How to Find a Custom Cap Manufacturer?
- The Purnaa Team
- Nov 25
- 7 min read
So, you are looking for a custom cap manufacturer to to add baseball caps or hats to your product range? Caps, including custom trucker hats, snapbacks, or dad hats, are a fantastic way to add variety to your product line and can be excellent sellers.
Cap sales totalled USD $19 Billion in revenue in the US in 2024. By comparison, t-shirt sales in the US in 2025 totalled USD $42.8 Billion. Given how crowded the t-shirt industry is, we find it surprising that cap sales are nearly 50% of t-shirts. As a one-size-fits-most (OSFM) product, caps can be easier to sell and stock and are a great addition to many growing brands' product lines.
Whether you’re looking for embroidered baseball caps, snapbacks, or trucker hats, finding the right manufacturer is key to quality and brand success. By following these steps, your brand can partner with a trusted custom cap manufacturer to create high-quality, ethically made caps that your customers will love.
Where can you find a Custom Cap or Hat Manufacturer?
We like to encourage brands to work with ethical or sustainable manufacturers. There are a number of networks that help brands find ethical manufacturers such as Common Objective, or ethical sourcing services like To The Market. Unfortunately, there aren't many cap manufacturers in these networks. Caps are often seen as sports apparel items and are generally sourced from large factories in China and Vietnam, where it can be hard to verify ethical or sustainable practices.
Another option is to source form trade shows. Magic is the largest for fashion, but can be limited for caps. Outdoor Retailer has a sourcing section that includes cap suppliers. If your brand focuses on a particular sports activity (baseball, fishing, surfing, cycling, etc), try trade shows for that particular industry.
Online searching can also generate good results. Just Googling can provide some interesting leads such as sourcing platforms like Alibaba or IndiaMART. If you're sourcing through these networks, be sure to vet them thoroughly using the advice below.
How to guarantee Quality Custom Caps and Hats?
Many customers tell us that they have struggled with previous manufacturers due to quality issues. Caps are sensitive in terms of sizing; a small change will make them fit very differently. Cap wearers often have a particular style that they like, that they go back to time and time again. If your supplier's sizing and cap shape fluctuate, you may end up with customer complaints.
Likewise, not all cap construction is the same. When you hold a cap, it’s possible to differentiate between a well-made cap and a poorly made one. A few things to look for to verify quality construction are:
Stabilization tap along the bottom edge behind the sweatband
Top stitching along the seam where the visor connects
Quality of the back closure snaps or fasteners
Consistency of shape
Fit
Symmetry
💡 Always ask for samples from your supplier before placing an order.
Decorations (such as embroidery and patches) can also cause common quality issues. Look for crooked or poorly affixed embellishments, embroidery with poor finishing, or other design mistakes such as misspellings in logos. Whether you’re ordering custom hats with your logo or embroidered baseball caps, always request a pre-production sample before confirming a large order; it’s worth the small setup fee to ensure your final product meets expectations.
Why should you visit your cap factory?
Cap construction is very different to garment cutting and sewing. To make caps consistently, manufacturers need special sewing machines, attachments, and presses. If you can, go visit the factory to find out how they specialize in caps. This will also help you to assess whether there is any risk that the factory is subcontracting your production to other factories.
What Certifications Indicate a Responsible Manufacturer?
Certifications don't guarantee a high-quality supplier, but they can indicate a manufacturer's commitment to quality, sustainability, and ethical practices. There are many types of certifications (you can read our previous blog about this subject here). Look for certifications that can give you peace of mind about issues you care deeply about, such as:
WFTO for the ethical treatment of workers.
OEKO-tex for environmentally responsible fabrics.
ISO-9001 for quality.
Why Professional Communication is SO Important
Communication can make or break a supplier relationship. Many of our customers switch to us after experiencing poor communication with their previous suppliers. Common complaints include: manufacturers not sharing the status of orders, not giving prompt replies to e-mails, giving only vague replies that don't address the issue at hand, or an overall lack of transparency about timeline and pricing.
Your supplier should be able to give you an upfront, clear, and concise quote for your caps and updates on your order as it is being processed. If you're developing a new style that the supplier hasn't made before, they should be able to estimate the cost before sampling and then give you a firm quote after sampling.
Make sure the manufacturer has the communication capacity to be clear, concise, and work through your concerns. A phone call is worth a hundred e-mails, so ask them to get on a Zoom or Skype call with you before you start working together.
What is a Reasonable Lead Time for Custom Caps?
Before starting a manufacturing relationship, ask about your supplier's current lead times. Make sure the style you want will be available with the lead time you need. Recognise that the more customisation you require, the longer the lead time will be. The fastest way to order custom caps is to purchase in-stock blanks and have them embellished locally. However, this can result in limited color, decoration, and labeling options.
For custom colors or prints, caps may need to be dyed and printed before they are sewn, resulting in longer lead times.
What is the Minimum Order Quantity for Custom Caps?
MOQs vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Ask for the manufacturer's MOQ as early as possible when starting a relationship. Cap MOQs vary from 1 piece (often for in-stock blanks) to up to 600+ per style. While MOQs can vary widely from one manufacturer to another, if you're a startup, you may have limited funds and need to make your decisions based on a style and supplier that is available in lower quantities. When you can place larger orders, prices can be reduced dramatically. Be prepared that as you add customization (custom fabric colors, labeling, branding on snaps, tape, buttons, etc.), the minimum order quantities will increase.
At Purnaa, we specialize in Fair Trade, fully-printed custom caps. We handle everything, from receiving your artwork, to printing, cutting, sewing, and dispatch, in as little as two weeks. can receive your artwork, print, cut, sew and dispatch orders in as little as two weeks. With low MOQs starting at just 12 pieces, we make it easy for small brands to get started without large upfront costs.
What are your Custom Labelling Options?
Many brands choose to add their own logo or company branding to caps. Whether through embroidery, patches, or printing, adding your logo ensures your caps are uniquely yours and builds brand recognition.
Many early-stage brands choose to source from trusted, large-cap companies like Richardson or Yupoong and just add their custom logo through embroidery or patches. Depending on your order quantity, this can limit your ability to add custom-branded labelling. As a growing brand, you want to get your brand name out there as much as possible and not cause confusion when people see other brand names on the labels.
Ask your supplier about their MOQs for custom labeling and other branding options like your name on the interior taping, the top button, snaps, fasteners, or buckles.
How Much should a Custom Cap Cost?
Caps are complicated to produce and involve a lot of stitching work. The difference between a cheap, poor-quality cap and a high-quality one is noticeable, so don't just go searching for the lowest price. Whether you’re sourcing customer trucker hats, custom snapback baseball hats, or custom caps with your logo, the craftsmanship and material quality will significantly influence the final result.
It is common to see high-quality, ethical, or sustainable brands retail their caps for $30 or more. If you're buying a small batch of 12-50 custom embroidered caps in the US, it's not uncommon to see prices around $25 each. When you go directly to a manufacturer, you can expect lower prices, but you will also need to be ready for longer lead times, as they will likely be made from scratch. Pricing for 50-100pcs can range anywhere from $2-$12. Just remember, you get what you pay for, and you should be able to expect a clear, upfront estimate or quote. We wrote a blog post about how much ethical and sustainable caps should cost, you can check it out here.
Top 10 questions to ask a custom cap manufacturer?
What types of caps do you specialize in manufacturing?
→ Helps find manufacturers experienced in the right style for you e.g., snapbacks, trucker caps, dad hats, or performance caps. To make it easier, provide a reference photo when you approach the factory.
Can you produce custom designs and private-label caps?
→ Determines flexibility for brand identity and private label options.
What is your minimum order quantity (MOQ)?
→ Important for start-ups and small brands, helps gauge if they can start with small batch production.
What materials and fabrics do you offer?
→ Shows the range of quality, sustainability, and comfort options (cotton, recycled polyester, organic fabrics, etc.).
Do you provide design and sampling services before bulk production?
→ Important for prototype/sample testing, ensuring the cap fits your quality and design needs before committing.
How do you manage quality control throughout production?
→ Checks for standardized processes, in-line inspections, and post-production quality testing.
What is your production lead time and capacity?
→ Helps align manufacturing timelines with your launch schedule and growth plans.
How frequently are you audited for ethical, social, or quality standards?
→ This question helps you understand how seriously a manufacturer takes compliance and accountability.
Can you handle shipping, labeling, and packaging services?
→ Determines if the manufacturer provides full-service production, including logistics and branding details.
Can you provide references or samples from previous clients?
→ Ensures transparency and trust, verifying quality and reliability.
Ready to order your Custom Caps?
At Purnaa, we specialise in manufacturing custom caps including trucker caps, baseball caps and snap backs. Send us your logo and company colours, and we’ll create a mockup of your cap so you can see exactly how your design will look before placing an order!
With low MOQs starting at just 12 pieces, we make it easy for small brands to get started without large upfront costs. We'd love to help your brand grow through high-quality, ethically made caps.
