KUALA LUMPUR, April 13 — Restoring worn and faded hats or caps and giving them a new lease of life is how Ahmad Fadhil Nazeri makes his living, turning items that might otherwise be discarded into accessories, collectibles or treasured keepsakes.

Ahmad Fadhil, 29, said his interest in restoring hats began by chance in 2018 while working part-time at a shoe-cleaning business that also offered hat cleaning services.

“As demand grew, the shop owner asked me to focus on hats, while he continued handling shoes.

“At the same time, I started experimenting on my own hats and those of friends to see if the results worked. When the feedback was positive and my confidence grew, I decided to open my own hat cleaning and restoration business,” he said when met at his shop in Wangsa Maju recently.

He said he developed his skills gradually, learning from experienced people and through YouTube, before refining his own techniques through trial and error.

The father of one said each hat requires a different approach depending on its material and level of damage, including the use of specialised fabric soaps and suitable brushes to avoid causing further harm.

He added that reshaping a hat demands precision, using custom moulds and steam to restore its original structure, while repainting is done manually for a cleaner and more detailed finish.

He is able to restore between 100 and 200 hats a month. The time required varies, with simpler jobs completed quickly, while more complex work, such as repainting, can take up to a week.

A graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Sports Science from Universiti Teknologi Mara, Shah Alam, Ahmad Fadhil has handled a wide range of hats, including high-value vintage pieces worth up to RM1,500 each, as well as police and pilot caps, and cowboy hats requiring different restoration techniques.

“Some customers bring in hats that belonged to their late fathers, asking me to restore them so they can keep them as mementos. When they come to collect them and see the transformation, some are genuinely surprised and overjoyed — that’s the most rewarding part for me,” he said. — Bernama