The Throwback A Snapback Hat: Inspiration Behind the Design

Inspired by our Heritage, Designed for our Community

The Throwback A Snapback Hat isn’t just another cap on the shelf- it’s a piece of Western North Carolina history, reimagined for today. Here at Axe and Awl Leatherworks, we believe that all of the products we create should tell a story towards the legacy we are building, and this snapback hat is no exception. Designing this snapback hat was about more than style, it was about carrying forward resilience, pride, and heritage in a way our community can wear every day.  

A Brief History Lesson: Baseball & Hazelwood, NC

As we approach the one year anniversary of the flooding from Hurricane Helene that wiped out so much of our home in Western North Carolina, it’s more important than ever to honor our heritage by celebrating our community.

Back in the 1900s during the golden era of baseball, Hazelwood’s team, The Manufacturers, proudly wore H’s on their caps. These ball caps repped the mill workers, families, and community of Hazelwood’s booming textile and manufacturing economy. The ball field was where work, life, and community all came together.

Today, Hazelwood is part of Waynesville where our brick-and-mortar store proudly operates. The spirit of the Manufacturers and the community they stood for lives on in our limited-run A hats – a tribute to resilience, American grit, and hometown pride.

Local Tanneries and Leather Legacy

The Hazelwood / Waynesville areas also have a rich history of leathercrafting that shaped the region’s identity. The Junaluska Leather Company, one of Hazelwood’s major employers from the early 1900s, stood alongside other prominent manufacturing operations in town. The abundant supply of chestnut and oak bark used in leather-making fueled a broader regional leather tanning boom.

None of this is random, it’s all woven into the same local fabric that inspired our Throwback A Snapback Hat. By drawing inspiration from Hazelwood’s industrial baseball roots, we’re honoring the craftsmanship and resilience that defined our town, values that show up in each and every modern-day stitch of our leather goods.

The Throwback A Snapback Hat Details

The Throwback A Snapback Hat comes in maroon, green, light blue, and navy with a bold stitched “A” front and center. It is a vintage inspired, classic design with everyday wear in mind.

Wear the Throwback A Snapback Hat as a reminder… our community is what keeps us rooted, and style is better when it means something. Our community runs deep, and we believe that what you wear should say something about where you’re from and what you stand for.

Show Your Pride in the Waynesville Community

Waynesville has long been known as a hub for small businesses and tourism, supported by The Haywood Chamber of Commerce and The Haywood County TDA. By creating products like the Throwback A Snapback Hat, we’re proud to contribute to the history of Western North Carolina that both locals and visitors celebrate.

There have been mixed messages to tourists about the viability of visiting Western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene, but we are here to say please come to Waynesville, our small businesses rely on tourism. Here at Axe and Awl, we contribute 40% of sales to tourism. We love people from Florida, they’re typically pretty funny and they help us bring local jobs to 10 local crafts people. If you were to stop by our workshop in Waynesville, you’d see at least 2 leathercrafters sporting an A Hat at any given time.

Building Community is Our Mission

Speaking of community, if you’re local to the area you may have heard of the speak easy inside our leather shop called Bevel Bar. You may also be disappointed that Bevel’s been closed all year while it undergoes renovations. Our build out to expand for our growing community is well underway, with plans to open to the public this fall! Join our newsletter and follow our socials so you don’t miss the grand opening announcement! We promise there will not be bottle rockets this time, but other local flair is a guarantee: live music, farm to table cocktails and snacks, and of course local craft beer. Hope to see you there!