The Definitive Guide to Summer Headgear
One of the best parts about being in the promotional products business is seeing all of the fun and different ways that companies differentiate themselves from everyone else - especially when it comes to baseball caps. There are so many possibilities for customizing these products that we decided to create a guide to make the process easier for you. As an added bonus, we also threw in a few of our favorite cap alternatives at the bottom of this section. Enjoy!
5 Ways To Keep Your Baseball Caps Unique
Imprint Areas
Front - This is the largest imprint area possible for imprinted hats and provides the highest visibility for a company logo. The front area is the most common imprint location for caps.
Left Side / Right Side - Both the right and left side of the cap can be imprinted. Many companies choose to use these areas for patches that denote membership in unions, school clubs, or even company departments.
Back: Over Arch - This imprint area is smaller than the front area but it is a popular location to imprint. Typically, companies use this area for smaller patches or embroidered organization mottoes and taglines. It is also a popular place for personalizations like names and monograms.
Back: On Strap - The strap is not a common imprinting area because the details can be obscured by the strap mechanism. You should consider using buckled or Velcro straps if you would like to imprint in this location.
Top of Bill - There are three possible imprint locations on the top of the bill: center, left, and right. Due to the visibility restrictions, the top of the bill is not a common imprint area but gives a lot of interesting personalization options for logos.
Rim of Bill - This is one of the least used imprint areas for caps, but it has one of the most unique custom looks compared to other imprint areas. In order to imprint in this area, the manufacturer actually needs to complete the imprint before the hat is made. This means companies usually send this project overseas. This area is great for a unique spot for taglines, company messages or mottoes.
Closures
Plastic Adjustable Strap - Plastic adjustable straps are one of the most common closure options. This is the standard "holes and pegs" setup that is seen on most trucker hats.
Our Choice: Color Cotton Twill 5 Panel Trucker Cap
Velcro - Using velcro closures eliminates the hassle of dealing with buckles. It is one of the best closure options if you are imprinting on the strap.
Our Choice: Unstructured Embroidered Value Cap
Fitted - Fitted caps don't have any closures since they don't have the arch shaped cutout in the back. These styles either come in specific sizes or have elastics built into the design. This is the best choice when you are purchasing a large amount of hats for a wide range of people because they are "one size fits most."
Our Choice: Flexfit Brushed Cotton 6-Panel Fitted Cap by Yupoong
Slide Buckle Closure - Slide buckles have simple belt-like mechanisms for tightening or loosening the cap. Some styles have a tuck-in tab to hide the loose end of the strap.
Our Choice: Laundered Chino Twill Unstructured Cap with Antique Gold Side Eyelets
Type of Brim
Sandwich Bill - Besides the regular bill, the sandwich bill is a stylish and cool alternative. Between the top and the bottom of the brim, there is a piece of material in between that is a different color, creating a "sandwich" look.
Our Choice: Laundered Chino Twill Unstructured Sandwich Cap with Contrasting Eyelets
Styles
Structured - A structured hat has a squared look that tends to have a high profile - meaning it sits higher on your head. This style has nylon support mesh on the inside front to hold the shape of the cap. The structured style is the traditional baseball cap.
Unstructured - Unstructured caps are rounder and have a lower profile. You wear them low and they conform to the shape of the head. Unstructured caps lack the support mesh found in structured caps and will flop down a little on your head. It's considered by some to be a more contemporary, stylish look. You see them a lot on the golf course.
Imprint Methods
Embroidered - This is the most traditional way to logo your promotional head wear. This often gives your logo a raised look.
Screen Printed - Screen printing is the other popular method for cap imprinting. This is the more cost effective method of hat imprinting.
Beyond Baseball Caps
Baseball caps are great for a lot of promotional campaigns, but sometimes you just need to let loose and make a change - that is where these fun hats come in. We've seen some interesting, fun and conversation starting hats in our industry, but these are some of our favorites:
Bamboo Cap - An eco-friendly alternative to the traditional baseball cap. Made from bamboo, a sustainable resource, this cap has the unique features of being breathable and moisture wicking. A hat like the, Bamboo Unstructured Sandwich Bill Cap by Port Authority makes this piece of headgear a great performance hat for athletes.
Bucket Hat - Sometimes referred to as a fishing hat, bucket hats are perfect for the outdoorsy type. Fisherman, hikers, and sailors would all love a hat like the Laundered Chino Twill Unstructured Bucket Cap with Metal Eyelets
Visor - Visors are an alternative option to the traditional hat. Golfers and beach goers are often fond of the comfort of a cotton visor like the Wave Sandwich Visor. The heavy duty construction makes this cotton visor a great long lasting promotional product. Visors are trendy head wear that can be used to promote to younger, more hip crowds (generally teenagers).
Indiana Jones Hat - With this hat you can jump into the promotional frenzy surrounding one of this summer's hottest movies. Straight from the brow of Dr. Jones, this Indiana Jones Fedora is the perfect way to draw attention to your brand
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July 4th is Independence Day. This is the time of year for fireworks, barbecues and tons of companies showing their patriotism by handing out patriotic promotional items.
You can show your patriotism in other ways by purchasing products that are made in the USA. These types of products are in high demand in the retail industry and in even HIGHER demand during this USA-focused holiday.
Also, think about handing out products that your recipients can use during their get-togethers. Barbeques and 4th of July parties are great times to get your company in the mix so handing out promotional grills and coolers are an effective way to promote your brand.
Plan ahead and take advantage of the following promotional opportunities. You'll find a wide choice of personalized products as well as pre-decorated items that feature unique messages and slogans to help you celebrate your event.
Want the full list of promotional events? Check out our promotional calendar.
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Flip Flops and Sandals
Flip flops and sandals are extremely popular in the summer. Between the beach and other outdoor activities, these products make great warm weather gifts. Here are three unique options that will work for any summer corporate gift program.
Classic Foam Flip Flops - This sandal is a classic. Comfortable and casual, this warm weather staple has an EVA foam rubber sole and vinyl straps. Your company's logo is imprinted across the sole making you logo highly visible and perfect for any summer giveaway!
Soft Fabric Tahiti Beach Sandal - Like the classic flip flop, but with a twist. The bottom of this sandal's triple layered EVA foam rubber sole is molded with your logo that leaves your company's mark right in the sand as your recipient walks along the beach.
Foam Flip Flops in Punch-out Board -
You get more than just a pair of foam flip flops with this item. The flip flops come in a foam board; all you need to do is punch them out and add the straps. Also included is an imprinted keychain cutout to match! This is a great promotion for kids.
Sunglasses make a great summer giveaway. There are many options ranging from inexpensive plastic sunglasses to modern, high-quality sunglasses that make great corporate gifts. Here are three of our favorite sunglasses for any occasion.
Good - If you are looking for an inexpensive pair of sunglasses, you can't go wrong with classic imprintable sunglasses. These glasses are a bargain and have a stylish, classic look that is perfect for giveaways. They come in several different colors and are a fun summer accessory for the pool, picnic, or ballpark. A great giveaway for kids!
Better - A highly talked about topic during the summer is proper sun protection. A pair of eye wear like the Malibu Wrap Sunglasses, gives your recipients a great looking pair of sunglasses that protects their eyes with ultraviolet-protective lenses and a sleek, black, wrap-around design. The modern design and practical price of these shades makes them great for any promotion.
Best - High-quality sunglasses can make a great corporate gift during the summer. Eye wear like the Laser Engraved Maui Jim Style Sunglasses with Polarized Lens, comes with your logo laser engraved on the bottom right of the left lens, a laser-engraved cleaning cloth, and a laser-engraved hard-sided carrying case. You also have the choice of three frame colors, three lens colors, and five lens shapes. An amazing high-quality corporate gift with many different customization options, these sunglasses will make a lasting impression on any recipient.
See our full line of promotional sunglasses... |
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Teen-friendly Promotional Products Carry a Strong Message About HIV/AIDS Prevention to Pacific Islander Youths
Challenge: To educated Pacific Islander teenagers about the importance of condom use in the prevention of HIV/AIDS.
Kei na tu mai ta o! Let us rise up and go forward together! Such was the call of Falani Aukuso, Deputy Director-General of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), during his keynote speech at a recent HIV/AIDS alliance meeting in Fiji. Although HIV/AIDS has been slower to reach the Pacific Island community, infection rates are on the rise, especially in Papua, New Guinea where HIV infection rates are at epidemic levels.
The SPC, an intergovernmental organization working to help Pacific Islanders make informed decisions about their futures, provides developmental land, marine and social resources, and services - including information and education about public health issues and disease prevention - to 22 Pacific Island countries and territories from American Samoa and Fiji to Papua, New Guinea and Vanuatu.
With another annual campaign on the horizon, this time to promote the use of condoms in HIV prevention among teenagers, the SPC team turned to ePromos Promotions Specialist Brent Mittleman. This year's campaign would be bigger than most, as risk factors for HIV/AIDS among the Islands' predominantly young population are on the rise. With a stronger awareness push in mind, the SPC team wanted to use a variety of promotional items to communicate one clear, consistent message to teens: "If it's not on, it's not on! Put it on! Protect yourself from HIV."
Solution: Multiple teen-friendly promotional products carrying one clear message for the awareness campaign.
With a few promotional items already in mind, the team selected several others Brent recommended as particularly fun, memorable, and useful for teens. Among the campaign-branded bounty: a legal-sized clipboard with clock, a tri-panel sports duffel bag, an awards trophy, water bottle, sun visor, awareness bracelet, golf towel and fanny pack - all imprinted with the campaign mascot and message, making for a strong and vivid picture in the minds of impressionable teens. Three of the items the team selected were not available through the ePromos Web site, but Brent easily sourced them with his ePromos connections.
Because of the time difference between New Caledonia in the southwest Pacific and mainland New York, Brent and the SPC team communicated through e-mail, which required an extra level of attention to detail and clarity in communication. Brent also stayed in touch with customs' officials to ensure SPC's products would reach the islands in time for the campaign launch.
Result: More SPC awareness campaigns in the works; ePromos becomes a true promotional partner to the Pacific Islands.
The SPC team received their promotional products in time for the campaign launch, and reported back to us that they were thrilled with the selected items. The team also intends to continue to work with ePromos on future awareness campaigns - including additional campaigns to promote condom usage that may incorporate items such as custom condoms, condom accessories, etc. Because the SPC team has often struggled to find affordable sources for promotional products, they also asked Brent to keep watch for new, different, and cost-effective items that might fit with future SPC promotions. And because ePromos is much more than just a provider of promotional products - we are, instead, a true promotional partner - we will be doing just that.
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