Resistol
Pro Equine Group · United States
Resistol is an American hat maker founded in Dallas in 1927 and based in Garland, Texas. It is best known for cowboy hats and also makes dress, safari and baseball styles.
| Founded | 1927, Dallas |
|---|---|
| Founders | E.R. Byer and Harry Rolnick |
| Manufacturing | Garland, Texas |
| Owner | Pro Equine Group (since 2009) |
| Website | resistol.com |
What is Resistol?
Resistol is a hat brand from Texas, best known for its cowboy hats. Its hats are still made in Garland, Texas, where the company has been based since 1938. The name was meant to signal hats that could resist all weather.
History
The business was founded in 1927 in Dallas as Byer-Rolnick by E.R. Byer and Harry Rolnick, producing men's felt hats. Ownership changed several times:
- 1967 or 1968: bought by Koracorp Industries
- 1979: Koracorp acquired by Levi Strauss and Co.
- 1985: Levi Strauss sold the brand to Irving Joel
- 2009: acquired by Pro Equine Group
The late 1970s brought a cowboy hat boom during which the factories ran around the clock, before demand fell back in the early 1980s.
Products and positioning
Beyond its western felt and straw cowboy hats, Resistol makes dress hats and safari and baseball styles. Texas Department of Public Safety troopers wear Resistol hats in a custom colour known as Textan.
Why it matters
Resistol is one of the heritage names of American western wear and an example of domestic hat manufacturing that has survived nearly a century of ownership changes.
Frequently asked questions
Where are Resistol hats made?
Resistol hats are made in Garland, Texas, where the company moved in 1938.
Who owns Resistol?
Resistol has been owned by Pro Equine Group since 2009.