Building An American Made Hat | How It Works
Building Hats In The USA - Step By Step Guide.
We've been building hats in America for over 14 years. Our experience in the hat world is only matched by a handful of manufacturers who we've been lucky to learn from over the years. Making a hat is a process, let's walk through it.
Our Made in the USA American Flag Hats are built in America, completely. Every step is done here in this country, by an American worker. We don't take the easy road by importing, we do it the right way.
How we make our American Flag hats here in the USA.
- Fabric - We roll out layers of fabric onto table about 20 yards long. This fabric is layered to a depth our cutting die can completely press through.
- Cutting - As that fabric is pulled through the cutting area, a die press under air or hydraulic power will cut out the patterns needed to construct the hat. Every single piece is cut out and prepped for construction. It's placed in bins and prepped to head down the line.
- Decoration - The front two panels are quickly sewn together in preparation for decoration. This is where we lay the panels flat and embroider our American flag on the front of the hat. We do it BEFORE the hat is assembled because it allows for a clean decoration and avoids decorating a complex curve on a constructed hat.
- Dome Construction - The rear panels are sewn together while the front panels are being decorated. Once that decoration is complete, the front and rear panels are sewn together, taped on the inside, and sent to the next step.
- Sweatbands - Once the "dome" of the hat is complete, the sweatband is sewn in. This is a critical step as we aim to have the sweatband laying flat in the hat, free of any ripples or folds.
- Brim - While the dome of the hat is being completed, the stamped out brim of the hat is inserted into it's fabric outer layer and stitched on a special machine that makes those brim stitch lines look so clean. In a bin they go, and off to the next step.
- Attach Brim - The brim is sewn on to the dome of the hat. This is an important step. Keeping the hat straight and level is a big deal to us. This is where it happens.
- Vents - We put vent holes in all fabric panels. A machine punches a hole in the hat and stitches the edge of the hole to prevent fraying.
- Adjustment - Whether a plastic snap, buckle, or velcro, the adjustment straps in the back are stitched into the sweatband and rear of the hat. Now it's pretty much done.
- Curved Brim - An optional step we choose. Our American Flag hats have a curved brim. This is done in a setting much like an iron. It heats the poly inner structure, presses it to the curve, and lets it cool.
- Blocking - In the end, our hats are placed on a steel head. Arms reach up, pull the hat down tight, steam blows out of the head, and holds the hat in place. It's shape is made, sizing adjusted, and ready to move on.
- Quality & Shipping - we inspect the hats, pack them up, and put them in stock at our shop.
What's important to note here, our Made in the USA hats, all those steps above are done in this country by an American worker. With an imported hat, only one step (embroidery) is done in America. The extent at which our hats support this country is 100%.