Custom Cap Tech Pack Guide (updated 2025) with FREE Headwear Tech Pack Template 🧢
- The Purnaa Team
- Nov 10
- 5 min read
Updated: Nov 12
Learn how to create the ultimate cap tech pack, whether you’re designing customer trucker caps, snapback baseball hats, or a classic dad hat, this is a definitive guide for cap manufacturing from a Fair Trade custom cap manufacturer with over 10 years experience. We share; how to create the perfect tech pack; the difference between apparel and cap tech packs; AND share a FREE tech pack template for caps.
Understanding how to create a comprehensive cap tech pack is essential for a successful custom cap order. A Cap Tech Pack is a blueprint or design guide used to plan a final garment. It includes technical specifications, material specifications, design details, and all the details that a custom trucker hat manufacturer needs to make up your cap.
Brands use tech packs to communicate headwear designs with manufacturers/suppliers. Cap tech packs are different from standard garment tech packs because they have different design instructions that need to be shared. So, what are some of the differences?
Headwear is 3D, which means the tech pack must include images from multiple angles to illustrate the design, whereas garments tend to be flat. Trucker caps and snapback baseball hats generally have trims, such as eyelets, buckles, adjustable straps, and logos, requiring detailed specifications for each component.
(Keep reading for your cap tech pack template 👇)
While both headwear and garment tech packs serve the same fundamental purpose—providing a comprehensive guide for manufacturing—they are customized to address each product’s specific characteristics and requirements.
At the beginning of the production process, a cap manufacturer will request a cap tech pack to guide sampling and production. There is no standard format, however all technical packs contain the same basic information: an overview of the style, drawings/sketches of the product, measurements, material information, and label information.
Creating a Cap Tech Pack – The Ultimate Checklist for Custom Trucker Caps, Snapbacks & Dad Hats ✅
Collaborate with your Headwear Factory
Find out their tech pack requirements, if they have a template of their own, and whether they have off-the-shelf (aka ‘white label’) headwear options. If you’re working on custom trucker hats or dad hats, collaborate early with your headwear manufacturer to align on materials, trims, and embroidery placement. With a collaborative mindset, you can update your cap tech packs based on a factory's limitations and opportunities - to create a more successful style.
💡Working with an existing style can save a huge amount of time and money in sampling and development. Request to see photos of previous styles and order a ready-made sample to test out before you place your order.
Understanding Cap Customizability Options
Caps have a lot of components. Understanding what can be customized on your headwear is essential.There are many material options available that can change the look, feel, style, and function of your custom cap. You may want a single, solid color, multiple colors, or a patterned fabric. Some materials can be digitally printed for unlimited design possibilities.
Puff embroidery and sewn-on patches can enhance the overall aesthetic of your custom trucker caps, snapbacks, or dad hats, giving them a textured premium finish. Embroidery adds a textured, 3D effect to the cap, making logos, designs, or text stand out. Leather patches are durable and age well, often developing a patina that adds to their charm over time. You may be able to print underneath the visor, add custom seam tape, or change the color of the cap button. All these options allow you to create a truly unique product, without having to develop a style from scratch.
Branding your Caps
Adding your own logo or company branding to your caps is one of the most effective ways to strengthen brand identity. At Purnaa, we make this process simple with our Custom Caps. Whether through embroidery, patches, or full-print designs, you can showcase your brand logo and colours across the cap, from the main panels to the interior seam tape or visor print. This not only personalises your product but ensures your brand stands out in every detail.
Specify Cap Trims and Components in your Tech Pack
The best thing about designing headwear is the customizability you can achieve on such a small product. When creating your tech pack, get specific on all of these areas, to prevent back and forth via email and losing crucial time. Some key areas to consider are:
Is all the fabric on the headwear the same?
Do you want embroidery on the main panel or as an accent on the side or back of the cap?
Where do you want branding placed?
Will you print under the cap visor?
Do you want a cap sticker?
Do you want eyelets?
Do you need a card in the crest for packaging?
Professional Headwear Sketches are not Essential
Consider cost-effective options for technical sketches from designers on platforms like Fiverr and UpWork, or cheaper still, use Canva which has a range of cap flat drawings.
Include Quality and Testing Details
State your expectations early on, allowing the factory to incorporate these details into the unit cost. Share any quality-checking or testing requirements as early as possible.
Packing and Labelling Instructions
Providing packaging and labelling information helps get a more accurate unit cost earlier on in the process. Elements to consider are how many labels you require, the location of each label, and material type of the label. A detachable hang tag can be used for additional branding and product information.
Consider how you would like the headwear to be packaged. Whether you’d like to use a certain type of polybag (such as biodegradable), and whether the polybag should have your branding. Include everything in your tech pack. Your manufacturer should be able to advise if you are unsure. It’s also important to consider whether the cap will retain its shape during shipping. Does your manufacturer use specially designed boxes or packaging to protect the caps in transit?
Consider the care instructions you will add to your wash care label or hang tag. Caps generally do better when they are spot-cleaned rather than machine-washed, and this is also less impactful on the environment. Be sure to equip your customer with the right instructions.
Finalize the tech pack with all details before submitting the purchase order
Before placing your cap order, ensure the cap tech pack is up-to-date and accurate. Include all relevant details, and avoid making changes after this crucial point.
To explore our full range of styles, materials, and customization options, you can also check out our Cap Catalog blog here.
Manufacturing Caps with Purnaa
At Purnaa, we specialize in producing Fair Trade caps that can meet our customer’s environmental and social impact goals. Whether you’re creating a dad hat for your brand or a bulk order of custom trucker hats with your logo, we ensure sustainable production and premium quality every time. Every year we publish an Annual Impact Report to communicate the benefits ordering with us has on our community.
Reach out today to speak to us and start your ethical production journey: www.purnaa.com/cap-inquiry
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To learn more about how our manufacturing process works, check out our other posts:
