So, you’ve decided on custom beanies to take your brand to the next level, now what?
There are so many options, styles, fabrics, etc. available when putting together a design for custom beanies. This can get extremely confusing and borderline overwhelming, but don’t worry Delusion MFG can help. A lot.
Wouldn’t it be nice to have a Beanie Branding Cheat Sheet?
Well, that is exactly the topic that I will be covering in this blog. As I will provide you with in-depth looks, information, reference photos, and explanations on 8 branding/styling options for your custom beanies.
This cheat sheet will be your GO-TO for custom beanie branding now and in the future!
As I have discussed in previous blogs, branding for any custom headwear like a 5 panel hat or merino wool beanie is key in the growth of your business. The more we work together and get creative, the more success you will have. The main element that is beneficial here is “free promotion”.
Customers and clients will be happy to wear your apparel because of the great services you provide to them. (It’s all about how valued your customers are). But on the other end, they are providing you a service by promoting your brand for you. It is a WIN / WIN situation.
Fabrics for Custom Beanies
You’ve decided to move forward, but first, we need a base for your beanie. What fabric should you use? You can’t have a beanie without fabric. I will go discuss some of the industry secrets to choosing the right fabric for your beanie. There is a correspondence between branding and fabrics as well!
It is important to recognize your demographics as well as the climate in these situations!
Merino Wool Fabric – Merino Wool is the industry standard in creating a beanie. The soft, classic feel will leave you nice and warm while bringing the classic style to the table. Given the fabric makeup of merino wool, there are many benefits. These benefits for branding are very important to know. This fabric style is sturdy and is the best beanie fabric for a leather patch style of branding as well as more “full” designs. Nothing says classic like a nice leather patch or woven damask label. Don’t worry, I will discuss these soon!
Check out our merino wool beanies here.
Acrylic Thread Fabric – Acrylic fabric is a lighter, smoother alternative to Merino Wool. The tighter knit style of the thread is great for embroidery options as well as cuff fold labels due to thickness being less than Merino Wool. A lightweight option may be the best choice for the beginning of Winter or End of Winter.
Check out our selection of acrylic beanies here.
Acrylic Mixed Thread Fabric – Acrylic mixed fabric combines the thickness of a Merino Wool Beanie with the feel of an Acrylic Thread Beanie. This option also allows for two or more colors to be used. Having this advantage really allows for a cool look for your clients.
See what I am referring to with our acrylic mixed beanies here.
It is important to realize that there are endless options with the fabric style of the beanie. There are no ends to customization and colors. Choose what you believe your customers would enjoy!
Pro Tip: Neutral Beanie colors are most popular in the Fall and Winter Months. More colorful and vibrant options are seen more in the Spring and Summer! But there is never a guideline to follow, be different!
Branding Options for Custom Beanies
I will break down 8 different branding options for your custom beanies to best fit your needs! This is your unofficial/official cheat sheet.
(1) Flat Embroidery – This is a classic style option. With this, the artwork will be embroidered directly onto the cuff (or other position) on the beanie giving a nice, clean look! This is best for more detailed designs with the overall feel of continuity throughout the beanie.
(2) 3D Puff Embroidery – This is something that is has grown in popularity recently. Your artwork will be embroidered with a raised presentation onto the beanie. The thread will extrude off the fabric and is best used for simple and bold designs.
Hat w/ Raised Embroidery” class=”wp-image-171″/>(3) Woven Damask Label – Another classic styling popular with many companies. You may have seen the classic Supreme logo in this option on almost all their headwear. Your artwork will be woven into a label that will then be stitched onto the beanie.
(4) Woven Cuff Fold Label – Take advantage of the entire beanie with this option! Some people like to wear a beanie cuffed, others uncuffed. With this option, you will have a label that goes over the cuff and can display artwork on both sides. When work, either way, you will be able to promote your brand! This is very popular due to the flexibility that can be used in designing the tag / how particular people like to wear their beanie!
(5) Satin Printed Label – Like the woven damask label, this is a tag that is sewed onto the fabric. The main difference is the texture of the tag (smoother, satin feel) while the artwork is printed onto the tag instead of woven into it. This is a great option for more detailed designs.
(6) Front Leather Patch – Ah, old faithful. The leather patch is unanimous with beanies, given its look and feel. With many leather color options to choose from, there are endless possibilities. But how will it look? There are options to deboss (press in) your artwork into the leather. This is done using a metal mold that is then pressed into the leather to create the depth effect. This classic look allows for a patch that will be the same color throughout. Now for those who want their logo to pop, there is another option. This would be debossed leather with Black Ink. The process is the same, but the mold will contain black color in the spots your artwork will be going. This allows for a distinct color difference, making your logo/artwork really stand out!
Debossed Leather Patch with Black Ink
(7) Woven Damask Patch – Like the woven label, this is a great option for more detailed artwork with a flat background. The difference is that the edge of this label will be merrow (or raised). This gives the look of an embroidery patch while maintaining more detailed branding within the label.
(8) Embroidery Patch – Classic, huh? The embroidery patch is for less detailed artwork. This option allows for all the artwork (other than the free space in the background) to be raised off the patch. The merrowed edge is a standard in regard to this.
Though I have covered the main branding options, there are so many new styles being created every day. This is truly exciting, as customization has been taken to a new level. The industry will continue to grow and grow alongside you.
ALSO, CHECK OUT:
Why Believe Delusion MFG
We have seen the results firsthand. We have been involved in the custom apparel industry since 2008, with previous experience in the brand apparel sector and hospitality industry. That’s almost 10 years of experience! We have seen how not only has society and technology continued to change but the growth of the small business. Delusion MFG can proudly say that we continue to team up with business (from big to small) around the world! We gladly lend our hand in helping businesses grow and succeed on the custom apparel spectrum.
Want some inspiration to get you started? Feel free to check out our Instagram page. Our page shows just a fraction of the products we have created by working with our customers.
Also, make sure to browse our wide selection of products from hats to leather patches and everything in between on our website.
