If you need your straw/fedora hat to be in perfect condition at vacay destination when taken out of suitcase, we suggest you create a flat and stable surface for your hat in suitcase, then place heavy items such as jeans and shirts on the bottom of the suitcase or bag, which would lessen the possibility that your hat will get crushed by heavy clothing items.
Stuffing the crown of your hat is the key to keep it from getting crushed. Fold or roll up items such as socks, underwear or T-shirts and arrange them in side the crown to create a filler that will help the crown keep its shape. You might have to spend a little time getting the perfect ratio of filler to crown, but it’s worth it.
Once the crown is filled, it’s time to place your hat in your bag.Think of your hat as the centerpiece of your bag, and place it in the middle. How you place it depends on the shape of the brim and how it should be placed to help retain its shape. Some hats should be placed brim down, while others work better with the crown down.
Once you arrive at your destination, your hat may need your hat may need a little bit of coaxing to return to its former shape.
Most wide brim sun hats made from straw or fabric are also allowed to be rolled-up or folded to pack in a small bag.
We start by folding the hat in half while smoothing out the wrinkles like you would when folding a shirt; from one side and start to roll horizontally from edge to edge. When finished you have a compact rolled up sun hat that you can easily stick in a bag for later. Please note this method just applies to some foldable material like straw, cotton, polyester, linen, etc. Sometimes it will inevitably create a slight crease, the tips "How to Get Wrinkles Out of a Hat" on page1 might help then.
NOTE: Packing compatibility depends mainly on the material of the hat in question, but the form of the style, stiffeners, and embellishments play a part in the matter as well.
One thing to keep in mind is that just because a hat has a tag, or is said to be, “crushable & packable”, it does not mean that the hat will come out of your suitcase in perfect shape without a little coaxing. It is more a reassurance that your hat will not be permanently damaged when you pack it correctly.
As a general rule I refrain from packing or advising anyone to pack hats with more rigid form. Harder or more brittle straw hats will crack if not protected correctly and no amount of steaming or shaping will help them. This includes Panama Hats! The same goes for very hard formed felt hats. Some felts feel as though they have cardboard in the brim or crown and can be extremely difficult to get wrinkles out of. So as a general rule, if it is a rigid or hard-soft straw or felt, avoid packing without a proper hatbox or do so at your own discretion.