Ordering customizable hats in bulk goes more smoothly when you settle a few key details before asking for a quote. In this guide, we’ll cover what to decide first, including what the hats are for, the order and quantity to the hat style, decoration and date you need the hats in hand. We’ll also look at what can affect the price, how much lead time to allow and what to keep on file if you plan to reorder later.
Caps and hats accounted for 9% of U.S. promotional product distributor sales in 2024, up from 7.2% in 2023, according to PPAI.
Settle five points before you ask for a quote: the use, the quantity and size mix, the style, the decoration, and the in-hand date. With those details answered, the quote and mockup can be based on the order you actually need, with fewer questions to resolve before production.
Uniforms, team caps, event giveaways and retail merchandise differ in fit, style and quantity.
| Order Type | Fit | Style Notes | Quantity Approach |
| Corporate branding and uniforms | Adjustable, reducing the need to collect individual sizes | Structured fronts hold their shape for logos and larger lettering | Record exact specs so later orders match |
| Sports or club team | Fitted works once you have each player’s size | Mesh-back truckers offer ventilation for outdoor or warm-weather wear | Collect actual sizes instead of guessing the split |
| Trade shows and promotional events | Adjustable, since wearers are unknown | Beanies suit cold-weather events | Consider a small overage if you expect extra demand; a separate small reorder may carry its own setup costs |
| Retail merchandise and private labels | Set by your customer | Unstructured hats look relaxed, but fine detail may read differently on soft fabric | Split colors only where sales justify it |
Decorate a stock hat when a standard shape and color carry your logo well. Choose a full build when the brief calls for a particular fabric, a trim that matches your brand colors exactly, or an inside label.
At Montauk Hat, we’re a cut-and-sew factory. We can print, embroider, sew and add labels on any part of the hat, and you can choose the fabric, trim and colors for the order.
Thin lines, tiny text, gradients and photographic detail may need simplifying for embroidery, and a patch can hold more detail than direct embroidery. Before sending your artwork, it is worth checking the design at the size it will actually appear on the hat. See what to know before ordering custom hats for the artwork preparation points to check before placing an order.
Four key factors affect the price per hat: the hat style and brand, the decoration method, the design and the number of hats you order. With embroidery, a design with more stitches or thread colors can take more work to produce. Smaller orders can also have a higher price per hat because setup and decoration work are spread across fewer hats. As the quantity goes up, the price per hat may come down, depending on the order.
The number of styles, colors and logos in the order can also affect the price. One style with one logo is different from an order split across several styles, colors or logos. You can see the hat styles available for bulk orders first before deciding what to include in your order.
Plan backward from the date you need the hats, allowing time for the quote, design mockup, approval, production and shipping. When you request a quote from us, we can confirm the production and delivery window for your order. Leave room for proof revisions before production begins.
Before you approve the proof, check the spelling, logo version, thread colors, placement and size. For multicolor orders, confirm how the logo will look on each hat color.
Under our company’s return policy, custom orders may not be eligible for return because you change your mind, and once production or material purchasing begins, changes or cancellations may not be possible. Additional costs may apply for work already committed.
If an order arrives damaged, defective or materially different from the approved specifications, send the order details and clear photographs. We will review the order, and the resolution may include a replacement, correction or credit.
If you plan to order the same hats again, keep the approved details from the first order on file, including the hat style, color, artwork, decoration method and placement. When you are ready for a reorder, sharing those details with us gives us the information needed to work from the original specifications.
At Montauk Hat, we manufacture custom hats according to the specifications provided and approved for each project. Those specifications can include the hat style, color, material, artwork, embroidery, printing, quantity and other customization details.
Once you know how many hats you need, which style you want, how the artwork should be added and when you need the order, you have the main details ready for a quote
To begin an order with us, request a quote from us with your order details and logo or design files. A quote and design mockup follow for review. After you approve the materials and placement, production begins.
Orders start at 50 hats, in printed or embroidered finishes, with worldwide shipping available.
If you are still choosing a style, see our hat collection to compare the available options before you send your request.
