Lei Feng did not invent the Lei Feng hat. In Chinese, "Lei Feng hat" (雷鋒帽, *Léi Fēng mào*) originally meant the winter cotton cap of the Chinese People's Liberation Army's Type 55 uniform. Lei Feng, a young soldier who became a national role model in 1960s China, wore that cap in his most widely printed photos. People saw the furry front flap and fold-down ear flaps and thought of him, so the nickname stuck.
That army cap, in turn, was clearly inspired by the Soviet winter hat known as the ushanka (ушанка). That is why, across the Chinese-speaking world today, "Lei Feng hat" is often used for any fur hat with ear flaps: a Russian hat, a trapper hat, an ushanka.
Strictly speaking, though, the historical Type 55 army cap, the traditional Russian ushanka and today's fashion ushanka are three different things. They look alike, but their era, purpose and materials differ. This guide sorts them out.
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| December 1940 | Lei Feng is born in Wangcheng, Hunan (today part of Changsha). He loses his parents as a child. |
| January 1960 | He joins the People's Liberation Army as a truck driver; his unit is stationed in Fushun, Liaoning. |
| 1960–1962 | He leaves behind diaries and many photos; in the winter shots he usually wears the army-issue winter cap. |
| 15 August 1962 | He dies in an accident on duty, aged just 22. |
| 5 March 1963 | Mao Zedong's inscription "Learn from Comrade Lei Feng" is published; 5 March later becomes "Learn from Lei Feng Day" in mainland China. |
Lei Feng served in China's northeast, where winters are bitterly cold, and the cap he was issued belonged to the Type 55 uniform system. His photos were reprinted again and again on posters, in textbooks and in newspapers, so for many people "that army cap with the fur front and ear flaps" simply became "the hat Lei Feng wore."
The story behind the name is really about the power of a set of photographs: Lei Feng did not design the hat, but because of him it got its own name in the Chinese-speaking world.
In 1955 the PLA introduced new uniforms alongside its new system of military ranks. A report on the rank uniforms was approved at a State Council meeting that September, and from 1 October the whole set was officially called the Type 55 uniform. It was strongly influenced by Soviet uniforms of the time, and its winter cap clearly borrowed from the Soviet ushanka.
According to features by CCTV's military channel and China Military Online, the cap had several clever details for keeping warm:
Good to know: the Type 55, Type 65 and later PLA winter caps differ in badge, materials and color, so they should not be lumped together. When people say "Lei Feng hat," they mainly mean the army winter cap of Lei Feng's era, the 1950s and 1960s.
The word ushanka comes from the Russian word for ears, *ushi* (уши). It literally means "the hat with ears," in other words an ear-flap hat. Its signature feature is the pair of ear flaps that can be folded up, tied on top or let down.
The ushanka became a military hat because of a very cold war:
Go back further and you will find that fur hats with ear flaps are much older: the traditional Russian treukh (треух), the fur hats of Mongolian and Siberian nomads, the fur caps of China's northeast. People in cold regions refined this survival design over a very long time. The ushanka is simply the version that was standardized and became recognized worldwide.
| Compare | Lei Feng hat (Type 55 army cap) | Traditional Russian ushanka | Modern fashion ushanka |
|---|---|---|---|
| Era | From the 1950s–60s | Soviet army winter hat from 1940, still worn by civilians | Today's everyday style hat |
| Purpose | Standard winter issue for the Chinese army | Military use and everyday cold-weather wear | Warmth, winter styling, travel |
| Look | Mostly army green, red star badge on the front | Grey, black, brown; military versions carry a badge | Many colors; badge optional |
| Materials | Cotton fabric, cotton padding, pile fur | Real fur or synthetic "fish fur" | Usually faux fur, polyester and other synthetics |
| Ear flaps | Fold up or down; tied with a chin strap | Tie on top or fasten under the chin | Depends on design; most keep fold-up, fold-down flaps |
So the "Lei Feng hat" and the ushanka belong to the same family: similar look, shared history, but not the same hat. The Lei Feng hats you can buy today are mostly fashion pieces inspired by the classic shape, not originals or replicas of historical army caps.
The same style goes by many names, so it helps to know them when searching or shopping:
A traditional ushanka gets its warmth from thick fur and lining. With a modern fashion ushanka, how warm and windproof it is depends on the actual materials and construction of that hat, so you cannot generalize.
We sell this style ourselves: 100% polyester faux rabbit fur, with ear flaps you can tie up or let down, one size that fits head circumferences of roughly 56–60 cm. Colors include classic black, dark grey, cream, light brown, pink, and a black version with a red star on the front.
To be clear: this is a modern fashion hat inspired by the traditional ushanka. It is not the historical Type 55 army cap or standard issue of any army. Price, colors and stock are shown live on the product card below and on the product page. Delivery destinations and shipping costs are shown at checkout.
The story of the Lei Feng hat starts with the fur ear-flap hats of northern peoples, passes through the Soviet army's ushanka and the PLA's Type 55 winter cap, and, thanks to Lei Feng's photos, ends up with a name of its own in the Chinese-speaking world. Today it is not just a way to keep warm but one of the most recognizable winter looks.
For more on the ushanka's history, how to wear it and how to stay warm, read our other guide: The ushanka: tough style and an animal-friendly choice.
About the photos: all photos in this article are our own product photos of MOFFLI LABS ushankas, not historical photos. We have not reproduced historical photos of Lei Feng because their copyright and licensing status could not be confirmed; you can find them through the sources above.
"Lei Feng hat" originally meant the winter cap of the PLA's Type 55 uniform. Lei Feng, promoted as a role model in 1960s China, often wore it in his most widely printed photos, so people associated the cap with him and the nickname spread.
No. He was simply photographed wearing it. The army cap's design borrowed from the Soviet ushanka, and fur hats with ear flaps existed in cold northern regions long before that.
They look alike and share history, but they are not the same hat. The Lei Feng hat mainly means the Chinese army winter cap of the 1950s and 60s; the ushanka is the Russian ear-flap hat adopted by the Soviet army from 1940; most hats sold today are fashion pieces inspired by the classic shape.
It comes from the Russian word for ears, ushi (уши), and means "the hat with ears": an ear-flap hat.
Ears are the part of your head that feels the cold first. Lowered and fastened under the chin, the flaps block side winds and cover your jaw; on milder days you can tie them on top as a style detail.
Tie the flaps on top for the sharpest look; it works with coats, leather jackets, work jackets and puffers. Black and dark grey go with everything, cream and light brown feel softer and more vintage, pink is cute, and the red-star version is closest to the classic Lei Feng hat.
You can buy it directly from MOFFLI LABS: the product cards in this article take you to the product page and cart. Delivery destinations and shipping costs are shown at checkout.
