Why is my Hat on a pillow?

Because I just found out it's worth about $150-200.

Sure it looks like just a nice warm knitted winter hat. In fact it is. I found this hat in the middle of the street last winter, after I had lost my hat. I took it as a sign and claimed it as mine, besides, if I left it too long it would get run over by a car, and thrown away. Last weekend I happened to be wearing this hat and was on the bus riding home from Mochitsuki (Japanese Mochi pounding festival), when a girl two seats behind me asked me if the hat was musk ox?

I took it off and showed her the label which says 100% Qiviut Artic Handknitted. She said, oh Wow, that's a 150 - 200 Dollar Hat your wearing. I asked her how she knew, and she said the tight-knit & color. Curious with this interesting information, I did a little e-searching myself. I found out she is exactly right about my hat which is made from the soft undercoating of the Musk Ox by a handknitting co-op in remote coastal villages in Alaska. The Musk Ox only sheds in the spring,a and only so much can be collected, so this fiber is very rare and expensive. It is 8 times warmer than wool, extremely soft & never itchy, and does not shrink when it is wet.

Well nonetheless, I am still wearing this hat, though I am a little more cautious to make sure I don't lose it!