Here is what I have researched so far and I stand to be corrected if anyone knows better:
Basicly in most European countries it is forbidden to shot beaver. It is an endagered animal and therefore protected by laws. The only exeption I know of, is Norway, were beavers are legally shot due to the damage they cause on farmers land.
In the U.K. you cannot buy a hat that contain beaver hairs. This I was told by both Christies - London and Herbert Johnson. If it is due to the higher price or because it is not allowed, I don't know.
In Germany a pure beaver is in fact a pure rabbit (no, I'm not making fun of you). A pure beaver felt means that only the finest neck hairs from the rabbit were taken to create the body. This I was told by a prof. hatter in southern Germany.
Since beaver hairs are so hard to get within the European countries, you might wonder if any (real) beaver bodies come from Europe. They do. Beaver, rabbit, nutria and other hairs are imported from south America, the U.S. and other places and than made to bodies in for example Portugal.
99 per cent of all beaver bodies will go directly to the U.S., while the few bodies needed in Europe are mainly made of rabbit or wool
& ). Basicly, if you want to buy a (real) beaver hat, you need to buy it in the U.S. as they have a much longer tradition there. I know of very few European Trademarks who offer a beaver hat now and then - Borsalino being one of them - for a price, that is far beyond a custom made beaver hat in the U.S..This is what I could find out so far and as I wrote above, I stand to be corrected if anyone know better.
Regards,
Marc
Interesting. I have a 3x beaver hat, sold by HJ, and it was a Stetson, made in the UK. This was sold originally in 1971. I have the original box that it was shipped in. So, is the UK different? I am confused. regards Fedora
...mind you I did stop taking my anti-delusional medication this week 
