Grof DeLuxe - Sized with Leather Band
The Yugoslav hat manufacturer UČA was founded in the Serbian city of Vršac in 1924 and has made berets from it's very beginning. The Basque beret became especially popular in Bosnia and the Sandzjak region in Marshall Tito's communist Yugoslavia; it proved to be a very acceptable headgear for Muslims who wanted to keep their heads covered, but not go against the political tide of the time.
The factory is named Uča after Žarko Zrenjanin "Uča". Uča was the friendly nickname for the teacher Zarko Zrenjanin who became a famous partisan during the war and who, to this day, is honoured in many ways; a beret factory is one, the city of Zrenjanin is another. Uča was one of the leaders of the Vojvodinian Communists and Partisans. His glory comes from his actions during the battles on the rivers Neretva and Sutjeska. He was imprisoned and tortured by the Nazis for months and killed while trying to escape.
UČA specializes in the production of military berets. These were of such exceptional quality that even NATO member countries like the Netherlands, Germany and the United Kingdom chose UČA berets for their armed forces. Local companies in the respective countries would sew in a lining and label, that way able to legally state the berets were made in that country.
Grof ("Count", in Serbo-Croat) is the company's top of the range line of Basque berets, handmade in 28cm diameter of the finest Merino wool. The Grof berets offered here are custom made for South Pacific Berets and not available anywhere else.
The Deluxe Universel models are one-size berets that easily stretch and adjust to the individual wearer's head size and shape, fitted with bayadère (multi-striped) lining and the unique Grof woven label. Available in black and 5 colour options.
The sized berets come in 2 colours and are fitted with a comfortable leather headband, bayadère lining and the Grof woven label.
