John B. Stetson gained inspiration for his most famous hats when he headed west from his native New Jersey for health reasons.

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.

[1] Stetson created a rugged hat for himself made from thick beaver felt while panning for gold in Colorado.

According to legend, Stetson invented the hat while on a hunting trip while showing his companions how he could make cloth out of fur without tanning.

[2] The hat was an immediate success: in less than a year, Stetson set up a new factory in the outskirts of Philadelphia to handle his growing business.

Stetson focused on expensive, high-quality hats that represented a real investment for the working cowboy and a statement of success for the city dweller.

Early on, Stetson hats became associated with legends of the West, including "Buffalo Bill", Calamity Jane, Will Rogers, and Annie Oakley.

Hat sales suffered during the Depression years, but Stetsons remained ubiquitous until Americans' embrace of headwear faded after WWII.

Stetson had operations in Australia, Brazil, Colombia, Finland, Guatemala, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, and West Germany at its peak.

[14] The Legion of Frontiersmen created in 1905 in England also wore the Stetson,[citation needed] as well as the South African Constabulary, organized by Robert Baden-Powell in 1901.

[citation needed] In the Second Boer War, the flat-brimmed Stetson became the standard issue of the 2nd Canadian Contingent, becoming recognized throughout the British Empire as a symbol of Canada.

[15] The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Red Serge dress uniform includes a Stetson with a flat brim.

The Stetson was first used unofficially by the North-West Mounted Police, in place of the traditional white pith helmet, not practical[further explanation needed] for the Canadian West.

The Calgary Police Service may wear a black Stetson as an optional part of their uniform, reflecting the city's western roots and cowboy heritage.