Put Your Brand On Top With Promo Headwear

If T-shirts are the foundation of promo apparel, hats are the icing on the brandable cake. More than two-thirds of consumers own a promo baseball cap, beanie or visor, and just one custom hat averages over 3,400 impressions out in the world, making these promotional products a highly visible and useful investment for any brand.

 

At a lower price point than most garments, headwear also provides a more accessible entry point into promo wearables, budget-wise. If your budget doesn’t allow for a golf shirt, you could choose a hat or cap for a giveaway that’s less expensive but still personal.

girl in yellow sweater and knit beanie

Also, custom hats simplify ordering and distribution, since most are one-size-fits-all, and with the wide variety available, it won’t be hard to find the right headwear for the occasion. Plus, if a supplier is short on stock, customers can choose from so many options that they might end up with something even better than what they originally had in mind.

 

Trends come and go, but the need for quality, comfort and style endures. To craft a promotional hat people will want to wear, comfort is a must. Quality also matters, because you want a lid that will last. Aim for fit, function and flair to create a custom hat that will not only be worn but become a favorite.

 

Decorate To Differentiate

The decorating is almost as important as the cap itself. When it comes to style, get creative with decoration to set a basic trucker cap or beanie apart and make it a stylish choice to be worn again and again.

 

Gone are the days of slapping a logo on the front of a trucker hat or beanie and calling it a day. With so many decoration options, it can be daunting to choose. Consider a new twist on traditional embroidery, like 3D, reverse 3D or sublimation. Patches, also a tried-and-true favorite, come in a number of different materials and can be permanently affixed to a promo hat or swapped and supplemented on a custom cap with hook-and-loop patches. Printed seam tape is another decorative option for a fun surprise inside.

 

Clever placement can make all the difference in decorating, because front and center has become just one of many options for branding your promo headwear. The idea is to spark curiosity in the viewer to ask the wearer about what’s on that custom hat.

 

Whether you opt for something trendy or traditional, make sure it’s thoughtful and detailed for a memorable and high-quality promotional hat that makes a lasting impression.

 

3 Hot Headwear Styles For 2023

All the hat styles available can lead to analysis paralysis when it comes to choosing a promotional product. Here are three styles sure to put your clients’ brands on top:

 

1. Truckers Rule

 

The humble trucker hat – a structured mesh cap with fabric front panels, mesh rear panels and a snap back – remains king, and despite the name, this spin on the classic baseball cap is for everybody. Vogue has reported plenty of sophisticated caps featured in fall runway shows: “From Gucci to Coach to Burberry, the all-American baseball cap was the dominant headgear on the catwalks.”

 

Again, creativity is key, and the structure of trucker hats provides a great canvas for multiple decoration techniques, including screen printing and embroidery on the mesh back panels in addition to the standard front crown area.

 

2. Poms: The Bigger, The Better

 

Fluffy accessories are a trending hat style, according to Vogue, and the bigger the better. Look at the knit beanies and watch caps available and you’ll see poms the size of your fist.

 

These make great winter giveaways, but beanies and knit caps are increasingly worn as fashion accessories regardless of the weather, and by all genders.

 

3. Fun (With Protection) In The Sun

 

Bucket hats are still hugely popular with consumers, although they tend to be a bit pricier than custom caps, due to the materials and time needed for construction. 

 

Boonies and wide-brimmed straw beach hats (aka lifeguard hats), which provide sun protection during outdoor activities, are also popular. Not only are they great promo giveaways, they’re also perfect for outfitting outdoor workers.

 

Baseball Caps, Bucket Hats And Beyond

Although the three styles described above are trending now, the baseball-style billed cap and its variations (dad cap, trucker hat, etc.) are still tops – and there are tons of great options for promo headwear. Here are a few to consider:

 

Ultimate Trucker Cap

The Ultimate Trucker Cap provides a comfortable fit and sharp-looking finish ready for a variety of decorative branding elements, from screen printing to embroidery and more. Available in 60 color combinations (slate/navy/gray shown). Most colorways are cotton twill fronts, heathered are synthetic linen, and the others are cotton linen.

Brushed Twill Low Profile Cap

For an unstructured “dad hat,” this Brushed Twill Low Profile Cap offers a classic look and lightweight feel in 100% brushed cotton twill with a self-fabric slide closure. Available in 13 colors (royal shown).

Oversized Pom Watch Cap,

The Oversized Pom Watch Cap, a stylish and warm acrylic knit beanie, is equipped with an oversized pom on top and features a 3-inch cuff for decorating with your company logo. Available in five colors (midnight blue shown).

Slouch Beanie

Give a nod to streetwear style with this acrylic Slouch Beanie, which can be worn slouched (as shown) or rolled/cuffed. Available in five colors (charcoal shown).

Lifeguard Straw Hat

Provide a promotional hat that offers sun protection with this Lifeguard Straw Hat with inner elastic headband, perfect for working outdoors, a day at the beach, by the pool, gardening, etc. The brim measures 4.5 inches with an optional fabric lining underneath for added shade.

Recycled Crosshatch Cotton Bucket Hat

Thanks to Y2K nostalgia and countless TikTok videos, bucket hats are everywhere. Put your client’s brands on top with a 60% Recycled Crosshatch Cotton Bucket Hat that’s part recycled polyester, part cotton twill. Available in 15 colors (shown in beryl green) and sizes M-L.

Recycled PET Boonie Hat

For serious sun protection, check out this Recycled PET Boonie Hat, which contains the equivalent of two 16-oz. water bottles and features an adjustable drawstring chin cord. Available in navy (shown) or black.