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The Most Popular Types of Hats for Customization

By ShirtSpace | Apr 17, 2024 |  Updated Apr 18, 2024

Explore the intricate world of wholesale blank hats and the endless ways to customize them. Learn about hat constructions, including structured, semi-structured and unstructured hats, as well as profiles such as low, mid and high-profile. Closures such as hook-and-loop and snapbacks are also discussed in full detail, highlighting features and functionality. Popular hat styles are explored, including baseball caps, beanies, bucket and trucker hats. This comprehensive guide about customizing hats also explains what to look for in a hat for a number of common decorating methods. Additionally, we include our top picks for the best hats for each decorating method. Find your perfect hat to embroider, print on or tie-dye today! 


SKIP TO:

Introduction to Custom Hats

Exploring Common Hat Types for Customization

Popular Hat Styles to Decorate

How to Choose the Right Hat To Customize 

The Best Hats for Custom Embroidery

The Best Hats for Patches

The Best Hat Types for DTG Printing

The Best Hats for Custom Heat Printing

The Best Hats for Screen Printing

The Best Hats for Tie-Dye


Hats come in all shapes and sizes and are made of a variety of materials. To top that off, there are countless ways to customize a hat. This leaves many questions to solve when planning to create custom hats. Once you can iron out what kind of hat or beanie you are looking for and the method of decoration you prefer, the other elements will start to fall into place.

Hero image credit: Joe Ciciarelli

Introduction to Custom Hats

There are so many different types of hats; it can be rather intimidating trying to figure out which hat is best for the project you have in mind. Yes, we’re ShirtSpace, the shirt place, but we also carry over 800 hat styles. So put your thinking cap on, and let’s dive into the world of decorating hats. Together, we will discuss:

  • Methods used when customizing hats

  • What to look for when shopping for hat blanks for a particular decoration method

  • The best types of hats to use for each method of decoration

A woman wearing an embroidered Adams unisex spinnaker cap in caribbean blue/ivory, available at ShirtSpace. 
Hat pictured: Adams LP106 Unisex Spinnaker Cap in Caribbean Blue/Ivory. 

Exploring Common Hat Types for Customization

There are many different hat styles. Although we all have our own preferences when it comes to fit and fashion, some hats are better suited for certain decoration methods than others. But before we go into that, let’s review the main hat styles. Sometimes, these styles overlap a bit, but knowing the basic types of hats will help you narrow down the options, and find the right hat for you! 

Hat Constructions

Sure, there are different hat styles, but there are some fundamentals that go beyond that. A hat can have a unique structure and profile, meaning that there are many variations of wholesale hats on the market. Let’s explore these different hat bodies:

STRUCTURES

The more structured a hat is, the more stiff the the material. For example, if you placed a hat on the floor and stepped on it, would it be damaged? If the answers is no, then you have an unstructured hat. 

  • STRUCTURED – Hats that have very stiff material. They will not lose their shape when taken off the head.

  • SEMI-STRUCTURED – Hats that are somewhat stiff and have some structure. The fabric might droop slightly when unworn.

  • UNSTRUCTURED – Hats where the cap portion that wraps around the head is loose and floppy when not being worn. This does not include the brim of the hat, although the wearer might choose to bend the bill slightly. Think of the baseball cap that can be wadded up shoved in a pocket, and then pulled out and worn again like nothing happened. 

PROFILES

Including both the slant and the height of the front forehead portion of the hat, or the crown. 

  • LOW-PROFILE – These hats are usually about 2-3 inches in height. They have a shorter crown, meaning that the head will fill up the entire piece of fabric when worn, without any gap at the top of the head. 

  • MID-PROFILE – Hats with a body height that falls between 3-4 inches. They are perfect for those that feel that low-profile hats too constricting, and high-profile hats provide too much room. 

  • HIGH-PROFILE – With a height of 5 inches or more, these types of hats have a height that goes well above the top of the head, often resulting in a gap between the top curve of the hat and the top of the head.

FLEXFIT

A flexfit hat’s signature feature is that there is no hole on the opposite side of the brim. The fabric covers the entire cap portion of the heat. This is a hat style, but there is also a brand that makes only flexfit style hats, appropriately named Flexfit. There are other brands that make flexfit hats as well, such as Sport-Tek, Port Authority and Team 365. The opposite of a flexfit cap would be a snapback or hook and loop closure, but we will go into more detail about these as you continue reading. 

The Flexfit 6597 Adult Cool & Dry Sport Cap shown in black and white, available at ShirtSpace. 
Hat style pictured: Flexfit 6597 Adult Cool & Dry Sport Cap shown in black and white.


CLOSURES

SNAPBACKS

The back view of a man wearing the Big Accessories BX880SB unstructured 6-panel snapback cap in red, available at ShirtSpace.A woman wearing listening to music through blue headphones while wearing the Gildan G420 Performance® T-Shirt in sapphire and a man with her that is resting his arm on her should while wearing the Gildan G424 Performance® Long Sleeve T-Shirt in royal and a backwards white snapback cap, all available to buy from ShirtSpace. 
ShirtSpace products pictured: 
Left – Big Accessories BX880SB Unstructured 6-Panel Cap in red. 
Right – Gildan G420 Performance® T-Shirt in sapphire and Gildan G424 Performance® Long Sleeve T-Shirt in royal. 

There is some cross-over between snapbacks and other hat types. Some baseball caps and dad caps can feature a snapback, but not always. Trucker hats always feature a snapback, but on the contrary, not all snapbacks are trucker hats. Snapbacks can have curved or flat brims and come in a variety of structures including 5, 6 and 7-panel construction. They can be either structured, unstructured, or inbetween. 

What gives a snapback its name is the adjustable plastic snap closure that is on the backside of the hat. Snapbacks allow women to wear their hair up in a ponytail while still wearing a hat. They are often worn with the snap in the back or completely turned around so that the snap is on the forehead and the brim facing backward. Some even wear their snapbacks slightly angled to the side. Snapbacks have a nostalgic vibe, drawing on popular looks from the 80s and 90s, but can still have a modern look as well. 

HOOK AND LOOP

Back view of a black hook and loop closure cap, available at ShirtSpace.

Caps with a hook and loop closure are similar in style to snapback closures, but the plastic part that you snap is instead made often made of fabric or leather. There is a a metal piece that you feed the fabric or leather strap through to fasten the hat tight enough to the wearer’s liking. They can also be worn on the back of the head or the front, and is useful for women that want to feed their hair through the opening and wear their hair up.

Now that you know more about the different structures and profiles, let’s go into the most common hat styles we see in the world of wholesale blank hats.

BASEBALL & DAD CAPS

A garment-dyed, unstructured charcoal baseball cap with hook and loop closure and a black embroidered design on the front. 
Image credit: yang-deng

Originally created for baseball players, these hats have also become popular in regular, everyday casual wear. More fitted than a trucker hat, with a curved crown and stiff brim, baseball and dad caps are both classic hat styles that almost look better with age! This is why you will often see options that are slightly distressed or have a vintage look thanks to garment-dyeing or pigment-dyeing. Baseball caps most often feature a hook and loop closure, but can also have a snapback closure as well. They feature a pre-curved brim, which some people curve even more by squeezing with their hands.  

BEANIES

A woman standing in a snowy landscape while wearing a white embroidered beanie with cartoon-like eyelashes stitched onto the cuff. 
Image credit: pparnxoxo

Snug-fitting and often knitted, beanies are a cold-weather essential. They usually do not feature a brim but sometimes have a folded cuff at the bottom. Some beanies sit tight around the entire head, and others will have a more slouchy look, with extra length at the crown. To top it off, some winter weather beanies feature a festive pom-pom at the top of the head. 

BUCKET HATS

A man wearing a white Port Authority C975 Twill Classic Bucket Hat, available at ShirtSpace. 
Hat pictured: Port Authority C975 Twill Classic Bucket Hat in white. 

Being at the height of popularity in the 90’s, bucket hats have made a major comeback in recent years. The headpiece is round and fitted, featuring a wide, downward-sloping brim that circles the entire bottom edge of the hat. The wider the brim, the more sun protection. Bucket hats with small brims tend to be seen more in trendy street fashion, and wide-brimmed bucket hats are more commonly used for outdoor recreation that occurs directly in the sun.

TRUCKER HATS

Navy, royal blue and charcoal gray 6-panel trucker hats, all with white mesh backings and snapback closures. 

Trucker hats became popular among professional truck drivers, and then began to sprinkle in among the masses as everyday casual wear through the mid-2000s. Today, they are exceptionally popular for their laid-back and retro feel. The signature mesh backing allows for breathability, and the foam front panel is easy to print on, all while being exceptionally lightweight to wear. They are often structured, but you can sometimes find unstructured trucker hats too. Trucker caps have also become incredibly popular in Gorpcore markets, where wear-anywhere clothing can translate well to everyday life and outdoor adventures.

How to Choose the Right Hat to Customize

It is important that you select the right kind of hat that is compatible with the type of decorating you would like to execute. For example, you cannot sublimation print on 100% cotton, and you cannot tie-dye on 100% polyester. Read on to learn more about what you should look for in a blank hat with each of these popular methods of apparel decoration. 

The Best Hats For Custom Embroidery

A couple riding a bike together while both wearing the Adams AD969 Optimum Pigment Dyed-Cap in hot pink and navy, available at ShirtSpace.A couple sitting on law furniture wearing embroidred Adams AD969 Optimum Pigment Dyed-Caps in the colors Caribbean blue and raspberry, available at ShirtSpace.
Hats styles pictured:
Left – Adams AD969 Optimum Pigment Dyed-Cap in hot pink and navy. 
Right – Adams AD969 Optimum Pigment Dyed-Cap in Caribbean blue and raspberry.

Embroidery is one of the most popular ways to decorate a hat, and this includes all of the methods used to embroider. Choosing the right hat styles can make or break a project, so read on to learn what makes a great hat for embroidery and some of our product suggestions for your next embroidered hat. 

What to Look for When Shopping for Embroidery Hats

A man wearing an embroidered 6-panel red hat as a part of his streetwear outit. 
Image credit: lexscope

When embroidering a hat, there are a few things to ensure. For knitted beanies and caps, you will want to look for something that does not snag easily while being stitched into. A denser knit, such as the fabric used for the Yupoong 1501P, or waffle knit, makes for a much easier task and better results, as compared to a beanie with a looser, chunky knit. 

If you are hand-embroidering, you will want to ensure that a needle can easily pass through the fabric, so avoid anything with too hard of a body structure and thick fabric. This is why baseball and dad caps, especially soft-washed garment-dyed and pigment-dyed styles, are such a popular choice among DIY hand-stitch embroiderers.

A man and women wearing the Adams DX101 Deluxe Cap in charcoal and pale pink, both available wholesale-priced from ShirtSpace, and ready for embroidery. 
Hats pictured: Adams DX101 Deluxe Cap in charcoal and pale pink.

Embroidery Application on Hats

If you are planning on embroidering using machine embroidery, be sure to use a stabilizer for best results. An embroidery machine allows you to embroider much quicker and on a wider variety of fabrics. Just be sure to use the proper needle for the material. Use a ballpoint needle with knits so that the needle does not “cut through” the fabric but rather pushes its way through the fibers. Use a stretch needle for elasticated synthetics like polyester and spandex blends. Factors such as fabric weight and the type of thread used can also impact which needle you should use. Creating a test hat first is always encouraged when aiming to produce a run of items. Designs can be embroidered directly onto the hat, or a patch can be embroidered and then adhered to the hat. 

A woman sitting in a lawn chair outside while wearing an embroidered Adams OL102 Distressed Ollie Cap in neon pink/tan, available from ShirtSpace.A woman wearing white shorts, a pink t-shirt and a white embroidered Adams bucket hat.
Hats pictured: 
Left – Adams OL102 Distressed Ollie Cap in neon pink/tan
Right – White bucket hat

CAPS:

5-PANEL CAPS:

6-PANEL CAPS:

BEANIES:

DISTRESSED, PIGMENT & GARMENT-DYED:

The Best Hats for Patches

A man sitting on a beached sailboat while wearing the Big Accessories BA682 A man sitting on a beached sailboat while wearing the Big Accessories BA682 All-Mesh Patch Trucker Hat in black/black, available at ShirtSpace. 
Hat pictured: 
Left – Big Accessories BA682 All-Mesh Patch Trucker Hat in black/black.
Right – Big Accessories BA682 All-Mesh Patch Trucker Hat in old gold/black.

Not only can you embroider the fabric of the hat itself, but you can also attach embroidered or leather patches, as well as patches made of other materials. The patch can be affixed by gluing, hot-ironing or sewing it on. The same goes for attaching leather patches. Be sure to follow the directions that were provided with your patches if you are purchasing your patches from a supplier. 

What to Look for When Shopping for Patch Hats

What makes a hat a great patch hat? These styles were created with a distinct space that holds space for the patch. This area really showcases the design and makes it easy to attach the patch. Patch hats and beanies were created specifically for customizations. They are great for embroidered designs as well. 

A man wearing a charcoal gray full-zip sweatshirt and a Big Accessories BA656T Patch Trucker Cap in royal/white/white, available from ShirtSpace. A man wearing a denim button-up shirt and Big Accessories BA527 Patch Beanie in navy, both available from ShirtSpace. 
Hat pictured (right): Big Accessories BA656T Patch Trucker Cap in royal/white/white.
Beanie pictured (left): Big Accessories BA527 Patch Beanie in navy.

Creative Patch Idea: Velcro Patches

We especially love this idea from Stone Patch Company where the patch on the hat is made of velcro, so you swap out the designs by sticking on a variety of other velcro removable patches. 

Trucker hats with removable velcro patches, created with patches from Stone Patch Company.
Velcro patch hats
Image credit: Stone Patch Company

POPULAR EMBROIDERY HAT BLANKS:

PATCH CAPS & BEANIES:

The Best Hat Types for DTG Printing

A woman wearing a DTG-printed econscious EC7070 Eco Trucker Hat in red/oyster, available blank at ShirtSpace.A woman wearing a DTG-printed Adams KN102 Knockout Cap in purple/white, available blank at ShirtSpace.
Hats pictured:
Left – DTG printed econscious EC7070 Eco Trucker Hat in red/oyster.
Right – DTG printed Adams KN102 Knockout Cap in purple/white. 

DTG printing takes the right equipment but yields amazing results. Once you set up the machine and garment correctly, the inkjet printer takes over and does the rest! Now, just pick the right hat to truly let your DTG prints shine! 

DTG Printing on Hats

DTG printing on hats can be tricky because you will need special equipment that can accommodate the shape of a hat. Since a hat is a round-ish shape when worn, it cannot lay flat while being printed on. It requires an insert to make the fabric lay stretched out and smooth. 

If you have the proper inkjet printing technology to directly DTG print onto the hat, you will need to consider important details, such as optimizing the design to adjust for the natural curvature of the hat. It’s also critical to stabilize the hat well during the printing process. Always be sure to use a pre-treatment solution to prepare the hat to receive the water-based ink. Once the hat is dried from the pre-treatment, the hat can go through the machine, where the ink will be applied.

Something to keep in mind is that DTG prints typically look more vibrant on lighter colors. This isn’t to say you cannot print using DTG on dark-colored apparel. You can, but it will require using special white inks as a base or settling for a potentially dim print. Color degradation is normal, but there are ways to combat it, such as adding epoxy resins. 

DTF Printing on Hats

So, what do you do if you do not have a fancy DTG printer at home? Luckily, you can use direct-to-film transfers to achieve the same look. How does it work? Simply order your DTF prints from a reputable supplier, such as Tulsa DTF Prints, and use your heat press to transfer the design onto the hat. 

The other upside to DTF is that it tends to show up better on darker colored materials in comparison to DTG prints. You will still need a hat pillow to stuff into the hat to fill out its shape, as well as a heat press created for hats, as it is curved and heats up to the correct temps needed for DTF printing, as opposed to a hand-held iron. Many times, you can get the hat press and pillow in a bundle together. But even with these costs, this route is still much more cost-effective than investing in DTG printing equipment – especially if you only plan on doing a small run of custom hats, or printing hats on occasion.

What to Look for When Shopping for DTG or DTF Hats

A pegboard wall displaying direct-to-film printed hats, created by Tulsa DTF Prints. Three trucker hats decorated with direct-to-film transfers from Tulsa DTF Prints. 
Image courtesy of: Tulsa DTF Prints

The best hats for DTG and DTF printing give a smooth space for your printed designs. The smoother, the better! Uneven textures and seams are not ideal for DTG/DTF prints. This is not to say you cannot print on a hat with prominent seams, but you will want to be sure to print around them, versus on top. Cotton is best, but you can still use polyester. Just plan for more drying time. Because a smooth surface is so crucial, we do not recommend DTF printing on knitted fabrics, so beanies are usually off the table. 

POPULAR DIRECT-TO-GARMENT (DTG) PRINTING HAT BLANKS:

UNSTRUCTURED 5-PANEL HATS:

EXTRA SPACE TO PRINT:

The Best Hats for Custom Heat Printing

When it comes to designs that are applied using a heat press, you can print on just about any material with the right products. Heat transfer vinyl (HTV) and direct-to-film (DTF) prints work well with cotton, polyester and cotton/poly blends. Just be sure to read the manufacturer’s directions to be sure the transfer is compatible with the hat you are considering printing.

What to Look for When Shopping for Sublimation Hats

For sublimation printing, you will need to ensure that you have at least 60% polyester in the material makeup of the portion of the hat you are printing on. This is important to pay attention to because a hat may be made of 60% polyester, but that could include plastic parts such as mesh and a snapback closure. Hats made from 100% polyester are the best for bright and vibrant sublimation prints. In addition, you will want a hat featuring light-colored fabric in the space where you would like to print since sublimation printing requires light fabric for the prints to be clear and visible. White is often best if you are printing using colors, since it does not distort the color of the inks, and is the perfect blank canvas. Be sure to completely avoid dark shades because sublimation prints will not show up on dark colors. 

Room to Let Your Designs Shine

5, 6 and 7-panel hats from Yupoong and Port Authority, all available at ShirtSpace. 
Hats pictured: 
5-panel: Yupoong 6006W Adult Classic Trucker with White Front Panel Cap.
6-panel: Yupoong 6606 Adult Retro Trucker Cap in caramel and silver. 
7-panel: Port Authority C964 7-Panel Cap in gray steel.


The other most important part besides compatible material is having suitable space for your design. For example, some decorators who like to print a logo or design on the front forehead of a cap will prefer one that does not have a seam going down the center forehead (6-panel hat), but rather, a 5-panel or 7-panel hat provides adequate smooth space to print. For others, their design going across the seam is totally fine. 

If you are attaching a patch, then a 6-panel hat with a seam along the forehead works just as well as any other construction, just providing a different look. Some prefer a 6-panel or 7-panel over a 5-panel, regardless of the interfering center seam, simply because it provides more of a snug fit on the head. 

Hat Heat Presses

Speaking of a smooth surface to print on, similar to DTG printing, you will need to use a hat pillow insert before heat pressing. Although you can use a hand-held clothes iron, it’s best to invest in a curved hand-held hat heat press, such as a Cricut hat press, as decorator Project Chick Co. uses for her HTV hats. This will allow you to apply the required heat and pressure for best results.

POPULAR HEAT PRESS HAT BLANKS:

5-PANEL HATS:

EXTRA SPACE TO PRINT:

SUBLIMATION HATS:

The Best Hats for Screen Printing

A man wearing a screen printed Port Authority C112 Snapback Trucker Cap in patriot blue/flame red/white, available blank from ShirtSpace. 
Hat pictured: Port Authority C112 Snapback Trucker Cap in patriot blue/flame red/white.

Screen printing on hats can be challenging due to the often curved shape of the printing surface and the small space available. But it can be done, and when it turns out well, it looks fantastic! So, how exactly do you achieve such a feat? 

What to Look for When Shopping for Screen Printing Hats

When selecting the best hat for your project, keep in mind that unstructured or foam front hats work well since they are easier to make lay flat. Avoid printing over seams (such as the center forehead seam on a 6-panel hat) since printing with ink usually requires a flat, smooth surface. If the hat is curved by nature, then you will likely have to adjust, or “warp” the design to accommodate for this. 

It is best to avoid hats that have a lot of stretch or holes, like knitted beanies. This is because the liquid ink will not produce a cohesive and smooth design on this type of fabric. There are special techniques you can use to print on some knits, but it’s often a hassle, and not worth the trouble. As stated before, always aim for a smooth surface when making your product selection.

Screen Printing on Hats

When it comes to printing, you will need a special platen that holds the hat in place. If you are printing a design with multiple colors and screens, it will be very important to make sure registration is correct so everything lines up the way it’s supposed to. Something else that you should be mindful of is that hat materials are often less absorbent than a t-shirt or sweatshirt. Due to this, you can often get away with using less ink.

Once you have screen-printed your hat, it will need to be dried using a professional drying system, such as a heat conveyor belt, or even a hair dryer will work. Be sure the ink is cured before freely wearing the garment.

POPULAR SCREEN PRINTING HAT BLANKS:

5-PANEL:

EXTRA SPACE TO PRINT:

FOAM FRONTS:

The Best Hats for Tie-Dye Projects

A woman wearing the Fruit of the Loom 39TKR Adult 5 oz. HD Cotton™ Tank in scuba blue and a tie-dye bucket hat, both available from ShirtSpace.
ShirtSpace item pictured: Fruit of the Loom 39TKR Adult 5 oz. HD Cotton™ Tank in scuba blue.

The art of tie-dye works best with 100% cotton hats and beanies. When it comes to decoration, you can apply dye to a hat in a random, splotchy pattern to achieve a tie-dye effect, but if you want to actually fold and then dye the hat, as traditional tie-dye calls for  – then cotton beanies and bucket hats, basically hats without a bill, are great options. 

If you would like to tie-dye a hat with a bill, it gets a bit trickier. This is because you can’t as easily wash out the dyes as you would be able to with a t-shirt. Wringing out the dyes is not an option for the stiff portions if you have a billed hat. You will either need to be ok with the dyes not being washed out or be very careful with how you do so. There are ways to safely wash a hat, such as hand-washing or washing in the dishwasher with a hat-washing cage, but you will need to see what works best for you.

A black and teal tie-dyed bucket hat. 

Check out these tie-dyer-approved hats below! Or, if you are looking to print or embroider on a tie-dye hat, skip the hard work and check out our pre-dyed options. 

POPULAR TIE-DYE HAT BLANKS:

BUCKET HATS:

CAPS:

BEANIES:

PRE-TIE-DYED:

Hat’s Off to You!

Yupoong 6245CM Adult Low-Profile Cotton Twill Dad Cap in the colors pink, light blue, stone, spruce, all availabel at ShirtSpace
Hats pictured: Yupoong 6245CM Adult Low-Profile Cotton Twill Dad Cap in the colors pink, light blue, stone, spruce and navy.

Thank you for sticking around to read about customizing hats. These are not the only ways you can make a hat your own. You can decorate a hat by painting, embellishing with trims, bleaching, or distressing for a unique headwear look that stands out. DIY hats are where it’s at! Share with us your favorite hat and how you like to decorate it in the comments below. 

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