Sustainable
Our approach
Sustainable and responsible creation
Each hat and fashion accessory is handmade in the workshop, with a demand for precision that values natural materials such as banana fibre, parasisal, panama, or velvet and melusine felt. This artisanal approach helps to limit waste, reduce environmental impact, and preserve the exceptional quality of the creations.
Designs for longevity can be remodelled, repaired or adapted, thus extending their life cycle. On-demand dyeing also helps to limit surplus production and material waste.
Through this initiative, la Maison supports the arts and crafts sector by working with producers who respect human and environmental balance.
Choosing a Fabienne Delvigne hat means opting for a durable, elegant, and responsible creation, where each piece stands the test of time.
The materials used are natural fibres
Banana fibre
Banana fibre is a rare and precious material, now at the heart of La Maison Fabienne Delvigne’s creations.
Derived from the trunk of the banana tree after the fruit has been harvested, this natural resource—once considered agricultural waste and often left on the ground—is now given a new life through a circular and sustainable approach.
Through a meticulous purification process, the fibres are cleaned and then woven one by one on traditional looms, notably in the Philippines and Cameroon. This artisanal expertise gives rise to an exceptionally fine material with delicate pearly reflections, sometimes enhanced with silk threads
Beyond its beauty, this material reflects a human and responsible commitment. Its production provides economic independence to many women, making each creation a piece imbued with meaning.
At La Maison workshop in Brussels, this fibre is then hand-dyed and meticulously sculpted to create exceptional hats and fashion accessories. Each piece embodies a perfect harmony between nature, craftsmanship and haute couture design.
Choosing a banana fibre hat means wearing a unique material that is ethical, rare and elegant – a true hallmark of Maison Fabienne Delvigne.
Discover creations crafted in banana fibre, such as Calixta,, Poppies, Libeline.
Abaca fibre
An exceptional natural material, blending tradition and elegance
Buntal fibre is an exceptional natural and biological material, derived from a palm tree with large leaves, primarily grown in the Philippines. Recognised for its fineness and structure, it holds a privileged place in the creation of high-end hats.
After harvesting, the fibres are carefully processed into long rigid strands, then worked on by hand on traditional looms. This artisanal know-how, passed down through generations, gives birth to a material with a reflection delicately pearlescent, both elegant and structured.
More rigid than Banana fibre, Buntal allows for the creation of precise and architectural shapes, ideal for ceremonial hats or exceptional pieces.
In Fabienne Delvigne’s Maison workshop, this material is then meticulously crafted to reveal its full elegance. Each Buntal fibre creation embodies the perfect blend of nature, craftsmanship and contemporary elegance.
Choosing a Buntal hat means opting for a rare material that is structured, luminous, and timeless, the mark of true exceptional craftsmanship.
Discover the Hat Scarf made from buntal fibre.
The parabuntals
Parabuntal is one of the most valuable in the world of high-end headwear. Originating from the Philippines, it is extracted from the pith of a shrub’s trunk, painstakingly removed with tweezers, revealing a fibre of exceptional fineness.
These fibres, which are both stiff and strong, are then hand-woven using traditional techniques that require great precision.
The quality of a parabuntal hat is measured by the fineness of its weave, known as the “cuenta” (the number of strands per inch). The most exceptional models are distinguished by their extremely fine weave, requiring many months of craftsmanship and revealing the full nobility, lightness, and beauty of this exceptionally rare material.
This material is no longer produced in the world, a lost skill now forever gone.
La Maison Fabienne Delvigne still has a few rare specimens.
Discover the Fressange, Splendy, or Petra hat made with this exceptional fibre: parabuntal
The parasol
Parasisal is an exceptional straw derived from sisal (Agave sisalana), worked with extreme finesse to obtain a light, resistant, and elegant material, prized by high-end milliners.
The natural fibres are harvested, washed, dried, and then finely hand-braided, resulting in a smooth and refined texture, far superior to classic sisal. This artisanal work demands patience and precision, and can take several days to produce a single parasisal sun hat.
Capelines are first created in the form of cones (blank hats), then shaped by the milliner: they are moistened, moulded onto wooden forms, then dyed and trimmed by hand to reveal their full elegance.
Today, genuine sisal straw has become extremely rare, with its artisanal production having almost disappeared. This ancestral material, now difficult to find, lends unique and exceptional value to creations.
Fabienne Delvigne’s Maison still has a few rare pieces made from parasisal, delicately hand-dyed to complement her customers’ outfits perfectly.
Discover the models Bellissima and Arakis achieved with this exceptional material.
Velvet felt
Velvet felt is an exceptional material, essential in the world of high-end hats. Made from trodden rabbit fur, it is distinguished by its velvety and silky appearance, comparable to the softness of cashmere.
Particularly appreciated for its delicate feel, velvet felt also offers a unique visual rendering. Its subtle sheen captures the light and brings a flattering softness to the face, elegantly enhancing the silhouette.
Working with this material requires demanding artisanal know-how. The felt is moistened then steam-moulded onto wooden forms, a lengthy and precise process that results in perfectly controlled lines and impeccable structure.
Lightweight, comfortable and waterproof, the velvet felt hat provides effective protection from the rain whilst retaining a touch of elegance. When crafted with finesse, as is the case with Maison Fabienne Delvigne’s design, it reveals its full lightness and suppleness.
Available in a wide palette of deep, refined colours, velvet felt embodies the perfect balance of technicality, comfort, and timeless elegance.
Choosing a velour felt hat means opting for a noble material that is both soft, protective, and resolutely sophisticated.
Velvet felt is distinguished by a significantly higher quality than the hair or wool felts from more common productions. It reveals incomparable fineness, depth, and softness, the hallmarks of exceptional materials.
Melusine felt
Melusine felt is one of the most refined materials in the world of high-end hats. Renowned for its long, silky fibres, it offers an exceptionally soft feel, subtly evoking the appearance of fur, all while remaining lightweight and elegant.
Particularly flattering for the face, it catches the light and brings a unique depth to the silhouette. Both soft and waterproof, it combines comfort and protection with great sophistication.
Mélusine felt is considered the finest felt that can be produced while retaining excellent durability. Its creation is based on ancestral know-how from the 19th century, perpetuated with high standards. Only the noblest hairs, particularly those from the chest, are selected. After dyeing, the felt is delicately worked, then brushed using a traditional technique to reveal its longest hairs and characteristic velvety appearance.
How to care for your velour felt or melusine felt hat
To preserve all the beauty of the velvet felt and melusine felt, it is recommended to brush regularly with a clothes brush, in order to remove dust and revive its shine.
Out of season, it is preferable to keep the hat in its Hatbox, to protect it from temperature variations and preserve its hold.
Thanks to the exceptional quality of this material, the creations of Maison Fabienne Delvigne can be revived and restored over time, thereby extending their elegance.
Choisir un chapeau en velvet felt or Melusine felt is choosing rare materials that are noble, durable and profoundly refined.
