Baseball caps are one of the most popular styles of hat ever made. These hats are functional, cheap, and brandable, which appeals to many customers and businesses alike. If you’re a fan of these caps, you’ll know that there’s nothing like picking up a new baseball cap, with its clean seams and perfect structure. Though have you ever wondered how they’re made so perfectly in the first place? If you’re curious about the baseball cap manufacturing process, keep reading for a deep dive into the steps involved. And find out where you can get high-quality baseball caps for your business’s merchandise line.

History of the Baseball Cap

You might be surprised to learn that early baseball caps weren’t too different from their modern design. Originally, baseball caps had a much softer, rounded top that gave it a floppier look. They sported this design until makers started utilizing latex rubber inside the hat to give it the structured look that we are familiar with today. The brim of the hat (also known as “peak” originally) was much shorter but had the same main purpose—to protect baseball players’ eyes from the sun and provide better visibility. Another similarity to modern baseball caps was the tradition of putting patches for the logo or mascot of the respective teams on the cap. They have evolved in some ways and remained classic in others.

Materials

From early styles to modern day, wool has been a popular material for baseball cap creation. Many baseball hat manufacturers still use wool today. Other options for raw materials include cotton and cotton synthetics. This would’ve been the stopping point for the earliest caps, but today’s models use certain materials to maintain structure. The material choice depends on the manufacturer, though some common options include plastic, stiff buckram, or even cardboard (though this one is not as effective for all conditions, such as rain exposure). As for the team logo and name, these details may come as a patch or embroidered on.

How It’s Made

Now that you understand the basics of baseball hats, we can dive into how they’re made. Nowadays, baseball caps are manufactured in bulk to accommodate the needs for official team merchandise, wholesalers, and more. Here is a look into the manufacturing process.

Manufacturing Process

1. First, like any other sewing project, the fabric of choice must be cut. Manufacturers save time and resources on this step by stacking dozens of layers of fabric intricately on top of each other to cut them all at once. This step uses a specialty fabric-cutting saw to ensure an accurate cut through all those layers.

2. Baseball caps follow a specific sewing pattern, so these pieces need to be refined and cut to the exact measurements to fit the pattern. For example, the top portion of the materials need to be cut into 5-6 triangle pieces to form a hollow head shape.

3. If the hats will be structured, the next step would be to sew the mesh or other materials to the triangles. Not all baseball caps are structured, so some manufacturers will skip this step.

4. Another optional step is embroidery and other logo design. Manufacturers may embroider the front panels of the cap with a desired logo or sew in fabric lettering or patches. For hats that are left blank for customization purposes, they will skip this step.

5. Next, the panels will be sewn together to form the crown (or “beanie”) of the hat. Manufacturers bind this section of material to create a uniform, smooth look.

6. Ever wondered what the small button at the very top of a baseball hat is for? Manufacturers apply this little button to cover the seam where the panels of the hat converge. It also helps the hat design appear more professional and smoother.

7. Now we move onto the visor. Manufacturers use the same material to cover the pre-formed, harder material of the visor. Visors are made of a variety of materials, and each will have a different angle of curve to it. Some styles of hat have a flat bill or brim, while others feature a significant curve.

8. The seamstress or machine sews the brim onto the beanie of the cap, connecting the two individual pieces.

9. Some baseball hats feature a “one size fits all” design, in which the seamstress will include an adjustable plastic band to connect the back panels of the hat. Other hats forgo this step for a more uniform, professional appearance from the back.

10. Finally, the manufacturer will include a thin strip of fabric or buckram as a sweatband around the inside of the cap. Once installed, the hat is finished.

Where To Find Baseball Caps

If you’re looking to add hats as merchandise to your business, but don’t want to go through all the above steps yourself; you can find bulk hats for order right here at KBETHOS. We offer a variety of hats, including baseball hats in all sorts of styles. For example, if you want to jump on the current vintage clothing trend, we have a line of vintage baseball hats for wholesale. As mentioned in the manufacturing process, some companies prefer the look of fitted hats over snapbacks, both of which we offer as well. Our hats are customizable to fit your business’s slogan, logo, mascot, and more with blank panels that are ready for embroidering.

This has been a deep dive into the baseball cap manufacturing process. Baseball hats make a great merchandising option for any business. Not only have they stood the test of time, but if anything, they’ve evolved and become more popular than ever. You don’t have to manage a sports team to sell them, either. Baseball hats are perfect for any business because of their multi-purpose appeal. Everyone can use a nice hat, from sports players to parents, and even kids. They appeal to such a wide audience that they would make a perfect addition to your merchandise line. Remember to check out KBETHOS for all your bulk hat needs, from baseball caps to bucket hats!