There are many ways different garments can act as marketing or promotional material for your company or group. One of the popular choices for a lot of them is hats.
There are different hats to choose from depending on your customers and goals and different printing methods like screen printing to consider.
Deciding on the best hat
One of the things to work out when you want customized hats, is what type of hat is best for your needs and audience. Look at the type of people you want to draw in, consider ages and hat style. Some of the popular styles of hats are beanies, trucker, mesh and baseball.
- Trucker caps – These are very similar to baseball caps with curved bills and then a mesh panel at the back to prevent the heat from becoming too hot. It is something a lot of truckers wear for functionality as well as style, but a lot of others wear it too. Great for headwear in the hot months or for when doing exercise. They are also called mesh hats and tend to be one size fits all.
- Baseball caps – These are not just something baseball players and fans wear, they are a popular fashion statement too. They sit low on the head have 6 panels and are good for keeping the sun out of your eyes.
- Balaclava – When the temperature drops very low people might choose to wear a balaclava over a beanie because of the extra protection and warmth it provides. As well as covering the head it gives much better protection of the ears as well as the chin, mouth, nose and neck.
- Beanies – Beanies are a form-fitting hat worn when it is cold to protect the head and ears from cold weather. They can be made from different materials and come in different sizes depending on who they are for. You could even choose to use silkscreen printing to customize baby beanies!
Taking a look at printing techniques
There are a lot of professional printing services to look at when you want customized garments. When you have chosen the hat type you want to use though, you also need to choose what printing technique will meet your needs best, as silkscreen printing is the not only option.
DTG – DTG is the most modern technique developed using a special printer and computer. It is great for designs that are especially detailed with lots of color. You get excellent high-quality results, but it tends to be a little more expensive per hat.
Screen printing – A very old method still being used is screen printing where the ink gets pushed through mesh screens, one screen per color in the design. It is best for simple logos and designs, not highly detailed or lots of colors. It is a very affordable option if you order in bulk quantities.
Heat transfer – The design is printed on special paper that is placed on the hat and heat and pressure is applied with a heat press that moves the image from the paper to the hat. You can have multi-colors and detailed images but is best for designs that are smaller in size.
