GROF Berets by UČA

Grof Universel

Grof DeLuxe - Sized with Leather Band

The Yugoslav hat manufacturer UČA was founded in 1924 in the Serbian city of Vršac and has produced berets since its earliest days. During the era of Marshal Tito’s Yugoslavia, the Basque beret became especially popular in Bosnia and the Sandžak region, where it offered a practical and socially acceptable way for Muslim men to keep their heads covered without conflicting with the political climate of the time.

The factory takes its name from Žarko Zrenjanin, known by his nickname “Uča”, a respected teacher and prominent Vojvodinian partisan leader. He played a significant role in resistance operations during the Second World War, particularly around the Neretva and Sutjeska campaigns, and was later captured, tortured by Nazi forces, and killed while attempting to escape. Today, his legacy is commemorated in several ways, including institutions and place names such as the city of Zrenjanin.

UČA specialises in military berets of exceptional quality, used not only within the former Yugoslavia but also adopted—through private re-labelling arrangements—by armed forces in NATO countries including the Netherlands, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
The top-tier line is Grof (“Count”), a handcrafted 28 cm Basque beret made from fine merino wool and produced exclusively for South Pacific Berets.

The Deluxe Universel models are one-size, stretch-fit berets with bayadère striped lining and the Grof woven label, available in black and five additional colours. Sized versions come in two colours and feature a leather headband, bayadère lining, and Grof branding.