In 1980, frustrated that he couldn’t find a worthwhile sailing Hat, Alex Tilley decided to oversee the creation of some proper Hats for himself and other Toronto sailors, as a mid-winter’s hobby.
The Hat had to float, stay on, be unsinkable, last indefinitely and look attractive. Alex received design advice from milliners, information about materials from a sail-maker, and then oversaw its manufacturing.
Over the next few years, his hobby became a small business. In 1984, he established Tilley Endurables as a fledging mail order company in Toronto and began creating travel specific clothing along with Hats. Over 30 years later we continue our quest to make the best in the world, right here in Canada.
