Our Story

Starling Hats is a Polish, family owned company with a long tradition of keeping people warm in the cold of winter.

It all began some 40 years ago, during a frosty season in the Carpathian Mountains, with two friends who owned a ski service. Having realized that most tourists preferred to leave their skis there to simply have a good time on the mountain, they figured they needed something more to offer than service. Those winters back then were frosty enough to sting your skin, and what people truly needed there was a way to comfortably enjoy the outdoors, with no concern for the weather. 

And so they came up with the idea of knitted wool bandeaus, which they could sell along with their service. The first set was manufactured with an old manual machine they found at their friend’s home. They sold out like fresh buns, and were equally as warm. 

That was the first spark, from there on bandeaus, and soon enough hats, became more important than the ski service. They developed new skills and technologies, but never lost track of what made their success work… Great care and high quality materials.

The STARLING brand has come a long way, but even 40 years later, we produce hats down the same mountain, still inspired by its snowy ridges, humming winds and the warmth of a crackling fireplace. Nature is not our enemy, it is our inspiration. Though the world and technology might have changed, our purpose did not, to bring warmth into the winter cold.