just ignore that he just promoted the antisemite Kingsley Wilson? Or is it that you chose to deny that major retailers have announced price increases on products and that the tariff consumption tax will effect large lower income families the hardest. Maybe take a look at how the current Big Beautiful Bill negatively effects SNAP benefits and ACA subsidies. And yes Trump has thrown Israel under the bus with regard to the Houthis, went behind its back to negotiate with Hamas and is currently pressuring Bibi to lay off Iran so that he Trump can make a deal to say nothing of his Qatar plane bribe. These are all facts that are easily ascertained. I challenge you to point out what exactly you call a lie. You can apologize once you recognize your error though I am not counting on it as those that follow the dear leader learn from him to never admit mistakes.
Uncle Ben: Trump is the commie. He is the guy who dictates how many dolls you can have and how many pencils you can buy. He is the one that has put an end to free trade and silences voices of dissent. His attempts to overturn elections are on par with Maduro and his ilk. Trump is now sending Venezuelans here on protected status back to his buddies in Venezuela. Trump is the guy who can’t stand up to former KGB agent Putin and fell in love (his words) with North Korea’s Kim.
zuckier: This is based straight out of a Reuters news article from today. Reuters point was to attack President Trump for raising tariffs. They went to Spain to interview the hat manufacturer, who was complaining about the tariffs.
There are no Bnei Yeshiva or Orthodox Jews complaining about the increasing prices of hats. This story was not prompted by any such concern.
“Threatening Bnei Torah Across the U.S.“???
Great news! High time to go back to Kashketlach. If it Passt for the Chofetz Chaim it should Pass for any American Ben Torah.
to all those blasting the wearing of hats- have you ever seen a picture of gadol with a hat? and it is actually a hashkafa that it is preferable for a ben torah to daven byichidus with a hat amd jacket than with a minyan without them
Why are we worrying before anything even happened? The margins of everything Jewish for some reason is crazy food makes sense because it’s kosher but why does everything else need to be crazy expensive just cuz it’s jewish! The solution though would be American made hats
Why are we worrying before anything even happened besides the fact that it doesn’t make sense why they would raise the price because they’re margin is already crazy like everything else Jewish – Jewish is a money making religion! Also crazykanoiy maybe trump is not the best but why are you always picking on trump and very knit picky when it comes to him I don’t recall you doing the same to Biden who was much worse and Kamala even more so. It seems like you voted for Kamala over trump which is crazy cuz she is so I’d say maybe get your head checked
In the spirit of hakaras h’atov, lets encourage the Yeshivish Velt to switch over to a MAGA style baseball hat (black color with red lettering). Cost about $10-$20 and will create enormous good will with the gadol h’gadolim
Uncle Ben: insurrection libel? Trump unleashed a mob on the capitol and refused to call out protesters calling for Pence to be hung and instead said they are angry and Pence deserves it. Anyone can listed to the phone call of Trump pressuring Raffspenberger to find him the votes. You are entitled to your views but you can’t make up facts or ignore Trump’s attempt to overturn an election and lies about dominon voting systems etc. BTW Kamala would stand up forcefully to Putin and would not have created the reckless tariff chaos or be accepting planes from Qatar. The commie is Trump who tells Americans how many dolls and pencils they should have, is soft on Putin and says that he fell in love with Kim. Trump’s new Iran deal will be a disaster and he threw Israel under the bus with his Houthi deal and backchannel direct negotiations with Hamas. Last week rabid antisemite Enroque Tarrio was at Mar A Lago and this week the antisemite Kingsley Wilson was promoted at the DOJ.
@crazykanoiy I’m impressed there is someone reasonable on this site and I don’t mean that sarcastically. The tdss as Destiny calls it (I can’t write what it stands for but I’m sure you can find out Trump **** sucking syndrome) in the frum world is absolutely insane.
Glad that everyone who voted is suffering and I’m glad trump is to slow and stupid to actually do what he wants to do .