Hats Off to Headwear Sales!

Headwear is everywhere – and promotional caps are as big as ever. The industry has come a very long way from traditional trucker and basic baseball styles, both of which had limited audiences and thus appeal.

The industry today truly has a style for any business and any promotion, any corporate or business personality, motto and goal. Therefore, seeking and selling what’s trendy can be both more fun and lucrative than ever.

According to Dan Saferstein of Sportsman Cap & Bag, several headwear trends are here to stay, including “athleisure.” This means high-performance, antimicrobial and moisture-wicking fabrics. Along with performance fabrics, poly blends, heathers and other visually or texturally interesting fabrics will be in-demand this year.

“An old favorite will be making a comeback,” he predicts. “The dad cap – traditionally an unstructured hat with a curved visor and fabric strap back – will be everywhere in 2017.”

Jenny Straub of Vitronic, believes, “This year is all about the classics! These include the snapback caps from the ’90s, and the classic mesh-back trucker caps. Flat bill snapback caps continue to appeal to 20- to 30-year old males, she observes, and these also are featured prominently in headwear sold by professional sports teams. “In addition, performance caps continue to be a trend for all outdoor activities. We have also seen gray as a trending color and have added it to our best sellers,” she points out.

Appearance-wise, Gary Mosley of Kati Sportcap & Bag notes that bold prints, neons and camouflage styles will continue to be hot items. Camo still rules – and in addition to all-over camo, camo accents and camo caps with mesh backs will, he emphasizes, see a surge in popularity. “An emphasis on camo in women’s wear will also be a trend in 2017,” he says.

Heathers are yet another trend with staying power. According to Emily Barbee, MAS, of Outdoor Cap, “In 2017, we’re seeing the heather trend increase significantly.” As such, Outdoor Cap now offers four heathered fabric styles: HTR-100, RGR-100M, MBW-800CB, and FWT-130CB. “Heavy washed fabrics with special dyes and treatments are also popular, and of course camo. There are all kinds of new tactical patterns and fabrics on the market; serious hunters love those, which makes them a perfect sale for hunting clubs and lodges.”

Rob Hatfield of Graffiti Caps says what he sees as trendy in headwear in 2017 is not really what is being made, but where it is being made. Domestic production of any product, including caps and knits, has become a hot topic. “The phone calls and inquiries that we are receiving are reflecting that trend,” he relates. 

According to Charlie McGuiness of MV Sport, The Game Headwear has a few new styles that are trending in our industry at the moment. For example, he notes that the Boonie (# GB400), an ultralight fabric with performance sweatband, protects from damaging UVA/UVB rays, and is available in 18 colors. “It looks great embroidered and is a great gift item or for any outdoor activity,” he asserts. “Our custom overseas program, which ships in as little as four weeks, has really generated great interested, particularly in our ‘The Big Game’ (# G1555) – a patent-pending custom designed all-over applique and embroidery available in 18 cotton twill colors.”     

New and Popular Styles to Sell

Performance fabrics and athletic wear continue to be some of Sportsman Cap & Bag’s most frequent requests, according to Saferstein. This year the company added Richardson to its brand lineup. The Richardson Surge Adjustable (#514), as well as two new Team Sportsman caps – Performance Ripstop Perforated (#AH60) and Performance Edge (#AH90) – “are great options for the performance enthusiast,” he intones. Sportsman Cap & Bag also has styles of the trending “dad caps” – Valucap VC300 and new Yupoong 6245CM.

He adds that “for a new twist on an old favorite,” digital camo patterns are now available in Valucap’s VC300. New in this category is Digital Camo Back (#SWM700DIGI) from Outdoor Cap.

In camo, Kati added “tons of new colors” to its popular Camo Mesh Back(#LC5M),” describes Mosley. This cap features a camo front with mesh back in bright colors. Kati’s latest feminine camo pattern, Muddy Girl, has been added to several of its popular styles such as the Specialty Licensed Camo (#SN200).

According to Barbee, meshbacks are still very much in demand. Outdoor Cap’s CT120M is a stretch-mesh “giving it the look of a fitted cap, but it’s comfortable for a range of sizes,” she says.

At Graffiti Caps, says Hatfield, “We are perfecting the 16 profiles that we currently offer. With 33 different parts to each cap, there is a tremendous ability to customize your caps. Industries that we have supplied promo headwear with include medical, government, transportation, energy and construction, among others.”   

The Game Headwear’s The Heritage mesh (#GB438) is an enzyme-washed twill with soft “tea stain” trucker mesh, describes McGuiness. GB439 is an enzyme-washed canvas and both are available in 10 colors. Also, new style GB435 is a “Featherweight” garment-washed twill with two color backstrap available in six colors. 

Vitronic focuses heavily on incorporating retail trends in its headwear line. Its Snap Back Flat Bill (#7222) and the Heavy Stitch Cap with Mesh (#7313) are, notes Straub, “fashion now” caps that can be sold in a company store or used as a promotion for a start-up company. Vitronic also sells caps that Straub describes “directly relate to being outdoors,” such as the Camo Cap (#8300) and the Rival Performance Cap (#7752), which features a polyester dry knit moisture wicking mesh. “These caps are great for any recreational and/or wellness programs,” Straub suggests.

Topping Off Sales

Saferstein says that one of the best sales attributes for headwear is that it appeals to various target markets. “Everyone has worn a cap at some point. It’s universal,” he emphasizes. “Whatever style your customer needs, whatever your budget – there is a cap for your clients’ promotional needs.”

Headwear, says Mosley, is a smart promotion for businesses, non-profits or other organizations to cost effectively highlight their brand. In fact, he adds, headwear is a more economical choice than other promotional wearables, and caps offer an abundance of decorating options, which increases the ability to have something unique.

“Any outdoors activity is a prime situation for selling headwear,” Straub. While caps can be sold to any sporting events, people are now spending more time enjoying life outdoors – such as hiking in national parks, participating in charity marathon events, attending outdoor concerts or art shows, biking or running for exercise, and attending tours offered by various cities. Headwear is perfect to shield from the sun and keep long hair restrained in windy days.

Hatfield agrees, noting that caps are generally less expensive than apparel and they have more shelf life, because generally, “a t-shirt sits in a dresser drawer or lays down on a bookcase out of sight.  A cap sits up and gets noticed on that same bookcase or desk,” he describes. Graffiti Caps, he adds, does a lot of work with people having big events: gun shoots, employee outings, fundraising walks, etc.

There’s one thing that works for Outdoor Caps’ distributors all the time, says Barbee. Whenever they meet with a customer to deliver any other piece of apparel – jackets, T-shirts, uniforms, etc. – they bring a sample cap to show. “Since they already have the logo, they put it on one of our styles to show how it complements everything else. They obtain a lot of orders this way,” she emphasizes.

As Straub summarizes, “Whatever the event, using headwear as a promotional giveaway should be top of mind.” 

New from BIC Graphic is the TaylorMade Performance Front Hit Cap. The sleek design features the TaylorMade logo on the side of the cap and a large area for embroidery.

Carolina Made carries Mega Cap’s organic frayed visor cap. Features 70% organic cotton front and bill/30% polyester, washed twill, unstructured, low profile, 6-panel, pre-curved distressed visor, contrasting undervisor, Velcro closure.

The FlexFiber™ Multi Function Head Scarf from ClothPromotions Plus is a versatile and reusable athletic scarf. Designed for running, cycling and any other outdoor activity. Using FlexFiber seamless technology, the lightweight construction and compact size make it an easy carry on for everyday use.

This cotton structured baseball cap from Jetline features digital camo pattern stock art in two fashion colors. Details include 6 panels, sewn eyelets and adjustable fabric strap with two piece Velcro type adhesive tab closure.

Enjoy the look of licensed camo with the breathability of a visor from Kati Sportcap & Bag. This visor is made of a comfortable brushed cotton/polyester blend. It sports a pre-curved visor with a 2” crown. An adjustable Velcro® closure ensures a perfect fit for all.

Pantone matched baseball hats for on and off the field are now available from  Pop! Promos. The caps are available in unstructured, structured and foam trucker styles.