Embroidered hats elevate your business bringing style and functionality to workwear while serving as a moving advertisement. When it comes to custom hat embroidery, the process can be tricky and labor-intensive. That is why having professional equipment such as our Tajima 4-head sewing machine and a team with years of experience in the field are key to executing high-quality embroidery. Complete with a 12.1-inch touchpad panel, our equipment allows us to operate on multiple garments simultaneously for a vast range of products. This includes custom embroidery on jackets, hats, polos, and shirts. In this article, we will focus our attention on what you need to know when ordering embroidered gear.
What you need to know:
Hat embroidery begins with choosing the correct material corresponding to the type of embroidery you wish to accomplish. Due to material, structure, and shape, some embroidery styles are incompatible with certain hats. In the same way, some hats are not recommended for specific types of embroidery styles. It is important to know the kind of hat or the kind of embroidery style you want going into your job to achieve the best-looking final product. It is crucial to keep your designs/message short and sweet. When it comes to embroidery, too many colors or details in a small design surface area can cause the thread to come out muddled. It is best to keep it simple and clean!
1. Hat Patch
Hat patches are designs stitched onto a fabric backing. Each hat patch is complete with an adhesive on the back and we apply all of our patches using a heat press. We outsource our woven hat patches for designs that call for intricate details. Hat patches work best on Dad Hats or Structured Hats. It’s difficult to accomplish on thin athletic material you would typically find with Nike hats. We also do not recommend most beanies as a good option for heat-pressed patches, the acrylic in the hats and elastic tend to warp, melting down due to the heat.
2. Puff Embroidery
Puff embroidery is a great option to bring your designs to the next level! Puff offers not only dimension to what may be a simple design but also additional value to the final product. The specialty nature of puff embroidery adds visual interest, making a once-flat design stand out compared to similar hats on the market. The dimension of Puff embroidery gives shine to the thread, catching the eye. The process of puff embroidery is started like every other hat. Every detail that doesn’t require puff is put down first in a standard flat embroidery style stitch. Then a small piece of foam is placed on the surface of the hat, and the machine is prompted to stitch over it. After the sequence is finished, we rip the foam excess off the surface of the design, revealing the beautiful dimension added by the puff process. We recommend using puff embroidery on dad hats or structured hats.
3. Flat Embroidery
Flat embroidery is a straightforward stitching technique that technically results in a two-dimensional look. It is particularly suitable for items like beanies, which have a tubular structure. One advantage of flat embroidery is its versatility in starting points, allowing you to begin stitching from any position on the material. This opens the possibilities for expressing creativity through design shape and orientation. Proper hooping techniques, such as magnetic hooping, are essential for achieving optimal results with flat embroidery. All hats, including beanies, are excellent candidates for this type of embroidery due to their flat surface and ease of hooping.
4. Multi-color Thread Embroidery
Experience the spontaneity of multi-colored thread embroidery, where each stitch brings a delightful surprise of vibrant hues. With variegated thread colors, your design emerges uniquely on every hat, ensuring no two are alike. Yet, amidst this colorful spontaneity, your design stays true and consistent. Multi-colored thread works well on dad Hats, trucker hats, structured hats, and beanies. Beanies are excellent candidates for this style of embroidery, allowing you to also combine multicolor thread options with puff embroidery as well as flat.