Bucket hats are amazing accessories. From coarse wool water-repellent bucket hats at Irish fish docks to high-end embroidered bucket hats at Paris fashion shows, from military tactical gear to AI custom trendy hats in the Z generation. Bucket hats seem to look simple, but in fact, bucket hats have evolved and changed across 4 centuries. The bucket market in China breaks 12 billion yuan, and Beneunder, a Chinese brand, sells 100,000 pieces of its black sun protection bucket hats per month. 3 Printing technology makes errors of hat shapes shorten to 0.5 cm/0.2 inches, and we have to pore over bucket hats. How could they become icons, integrating with technology, environmental protection, and fashion from a practical utility? Here we – Aung Crown, a custom hat supplier since 1998, will go through their history, creations in structure, fabric revolution, and suitable scenes to tell various types of bucket hats and their back industrial logistics.

Classic Bucket Hats from History Development

Original Function Design

European Waterproof Fisherman Wool Bucket Hats in the 16th Century
Derived from fishermen’s demand in the 16th century, in Europe. Initially, bucket hats were made from natural wool to utilize the scaly texture of the wool fabric to form a natural waterproof layer that protected fishermen and dockers from rain and wind on the ocean. At the beginning, the brim of a bucket hat could reach 7-10 cm/2.76-3.94 inches, and the tilted angle was about 30 degrees, which could effectively block sunlight and waves. Nowadays, the Irish National Museum has collected the original twill weave fabric from the 18th century.  

Bucket Hats Made from Irish Twill Weave Cloth in 1900
When it came to 1900, Irish farmers used redefined bucket hats that were made from more durable twill weave cotton cloth. The height of the crown was lowered to 12 cm/4.72 inches, and the weight was reduced by 30%, which was more suitable for labor on farms. Country Life magazine, UK, recorded that these redefined bucket hats had become the standard headwear for farmers and workers due to the partial convenience of these bucket hats.

Military Improvement & Practical Innovation

Deep-Crown Bucket Hats for the Israel Defense Forces in 1940
In 1948, the Israeli Defense Forces improved bucket hats to adjust environments of desert warfare. The depth of the crown was increased by 15 cm/5.9 inches, made from olive green and khaki canvas with moisture-wicking sweatband and chic drawstrings to solve the problems of easy to drop and not close-fitting designs of traditional bucket hats. According to Israel’s archival records, this bucket hat was applied in the Suez Canal War and reached 92% of warfare gear.

Adjustable Straps Boobies for the American Soldiers in the 1960 Vietnam War
In 1965, the American army designed a variation of jungle hats for its soldiers during the Vietnam War. The circumference of the brim was increased by 56 cm/22.05 inches, and there were 4 breathable eyelets on the top, with adjustable nylon straps on the back of the neck. This type of boonie was stretched from 54-62cm/21.26-24.41 inches. Based on the United States Army gear booklets, the weight of these boonies was only 180 grams, which was lighter 70% than traditional helmets. The total production of these boonies reached 1.2 million pieces in 1968.

Style Changing Spawned by Pop Culture

Simple Bucket Hats Spawned by 1960 Movies
In the American sitcom, Gilligan’s Island, Gilligan, played by Bob Denver, wore solid-colored cotton bucket hats in the film, spawning a global trend of bucket hats. The tilted angle of the brim improved to 15 degrees, and the top of the crown was soft without shaping, which was suitable for lots of hairstyles. According to the Nielsen ratings report, after the episodes aired, the sales of the same style bucket hats increased by 300%, and these bucket hats became the symbol of casual vacation style.

Graffiti Bucket Hats in Hip-Hop Streets in 1990

In 1990, the New York hip-hop culture pushed the variation of rebellion, graffiti bucket hats. Made from canvas, the crown was with graffiti patterns and metal rivets, and the inner side was with gang slogans or lyrics. The American rapper and actor, LL Cool J, wore bucket hats a lot in his MV at that time, which made bucket hats occupy the first place among headwear of the American youth apparel, with annual sales reaching 8 million pieces.

Sorted by Creative Structure Designs

1. Classic Structure

Rounded Crusher – Soft and Foldable
This classic structure bucket hat is a rounded crusher, designed with a rounded top without shaping. The crown is made from 60-count combed cotton, which can be folded any way into a 10cm/3.94 inches round plate, which can be stored in pockets and can recover without deformation. According to our 2024 data, the sales of classic style bucket hats accounted for 45%. In general, this type of bucket hat is suitable for Asian people whose head circumference is from 54 cm to 58 cm (21.26 inches to 22.83 inches), and its brim is 6.5 cm/2.56 inches, which can combine both sun protection and convenience.

Close-Fitting Bell Hats – Hip-Hop Style Bucket Hats
Derived from the New York street culture in 1980, close-fitting bell hats are designed with a 10cm/3.94 inches crown, asymmetrical brims (short front brim 5cm/1.97 inches & long back brim 7cm/2.76 inches). Made from stretchy spandex-blended fabrics, this type of bucket hat is very close-fitting to heads, which makes hip-hop bucket hats popular again. In general, hip-hop bucket hats are designed with embroidered logos or reflective straps.

2. Modern Creative Structure

Reversible Colorful Bucket Hats
Adopting a two-layer structure, this type of bucket hat is double-sided, which means two styles in one hat through hidden stitching. Beneunder gel sun bucket hats launched in 2024 with 12 available colors, which were super hot and trendy at Redbook last year, with related notes over 5 million impressions. Moreover, the reversible design makes these bucket hats easy to shift from daily commutes to sun protection for outdoors.
Neutral Flat-top Bucket Hats
To break through the traditional rounded-top bucket hats, this type of bucket adopts a flat-top design with a wide brim, which is also one of the classic bucket hats. In general, flat-top bucket hats are made from cotton, linen, canvas, etc., which combines utility and fashion. Not only can provide sun protection, but also can pair with casual wear, vintage outfits, and other styles, which makes flat-top bucket hats a common choice for daily wear and outdoor activities.

3. Structures Sorted by Detailed Scenes

Bucket Hats with Neck Covers
Bucket hats with neck covers can protect the neck from sunlight, insects, wind, sand, and other elements. In general, this type of bucket hat is made from icy silk fabric, and the neck cover part is detachable from the bucket hat through Velcro, buttons, or zippers, which can cover the whole neck to the clavicles. The Decathlon Desert Trekking Cap was launched in 2024 and adopted this structure. According to third-party testing, the sun protection rate for the neck reaches 99.2%, making it suitable for strong sunlight scenes, such as desert hiking and highland trips.

Sporty Mesh Bucket Hats

This type of bucket hat is designed with honeycomb mesh on the side of the crown and the top of the crown (each hat has an average of 8-12 mesh holes). The Aung Crown mesh bucket hat features a breathable mesh structure on the crown, providing a cool and comfortable fit. With the adjustable chin drawstring, Aung Crown Mesh Bucket Hats can be adjusted according to different head circumferences to avoid blocking the sight, which makes this mesh bucket hat the best seller in 2024.

The Iterative Upgrade in Fabric and Crafts

Traditional Natural Fabric

Waterproof Wool Bucket Hats
Adopted 100% coarse wool, this type of bucket hat is waterproof due to the scaly texture of wool that can form natural a water-repellent layer. Under the test of the Wool Council of Great British, such a bucket hat can keep dry for 6 hours under small rain environment. The 19th century Irish fisherman bucket hat only weighs 250 grams, and the brim adopts wool felt shaping craft. Nowadays, the Irish Cork Museum has collected one from 1892 with clear hand-made weave texture.
Pure Cotton Breathable Bucket Hats
Pure cotton bucket hats are usually made from 40-count combed cotton, and the warp and weft density is up to 120*80 threads/inch. In 1950, the American cargo brand Levi’s launched pure cotton bucket hats, adopted plain weave + pre-shrinkage treatment, and the shrink rate after washing was controlled at 3%, which made these pure cotton bucket hats the symbol of headwear for the worker class. The annual sales reached 500,000 pieces.
Natural Straw Bucket Hats for Vacations/Holidays
Usually, natural straw bucket hats use natural plant fibers as raw materials, like raffia and papyrus. Adopted traditional 3-braiding twisting, and each hat takes 3 hours. The Bali hand-made straw bucket hats got over 2 million notes on Little Redbook in 2023 in China. Due to the hollow-out design that reaches 80% of the whole hat, these straw bucket hats are great at ventilation.

Modern Technical & Functional Fabrics

UPF50+ Black Gel Sun Protection Bucket Hats
In general, this type of bucket hat is made of 210T synthetic polyester with 0.02mm black gel coating. According to SGC anti-UV testing, the sun protection rate reaches 99.8%. The width of the brim extends to 10 cm/3.94 inches, which can offer full face sun protection and partial neck sun protection. Beneunder launched icy-feeling gel bucket hats in 2024, adding mica particles to the coating to reflect the heat to lower the body temperature by about 4℃/39.2℉, and the online sales reached 100,000 pieces per month.
Quick-Dry Mesh Bucket Hats
Used blended fabric between 75D regenerated polyester and quick-dry Cool max, the weave density is 18 threads/inch, and moisture-wicking rate is 0.3ml/min. The Decathlon 2025 outdoor bucket hats are designed with 16 laser holes on the top and both sides of the crown, and mesh lining, the heat dissipation can boots to 50% when sporting, which makes them popular among outdoor sports activities.

Windproof and Waterproof Coating
Adopted 20D nylon with PU coating, the waterproof index can reach 5000mmH₂O and is windproof at the sixth level, with only 120 grams in weight. The North Face Class V Brimmer Series in 2024, these hiking bucket hats are equipped with built-in memory TPU bands on the brim, which can adjust the brim angle manually. Therefore, these bucket hats are suitable for windy environments, like climbing, riding, etc. This series has occupied the top ten on Amazon’s outdoor gear sales.

Sustainable Materials

Regenerated Polyester
Regenerated polyester is made from 100% regenerated PET bottles. On average, each cap recycles 6 500ml plastic bottles. The entire production reduces carbon emissions by 70%. The Patagonia 2025 Wavefarer™ Bucket Hat has passed the recycled test from GRS, and the strength of the fabric reaches 200N, indicating that its durability is equivalent to that of virgin polyester. The online pre-sale sold 120,000 pieces.
Antibacterial Bamboo Fiber
In general, bamboo fiber blends bamboo pulp and cotton, and the proportion between them is 7 to 3 (7 bamboo pulp and 3 cotton). With natural bamboo vinegar, the antibacterial rate can reach 99% (Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus). Certified by OEKO-TEX®, Aung Crown launched the bamboo series in 2024. After washing, the antibacterial rate can still be kept at 85%, which is suitable for sensitive people and high-end markets.
Organic Cotton without Pollution

Choose organic cotton from Indian organic cotton bases that are certified by GOTS. Adopts natural dye plants (yellow ginger or Rubia cordifolia) to dye, and the colorfastness can reach the fourth level. The Everlane 2025 Zero Pollution Bucket Hat is zero pollution. The whole production reduces 50% water consumption compared to traditional crafts. The package bags are made from degradable corn starch materials. Positioned at 128$ per one, the demand outstrips supply and the re-purchase rate reaches 42%.

Sorted by Scenes and Functions in Detail

Special for Outdoors

High Sun Protection in One Design – The Decathlon Desert Trekking Cap
Adopted UPF50+ black gel coating and ice silk neck cover, with a 12 cm/4.72 inches brim, and the neck over is about 20cm/7.87 inches, which can cover from the face to the clavicle. According to the third-party testing data, wearing this bucket hat can lower 5.2℃/41.36℉ by about 2 hours under 38℃/100.4℉environments with strong sunlight, compared to common bucket hats.

Breathable Mesh Quick-dry Bucket Hats
Usually, this type of bucket hat is designed with a mesh design on both sides of the crown or the top of the crown, made from blended fabrics to achieve quick-dry and breathable functions. Due to the mesh design, these bucket hats are very suitable for sports, outdoor activities, and hot summer activities..
Reflective Band Bucket Hats for Night Safety
In general, the brim and the crown are sewn with 3M reflective bands (W*L: 2cm * 30 cm/0.79 inches * 11.81 inches), and the reflective brightness can reach 300cd/lx/m², which caters to our national standard – GB20653-2024. According to e-commerce platforms’ data, it showed that sales of 2024 outdoor bucket hats with reflective straps increased by 220% and the night accidents decreased by 68%.

Daily Wear Bucket Hats

Usually, daily-worn bucket hats are common and daily. Most are rounded-top or flat-top designs, with proper brims from 5 to 8 cm/1.97 to 3.15 inches, which can effectively block sunlight and provide ample sun protection. Common fabrics that are used to make bucket hats are cotton, linen, canvas, denim, and other breathable fabrics. Usually, summer bucket hats are mostly made from mesh cloth and straw; vice versa, winter bucket hats are made from wool, corduroy, and other warm fabrics. The basic styles of common bucket hats are solid-colored, plaid, or striped, which can pair with casual outfits, vintage garments.

Special Custom Scenes

Custom Bucket Hats with Embroidered Brandy Logo
Support custom bucket hats with embroidered logos on the side, front, or back of the crown to improve brand images, propaganda, or worker welfare, making these bucket hats more meaningful and adding enterprises’ value to these bucket hats.
Souvenir Bucket Hats for Theme Events
Launching limited-edition bucket hats based on different theme events like marathons, music concerts, with event logos or themes. Usually, adopting heat transfer printing to print the theme or event logo on bucket hats. Custom bucket hats for the 2024 Shanghai Marathon are printed with the number of kilometers completed on the inner brim. Sold out 10,000 pieces in 3 minutes, and the premium on the second-hand platform was 3 times expensive.

Future Trend & Creative Direction

Integrating with Intelligent Technologies

Integrated Sunscreen Monitoring Chip
It’s predicted that bucket hats with an integrated sunscreen monitoring chip will be launched in 2026 to monitor the real-time UV data and remind the UV levels through the LED lights (green light <3; yellow light from 3 to 5; red light >5). The chip’s power consumption is about 0.01m/W, which can keep working for 6 months.  

Auto Temperature Control Fabrics
Adopted NASA PCM as the inner lining, when the temperature is over 28℃/82.4℉, this fabric will absorb the heat automatically; when the temperature is lower than 20℃/68℉, this fabric will release heat energy to auto-adjust the temperature about ±5℃/41℉. For this future bucket hat, it’s said that Anta 2025 Concept Bucket Hat has entered the test phase. Inserted 300 micro phase change capsules on this fabric. After washing 50 times, the auto temperature control can keep 85% effect, and reposition at 299￥per on hat and its target audiences are outdoor workers.  

The Development of Personalized Custom

3D Printing Bucket Hats

Utilizing SLS to choose laser burn knot technology can custom hat shape based on user’s 3D scan head circumference and the deviation is about 0.5 cm/0.2 inches. The arch of the brim can support from 10 to 30 degrees.
AI Design Bucket Hats
After users upload their picture, AI arithmetic will auto match the shape face to recommend hats for users and generate images about the wearing effects, supporting to choose patterns, color, and fabrics of hats.

Balance between Environmental Protection and Design

Mycelium Bio-based Material

Bio-leather cultivated from mushroom mycelium, after 28 days of fermentation molding, the degradation rate can reach 90% under natural environment for 6 months, and the strength is close to cowhide.
Recycled Plastic/Net from Oceans
Now recognized as the future of sustainable, low-carbon textile production, RPET fabric, also known as PET or PETE bottle fabric, is a new type of “green” eco-friendly fabric made from the yarn of recycled plastic bottles. Just 1 ton of recycled RPET yarn is equivalent to nearly 70,000 plastic bottles. Recycled nylon is made from nylon waste from products that have already been made, sold, used, and then discarded by consumers. It can also be made from the waste left over from the processes that make nylon into a product.

In the End

From fisherman waterproof bucket hats to the symbol of hip-hop singers, from practical warfare gear to fashionable pieces on fashion shows, bucket hats have evolved over hundreds of years. Essentially, bucket hats are a coexisting history that combines functions and aesthetics. Due to the diversity of bucket hats, no matter whether it’s a rounded top or flat top bucket hat, made from wool or regenerated polyester, bucket hats reflect different lifestyles in different eras, but also show people’s pursuit of practical aesthetics.

In the future, with the development of intelligent technologies, the revolution of eco-friendly materials (like mycelium bio-based) and the evolution of personalized custom ( 3D printing and AI designs), bucket hats will continuously break through the boundary of accessories and become the carrier of technology, culture, and the theory of sustainable development. The story of bucket hats is rewritten by each new fabric, new structure, and new scene. Maybe that’s the final code that bucket hats have kept their vibe for centuries.