The traditional chechia is made of worsted wool knitted by the women who make the kabbous hats. The latter are sent to the fulling: they are wet with hot water and soap and trampled underfoot by men in order to soak them, so much so that the stitches of the knitting almost disappear. Then comes the treatment of the thistle, which is used for carding or combing the cap, in order to transform the felt into downy velvet.

However, more and more often the thistle is replaced by a metal brush. It is at this stage of manufacturing that the chechia is tinted with its famous vermilion red color although we now find it in more varied colors.

Red color
Style: Full wax look, Casual
Theme: Embroidery
Genre: For her and for him
Material: Wool
Occasion: Wedding and CeremonyThe chechia, chachia, or chachiya, is a very well-known headgear throughout the Mediterranean world. This hat, a close cousin of the beret, is the national hat of Tunisia. In June 2018, Tunisian supporters honored Tunisia by encouraging their national team engaged in the Football World Cup and by promoting the featured Tunisian culture, the chéchia, a red wool hat, the color of the national flag!

The making of chechia was considered a refined art obeying strict traditional principles. Traditionally, the Tunisian artisanal chechia was made from combed wool, then knitted by the women who made the kabbous hats. Generally the spinning of the wool takes place in Djerba or Gafsa, then the knitting is relegated to the Kabbasat experts of Ariana, the fulling continues in the waters of the Medjerda in El Batan, the carding is carried out in El Alia from where are originating thistles, then the dye which is impregnated in Zaghouan. The finishing touches and shaping are finally completed in Tunis. At this frenetic pace of production, Chechia probably traveled much further than the humans who made it...

In partnership with Tunisian Chechia Around the World, we are selling Tunisian chechia to promote Tunisian crafts!