Amadou Mushroom Leather Hat

Mushroom ‘leather’ hat, as made famous by world-leading mycologist Paul Stamets. These hats are made from Fomes fomentarius fungi, and whilst often copied, these are the real deal.

I buy the hats from the last village making them by traditional methods in Transylvania, Romania. They are made from amadou, which is the spongy material made from the inside layers of the mushroom fruit. This incredible material is also known as the tinder fungus because amadou can be used to start slow-burning fires, and was one of the species found with the 5,000 year-old remains of Otzi the Iceman in the Alps.

Whilst amadou has many uses - from fire starting to fly-fishing - these hats are made from a ‘leather’ which is made by repeated soaking, beating and felting of the fibres. It is a labour-intensive process and takes great skill. The hat should last a great many years and provides a superb talking point.

Please note that this is an entirely natural product, with variations in colour, texture and design. Every hat is a unique piece, so the photos are for your guidance only and are taken from a number of samples. The sizing is as close to correct as my tape measure will allow!