A baseball cap contains more separate parts than its size suggests: crown panels, a front backing, a peak with a stiffener board, a sweatband, seam tape, eyelets, a top button and a closure. Branding is applied to the flat panels before the crown is assembled, which means artwork is fixed earlier in a cap order than in almost any garment. We manufacture custom caps to buyer specification, with panel count, crown structure, closure and decoration agreed at sampling.
What does a cap factory in Bangladesh produce?
We produce six-panel and five-panel baseball caps, trucker caps with mesh rear panels, unstructured low-profile caps, and fitted caps, in cotton twill, brushed cotton, polyester and wool-blend fabrics, branded with embroidery, patches or prints.
| Style | Panels | Crown | Closure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Six-panel baseball | 6 | Structured, backed front panels | Snapback, strapback or hook-and-loop |
| Five-panel | 5 | Structured or unstructured; seamless front panel | Strapback or snapback |
| Trucker | 5 or 6 | Foam or structured front, polyester mesh rear | Plastic snapback |
| Unstructured "dad" cap | 6 | Soft, low profile, no backing | Fabric strap with metal slide buckle |
| Fitted | 6 | Structured | None — made in graded sizes |
Panel count changes the branding canvas. A six-panel cap has a centre seam running down the front, so a front logo is embroidered across two joined panels or placed off-centre. A five-panel cap has one wide, seamless front panel, which suits large logos, patches and prints.
Caps clear customs under HS 6505, which covers hats and headgear made up from textile fabric in the piece. Buyers ranging caps alongside belts, wallets and footwear find those categories under men's accessories and leather goods, where each product line runs through its own specialist production route.
Which fabrics and crown structures are used for baseball caps?
Cotton twill is the standard cap fabric, followed by brushed cotton, polyester, nylon, cotton-polyester blends, corduroy, denim and wool-acrylic blends. A structured crown carries a buckram or fusible backing on the front panels; an unstructured crown carries none and sits lower on the head.
Twill dominates caps for a mechanical reason: the diagonal weave packs more yarn per square centimetre than a plain weave of the same weight, so it holds dense embroidery without puckering and keeps its shape through a curved peak. Twill weave and chino garments explains how the weave structure works and why the same cloth family runs from caps to trousers.
Crown profile is the second structural decision:
- High profile — tall front, upright crown; suits structured and trucker caps.
- Mid profile — the commercial middle ground for six-panel caps.
- Low profile — shallow crown sitting close to the head; standard on unstructured caps.
The peak (or bill) is built on a plastic stiffener board, specified as pre-curved or flat. The underside of the peak takes a contrast colour, print or embroidery at extra cost. Inside the crown, seam tape covers the raw panel edges — printed tape carries a brand message — and the sweatband is cotton or a moisture-wicking polyester.
How do closures and sizing work on custom caps?
Adjustable closures — snapback, strapback and hook-and-loop — fit one size, 56 to 60 centimetres head circumference. Fitted caps are made in graded sizes, commonly 6 7/8 to 8 in US hat sizing. Stretch-fit caps use an elastic band in two or three size ranges.
US hat sizing equals head circumference in inches divided by pi: a size 7 1/4 corresponds to 57.8 centimetres. Fitted caps look clean at the back but multiply stock-keeping units — eight sizes per colourway against one — so the size ratio has to be planned against actual sell-through data rather than a standard curve.
| Closure | Material | Adjustment |
|---|---|---|
| Snapback | Moulded plastic strap | Stepped, by snap position |
| Strapback | Fabric or leather strap with metal buckle | Continuous |
| Hook-and-loop | Fabric tab with hook-and-loop tape | Continuous |
| Stretch-fit | Elastic band in sweatband | Size-ranged, e.g. S/M and L/XL |
| Fitted | Closed back | Graded sizes |
Metal buckles and slides sit against the head and hair; for EU markets they must meet REACH nickel-release limits, and plating specification is stated on the trim card.
What embroidery and branding options are available, and what one-off charges apply?
Flat embroidery, 3D puff embroidery, woven patches, rubber or PVC patches, leather patches, screen print and heat transfer. Embroidery carries a one-off digitising charge per logo. Moulded PVC patches, metal badges and embossed leather patches carry a die or mould charge.
- Digitising converts artwork into a stitch file for the embroidery machine; it is charged once per logo and per size, and the file is reused on repeat orders.
- Moulds for rubber and PVC patches are cut per design; colour count drives the mould complexity.
- Dies for embossed or debossed leather patches and metal badges are made once and held for repeats.
Embroidery price follows stitch count rather than logo size alone. 3D puff embroidery stitches over a foam underlay to raise the design; bold block shapes and thick lettering puff cleanly, while fine detail and thin strokes flatten or tear the foam. Front-panel embroidery is applied to flat panels before assembly; side, back and peak embroidery is applied either flat or on a cap-frame machine after assembly, and the choice is fixed on the specification.
Die and mould charges are stated as separate lines in the quotation, so the unit price of the cap remains comparable across logo options.
What minimums and lead times apply to custom cap orders?
Minimums are confirmed per style and colourway in the quotation. Decoration sets much of the timeline: woven labels, printed seam tape, patches and custom buckles each come from their own supplier, carry their own lead time, and gate assembly independently.
The order runs in a fixed sequence:
- Specification — panel count, profile, fabric, closure, colourways and decoration positions.
- Artwork approval — embroidery sew-out or patch proof signed off.
- Sample cap — complete cap in the specified fabric and decoration.
- Trim and colour approval — fabric shade, sweatband, tape, buckle finish.
- Bulk and inspection — panel embroidery, assembly, steaming and shaping, then final inspection.
- Packing — caps nested in stacks or individually boxed to protect the crown shape.
Packing has a direct cost effect: nested caps ship in bulk per carton, while individually boxed structured caps take a multiple of the cubic volume. State the pack method before the price is fixed. Lead times and minimum order quantities explain how trim queues and decoration combine.
Requesting a cap quotation
Send a reference cap or a specification stating panel count, profile, fabric, closure, colourways, decoration type and position, and artwork files. We quote the cap unit price with digitising, mould and die charges listed separately, and state trim lead times so the delivery date is built on real dates.
Buyers needing branded or plain caps without a production cycle check caps currently in stock first, or request a wholesale quotation to start a custom programme.