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Making hats from coconut straw is a skill 56-year-old Melton Brown learnt by chance. But 33 years later, Brown, who is from Mount Russell in St Catherine, is revelling in his luck.

"I used to do farming before, and a flood rain come and flood out the farm. While I was at my brethren place, this man come and he was weaving something. I asked him if he could show me, and him just continue to do it, and I just watch him. And then I tek if from him and start, and the man seh: 'Wait man, but yuh head quick', and that is the only time I see that man," he told THE STAR.

Brown said it takes patience to properly weave the coconut straws to become an intricately designed hat, but he invests his time because he wants his hats to be of good quality.

"I believe they are the strongest. They can tek water, anything. My hats last for all 30 years 'cause people have dem and don't want to buy a next one because dem seh dem too strong. Dem seh: 'Yuh sell mi two from Whappy kill Phillup, and mi still have dem, enuh'," he said.

Brown said that he has travelled all over the island to sell his hats and even considered going wholesale at one point.

"I sell all over Jamaica. These hats are well be-known. I go to Devon House nine years straight, no craft fair ever miss mi at Devon House. Travel over the island, sell to tourists - Kingston, Ocho Rios," he said.

These days, from his stall on a hill in Mount Russell, St Catherine, he weaves fedora and skull hats, which are sold for between $1,500 and $1,800.

And although he has many Rastafarian customers, Brown said that he caters to everyone.

"I have a wide cross section of people who buy my hats. I get most sales from people who don't even wear locks," he said