How to choose a hat customization agency

How to choose a hat branding agency

Don’t spend your money on custom hats that end up stuffed in the back of a drawer. To turn heads and keep your organization top of mind, you need a good branding agency. A hat branding agency guides you through the customization process and makes sure your branded hats reflect your company’s values and aesthetic. 

Enter Anthem Branding. You’ve already found the best branding agency for hats and other promotional products, but don’t take our word for it. We’ll show you how to choose a hat branding agency and explain our services. If you like what you learn, let us handle your next custom hat project.

Choose agencies with strong brand partnerships

The quality of your custom headwear begins with blank hats. There’s nothing wrong with generic blanks; they’re usually the cheapest option. But branded hats let you associate your organization with a popular apparel brand. Co-branding lets you multiply your branding efforts.

Leading hat branding agencies maintain partnerships with premium apparel brands known for their materials and construction. Rather than settling for generic blanks, work with an agency that offers custom options from respected names like:

• New Era
• Under Armour
• YETI
• Carhartt
• Otto

Review an agency’s product catalog to confirm they offer high-quality hats from brands your target audience respects. Access to premium products demonstrates an agency’s industry standing and commitment to delivering exceptional custom hat designs.

See our full list of brands.

Look for exclusive customization partnerships

Most brands let a bunch of agencies customize their hats, but some prefer to keep things simple and provide exclusive customization rights to a single agency. If you’re interested in custom hats by a particular brand, find out which agency or agencies have personalization rights.

Exclusive partnerships result in better production methods, deeper product knowledge, and more innovative customization options. When an agency works closely with specific brands, they develop expertise in how best to customize those products. This translates to superior embroidery quality, more precise screen printing, and custom logo hats that make a stronger fashion statement at corporate events or as employee gifts.

Anthem Branding proudly holds exclusive customization rights with the following brands:

• Free Fly
• Marine Layer
• Stio
• Mammut

Exclusive arrangements mean your company can offer promotional apparel that other agencies can’t.

Evaluate the hat selection

Most hat branding agencies offer every hat type, but you should confirm that they have what you want before you spend your time talking to them.

Here are some of the popular options we carry:

See our full selection of custom hats.

Assess customization options

You want to make sure the agency you pick can bring your vision to life. Maybe you just want a simple logo hat. That’s fine, and most agencies can make that, but if you want more, learn what decoration methods and customization levels are available.

At Anthem Branding, we take customization to the limit. Whatever you imagine, we can make it happen. Here’s how we can modify and customize your hats:

• Material selection: Choose from cotton, canvas, twill, polyester, or any other material. We can build your hat from the ground up.
• Color: We can match your brand colors or any other palette you want.
• Stitching style and color: Infuse every hat element with your brand.
• Closures: Choose from fixed, Velcro, snapback, or any other closure system.
• Accessories: We can add chinstraps, eyelets, buttons, pins, or any other elements you want.
• Direct embroidery: Textured, premium appearance with thread stitched directly into the hat
• Screen printing: Smooth, detailed designs with ink applied directly to the hat surface
• Custom patch: Separate fabric pieces with designs that are sewn or heat-pressed onto hats
• Sublimation printing: Full-color all-over prints that become part of the fabric, ideal for patterns
• Custom packaging: Once the product is finished, we can brand your packaging to create an exciting unboxing experience.

Want something done that we didn’t list? Challenge accepted. Talk to our merchandise design team, and we’ll do our best to bring your vision to life. 

Check quality control measures and durability

A reputable custom hat branding agency should inspect materials before decoration, check design elements during application, and examine finished products for flaws. Ask about their rejection rate and how they handle quality issues. The best agencies provide high-quality products that maintain their appearance through regular wear and washing, standing behind their work with customer satisfaction guarantees.

The best way to learn about product quality and durability is through an agency’s customer testimonials. Here are ours:

Go custom. Details matter, people want to know it wasn’t just ​‘off-the-shelf’ and are more eager to use/​wear something that not everyone has. — Craig David, Audi Flatirons

We’ve never worked with an agency on designed pieces, so it’s been nice to have someone look at the full brand scope and discuss our goals before designing. — Lauren Hoogewind, Big Red F Restaurant Group

What Anthem Branding has built is unlike any merchandise or branding outfit I’ve ever worked with in my career. They are a design and brand house in addition to a turn-key vertical manufacturer all-in-one. — Robert Yturri, FORLOH

When I first started looking for options for different types of swag that we could give to both our own employees and external partners, I was just overwhelmed by the number of products, and how many ways there were to customize each. I didn’t have a lot of time to spend researching different products and prices, so I was really excited when I found Anthem Branding and saw that they can do that research, work within my budget, give great recommendations, and even help with the designs. It made things a lot easier because all I had to do was look at the customized options and pick my favorites. — Samantha Rullo, Bustle Digital Group

Anthem Branding has such a strong skill set around the tangible executions of a brand that weaves through the entire process. Brands by definition are abstract things that are later represented on signs, packaging, clothing, and spaces. Anthem has a clear understanding of the full chain of expression of a brand. — Rob Day, Springdale Beer Company

Custom merch from Anthem Branding elevates the brand perception and therefore elevates the overall experience for our customers. With our custom merch our customers are inviting us into their homes and putting our unique products and brands on display. — Kelsy Nixon, Proximo Spirits

Look for in-house design capabilities

A hat branding agency can turn your logo into a fashion statement or a bad joke. Look for agencies with dedicated graphic designers who have design expertise in hat decoration and understand how to turn hats into effective marketing items.

Agencies with in-house designers offer advantages over basic print shops. Professional designers who specialize in headwear understand how designs translate to different hat styles and materials. They can advise whether your logo works better as an embroidered design on a curved brim dad hat or as a screen print on a flat brim snapback.

A quality agency should offer:

• Design consultation to align with your marketing strategies
• Adjustments to make your logo work specifically for headwear
• Mockups showing how designs will look on different hat styles
• Expertise in simple and intricate designs

Even if you want a simple design, you should work with an agency with an in-house design team. Basic print shops often skip quality control and have restrictive customization options.

Check their portfolio

Any agency worth your time should have plenty of successful projects under its belt. When you examine an agency’s portfolio, look for diversity in styles and decoration methods, and pay attention to the precision of their work.

A strong portfolio demonstrates:

• Experience with many types of hats and materials
• Ability to execute minimal and complex design ideas
• Consistent quality across different projects and techniques
• Creative solutions for challenging brands or industries

Your custom hats are a canvas for branding that people will wear in public, creating thousands of impressions. An agency with true design experience will help bring your creative vision to life in a way that makes people want to wear your brand.

Ask about order size

Whether you need a small batch for an intimate corporate event or a large quantity for a major promotional event, your agency should offer solutions that meet your needs.

Look for agencies that:

• Don’t impose excessively high minimum orders
• Maintain quality consistency across small and large runs
• Offer production cost discounts for volume orders without pressuring you to order more than needed

Anthem Branding offers flexible production capabilities that scale from small executive team gifts to mass production for large events or gifting programs. We meet your custom headwear needs regardless of quantity.

Understand turnaround times and rush options

Quality agencies provide realistic timelines and consistently meet their delivery promises. They should offer:

• Clear production timelines from approval to delivery
• Rush options for time-sensitive projects
• Real-time updates on your order status
• Transparent communication about any potential delays

Turnaround time generally depends on how complex your project is. For basic customizations, we deliver in 2 – 3 weeks. For complex projects, we’ll work with you over a month or so to design, test, and produce your custom hats.

About pricing structure

Most high-quality agencies require a consultation to discuss pricing. If you visit an agency website and prices are listed, they probably use basic, mass production techniques.

Anthem Branding offers transparent, all-inclusive pricing that helps business owners avoid surprises while delivering high-quality products that meet budget and brand requirements. Talk to us to discuss your concept and learn about our competitive per-unit rates.

Questions to ask a potential hat branding agency

To help you on your hat agency hunt, here’s a collection of questions that cover the topics we’ve discussed:

Anthem Branding: Your hat customization partner

We’ve become a leader in custom hat branding by focusing on quality, creativity, and service that exceeds industry standards. When you work with us, you get:

• Extensive customization options that go beyond competitors, including specialized embroidery, screen printing, and patch applications
• Direct partnerships with premium brands
• Exclusive customization rights with select manufacturers unavailable to other agencies
• In-house design expertise specializing in headwear
• Superior production control for exceptional product quality
• Flexible production capabilities accommodating small and large orders

Ready to create custom hats that represent your brand? Contact Anthem Branding today for a consultation and discover why leading companies trust us with their headwear projects. 

Branding FAQ

What is the difference between direct embroidery and appliqué on headwear?

Direct embroidery stitches your design into the hat, while appliqué involves attaching a separate fabric piece with your design to the hat, creating a layered, dimensional effect that works well for complex logos.

How much lead time do I need when ordering promotional hats for a company event?

For standard promotional headwear, allow 3 – 4 weeks from design approval to delivery. For complex custom designs or large-volume orders, consider extending your timeline to 6 – 8 weeks. Once we discuss your concept, we’ll be able to give you an accurate project timeline.

Can eco-friendly materials be used for branded caps?

Many manufacturers offer organic cotton, recycled polyester, and biodegradable options for eco-conscious branded headwear. We can recommend brands that use sustainable materials or build you a run of sustainable headwear from scratch.

Should I get woven or printed labels?

Woven labels provide a premium, textured finish with excellent durability, while printed labels offer more detailed imagery and color gradients at a lower production cost. Talk to our label design team to choose the best option for your project.

What sizing options are available for custom embroidered headwear?

Custom embroidered headwear comes in fitted sizes (specific measurements), adjustable options (snapback, velcro, or buckle closures), and one-size-fits-most styles. We can recommend a hat type that will look good when embroidered and fit your target audience.

Can I get 3D embroidery effects on my company’s custom caps?

We can apply 3D embroidery or any other type of embroidery to your custom hats. 3D embroidery techniques use specialized backing materials and higher stitch counts to create raised, dimensional designs that stand out on company caps. It adds perceived value and visual interest to your branded merchandise.

What’s the best placement for small logos on different headwear styles?

For small logos, front-center placement works well on structured caps, while side placement creates a subtle look on unstructured styles. Left-side positioning (above the ear) offers excellent visibility on most headwear designs. Logo placement depends on whether you want your logo in the spotlight or subtly sitting on the sidelines.