Introduction

Nowadays, people are paying more and more attention to clothing coordination, and their pursuit of hats and accessories is also getting higher and higher. Many businesses that have seen the business opportunity in hats will find qualified manufacturers to customize hats. Many businesses that are new to hat customization are unsure of the first steps and considerations for custom hat orders. As a professional hat manufacturer, Aung Crown will introduce it to you as below.

The Main Process for Customizing Hats

If you want to customize a hat, the process generally involves the following steps:

Requirement communication

Please provide your requirements for the customized hat, including hat features, details, fabric requirements, etc. It would be best to provide images or design drafts of similar hats that you would like to make.

Scheme Design

Based on your hat requirements and functional needs, we provide custom-designed hat styles. The final design is then confirmed in the form of a drawing.

Manufacturer Quotation

After confirming hat design with the customer, we will provide the final customized unit price and sampling fee based on the required materials, processes, and order quantity.

Sample making

After the client pays the sample fee, it usually takes about 10–15 days for our sample room to produce the hat sample. We will then send it to the client via express delivery to confirm the hat style. After receiving the sample, you can inspect whether it meets your requirements. If it does not, you can provide feedback for modifications, and we will remake the sample accordingly.

Sign the Contract

If the sample meets the requirements and the final style and delivery time are confirmed, the contract can be signed to confirm the order.

Arrange production

Once the contract is signed and the order is confirmed, materials can be prepared for production.

Quality Inspection & Packaging

After the hats are produced, a final quality inspection is conducted. Once they pass, the hats are packaged and prepared for shipment.

We recommend that you wash the hats according to the instructions on the care labels. Common care symbols and maintenance suggestions are as follows:

Ship on schedule

After packaging is completed, the customer will confirm the time, and we will arrange shipment.

After-sales service

We provide value-added services such as product feedback, service feedback, and after-sales maintenance after the goods are shipped. We also regularly provide customers with new style designs, new fabric recommendations, and new feature introductions to help you develop new products.

What issues should be considered when making hat samples?

I’m looking for a hat manufacturer to make a batch of hats, but the manufacturer says they need to make a sample first and I’ll have to pay a sampling fee. Is this normal? What should I pay attention to when making hat samples? This is a question many customers ask. As an experienced and professional custom hat manufacturer—Aung Crown shares some insights with you:

What does “hat sampling” mean?

Customized hats are sample hats made by hat manufacturers based on customers’ design drafts or customization requirements (including fabric requirements, hat styles, logo craftsmanship and matching, etc.) .

Generally, our sample-making department will make several samples according to the customer’s requirements and mail them to the customer. By reviewing the samples, the customer can evaluate the manufacturer’s capabilities and product quality. Once the customer is satisfied with the samples, mass production can begin. This process ensures smoother cooperation in the later stages. Therefore, for bulk hat customization, making a hat sample is necessary.

Do you charge a sample fee? How much does it cost?

In principle, our company charges customers about 100$ per design and per color for sample development (with standard materials). However, this does not include additional mold fees for special processes, such as embossing on metal buckles. Additionally, please note that factory sample fees generally do not include shipping costs.

To build strong relationships and long-term partnerships with our clients, Aung Crown will refund the sampling fee once the order quantity for a single style and color reaches a certain amount.

How long does it take to make a sample ?

The sampling time depends on the style and craftsmanship, but it is generally 5-8 days. For hats with embroidery, printing, washing, rhinestones, and other craftsmanship, the sampling time varies depending on the complexity of the craftsmanship.

Can your company make custom orders based on samples?

Our factory has a professional R&D team, excellent hat designers, and highly skilled production workers. We can make samples based on the samples you provide.

Of course, if you wish your custom hat to be exactly the same as the sample, you can sen us a sample for reference. This will allow us to create a hat that better meets your requirements. Once the sample is confirmed, mass production can begin.

May I ask if your company can customize hats based on a design drawing?

Customizing hats from design drawings is similar to customizing based on a physical sample, and the specific techniques and requirements should be discussed in advance. We have a professional design team dedicated to creating exclusive designs, and we can offer different technique options and hat styles.

If you provide a personal hat design sketch, you can also provide some hat styles you’d like for our reference. This will greatly improve our design efficiency and quality.

Once both parties agree on and confirm the final design, we will produce a sample according to the design drawing or hat pattern. After the sample is approved, we can proceed with mass production.

If I only provide a logo, can you help me create a design draft?

We cover 98% of the styles and craftsmanship on the market, and have a strong design team that can develop and design more than 1,000 new products every year, which can meet the customization needs of multiple scenarios and purposes.

If you have customization needs but no design draft, you can choose the style and process you need, and then provide your logo. After confirming the sample, our professional designers will provide you with a free design according to your needs.

The logo you provide can be in AI or JPG format, which will greatly improve the efficiency of our designers and save you time in the design phase.

How long does it take to design a hat ?

Generally, after confirming the style and providing a detailed logo, the design will be completed within 1-2 business days. Of course, the specific time may vary depending on the complexity of the style.

What factors influence the price of custom hats?

Many business friends who customize and purchase hats focus on two main points: price and quality. Higher quality hats naturally mean higher prices! Some people may wonder, “Why, for the same kind of hat, are some prices so much higher?”

Today, Aung Crown will explain why some hats are more expensive, so let’s take a closer look!

At Aung Crown,the creation of a single hat requires 33 production processes.

By analyzing these 33 processes, we have summarized that there are 6 main factors that affect the price of a hat.

1, Hat Craftsmanship Requirements

There are many attractive hat styles, and the differences often lie in the production techniques used. At the same time, different techniques require different amounts of time and production cost.

For example, if two hats have the same pattern size, one is embroidered and the other is printed, the printed hat will be more expensive. Similarly, different pattern sizes will result in different prices.

2, Hat Customization Quantity

At Aung Crown, when the number of hats ordered is small, the total price, including the purchase of fabric and accessories, production process, labor costs, and machine fees, will be averaged into the price of each hat based on the number of hats ordered. Overall, the price for a small number of hats will be significantly different from the price for a large number of hats ordered.

Therefore, the larger the quantity of custom hats, the lower the price. Generally speaking, the price is much more affordable for orders of 1,000 or more hats of a single style and color (depending on the situation, except for specially developed hats ) , while orders of less than 1,000 will be more expensive

3, Hat Fabric

The fabrics required for customized hats are purchased separately based on the customer’s requirements. The material, quantity, and color of the fabric will be calculated based on the hat customization needs. If the required fabric has special characteristics, the purchase price will be relatively higher , such as reflective fabrics, tie-dyed fabrics, anti-static fabrics, flame-retardant fabrics, or waterproof fabrics.

4, Hat Accessories

The sweatband, top button, woven label, adjustment buckle, hangtag, and other accessories used in custom hats are all essential. For example, adjustment buckles come in different designs, such as Velcro, plastic snap buttons, metal back buckles, and metal D-ring buckles.

The price of hat accessories varies depending on the material. Metal accessories are more expensive than plastic ones. If a logo is required, an additional mold-making fee will be charged. The detailed cost will be calculated based on the required process.

5, Lead Time

Aung Crown implements a 4S system management. To ensure timely delivery, each bulk order is scheduled with a detailed production and shipping plan.

If the customer requests a shorter delivery time, tthe workflow for each process must be rearranged, which disrupts the originally planned production sequence. This, in turn, can affect the customized hat price.

6, Hat Styles

Hats come in a wide variety of styles, with bucket hats, baseball caps, and sun hats being common examples. Different hat styles have varying levels of complexity in their production. More complex hats, such as berets and structured hats, require specific molds and take longer to make.

Quality inspection standards for custom-made hats

Before the bulk delivery of custom-made hats, hat inspection becomes a very important process.

So, what aspects should we pay attention to when inspecting hats before delivery? What are the acceptance standards for bulk orders of custom-made hats?

1, Fabrics and accessories

For hats of the same style, the quality of the fabric determines the hat’s grade. Therefore, the fabric is a crucial factor in a hat’s overall appearance, and hats made from high-quality fabric offer better comfort and durability than those made from inferior fabric.

The same applies to accessories like sweatbands. When inspecting a bulk order of custom hats, carefully check that all the fabrics and accessories match the sample you specified.

2, Hat Circumference Size

Hat circumference is also an important standard for the acceptance and inspection of bulk custom hats. Some hats have brass buckles, iron buckles, seven-hole buckles, or cord structures, which can be adjusted by the customer; other hats are fully closed and cannot be adjusted by the customer, so different sizes of hats are required.

Regardless of the closure type, a proper fit is essential for comfort and to meet your needs. Therefore, having an appropriate and standardized hat circumference is very important.

3, Consistency with Sample and Symmetry of Hat Pattern

When inspecting a custom-made hat, the first step is to carefully check whether all the manufacturing processes match the sample and whether the hat’s shape is symmetrical.

Some hats may have issues such as asymmetrical brims or uneven cutting, which need to be identified during inspection.

4, Craftsmanship

When evaluating craftsmanship, first check whether the stitching on the hat is even. Examine the sweatband stitching to see if it is neat and consistent. Assess whether the stitching density is appropriate—generally, tighter stitches are better.

Also, check the seam connections to ensure there are no backstitches or exposed threads and that all stitching is properly finished.

5, Overall cleanliness

Check the exterior of the custom-made hat for stains, fading, dirt, or other defects. Some hats may have oil stains or other stubborn stains that are difficult to clean. If no such issues, it indicates that the manufacturer’s products are of good quality.

6, Ironing

Hat ironing is a production step before labeling and packaging. During ironing, it is essential to ensure that every hat and every part of the hat is ironed evenly. This results in hats with a three-dimensional and well-shaped appearance.

Conclusion

The creation of a good hat requires meticulous attention to product positioning, design, raw material procurement, and production. The inspection process is equally important. It’s not necessary to wait until the bulk delivery date to conduct inspections; random checks can be performed at any time during production. This can largely prevent unnecessary hat corrections and rework, thereby saving hat manufacturers and customers time and labor costs, ultimately achieving a win-win situation.

After production is complete, the bulk inspection is the ultimate test of a custom hat manufacturer’s production quality and technical capabilities. Only by continuously improving production processes and management, and adjusting industry standards as a whole, can hat manufacturers produce more high-quality products, gain wider customer recognition, and achieve market acceptance in the custom hat industry.