The crafts we run
Six methods cover almost every custom cap we make. The right answer is usually decided by your artwork, not by the price list.
| Craft | What it is | Reads best on | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Flat embroidery | Satin stitching on the front, side or rear panel, up to 4 inches wide and 12 colours per design | Logos, lettering and most merch |
 | 3D puff | Raised foam-backed embroidery that lifts off the crown | Bold, simple lettering on structured panels |
 | Patches | PVC, rubber, woven, embroidered or chenille patches sewn on | Detailed artwork that thread cannot hold |
 | Printing | Water-based, plastisol, pigment, gradient, reflective or glow-in-the-dark inks | Photographic and multi-colour artwork |
 | Reflective and specialty thread | Reflective and metallic thread for low-light visibility | Safety lines, nightlife drops, technical caps |
 | Woven labels | Labels in the sweatband, side seam or inner tape | Branding the wearer sees every time |
 | Rear arch and back panel | Arch text and rear logos, embroidered or patched | Balancing the front and finishing the silhouette |
We also run foil hot-stamp accents, all-over sublimation print, detachable pom-poms and mesh variants. Ask if your design needs something outside the list above.
Where a logo can go
Most brands decorate the front panel and stop. The other five positions are free real estate on a cap you are already paying for.
| Position | What fits | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Front panel | Up to 4 inches wide, 12 colours | The main canvas — flat or 3D embroidery, patch or print |
| Side panels | Small marks and dates | Secondary logos and edition numbers |
| Rear arch and back panel | Curved text, patch or embroidery | Balances the front and finishes the silhouette |
| Brim | Print or foil accents | Reads when the cap is carried, not worn |
| Sweatband and inner tape | Woven labels, printed tape | The detail the wearer sees every single time |
How big should the logo be
This is the most common cause of a disappointing first sample. Embroidery is thread, not ink — thin lines and small letters collapse.
- Keep the main mark at least 3 cm (1.2 in) wide so internal details stay legible.
- On textured surfaces — corduroy, wool blends, chenille — keep line weights at 2.5 mm or thicker.
- Avoid gradients in embroidery. Use printing if the artwork needs them.
- Send vector artwork where you can (PDF, AI or EPS). JPG and PNG work, but we redraw them to stitch paths.
Digitising and the first 3D mockup are free. We will tell you before sampling if your artwork will not hold at the size you want.
When the fabric picks the craft
Craft has to follow the blank. The same logo can look sharp on one cap and muddy on another purely because of the surface it sits on.
| Blank | Craft that works | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Structured 6-panel cotton twill | Flat embroidery · 3D puff · patch | A firm front panel holds a large flat logo without collapsing |
| Unstructured washed cotton dad cap | Flat embroidery · small patch | The soft crown suits a smaller, cleaner mark |
| Corduroy | Flat embroidery at 3 cm or wider | Ribbed pile swallows fine lines — use solid shapes |
| Trucker foam front and mesh back | 3D puff on the foam · patch · print | Mesh will not hold dense stitching |
| Wool blend | Flat embroidery · patch | Dense wool hides thin detail |
| Knit beanies | Chenille patch · woven label · knit-in pattern | A cuff takes a patch far better than stitch |
| Performance polyester and nylon | Print · light embroidery · reflective | Keeps weight and stiffness off a technical fabric |
FAQ
Quick answers
Vector artwork is ideal — PDF, AI, EPS or SVG. JPG and PNG files work too; we redraw them as stitch paths. Tell us the exact colour references, ideally Pantone or HEX.
Up to 12 colours per design for embroidery. Printing handles full colour, including gradients and photographic artwork that thread cannot reproduce.
Not without documentation from the rights holder. If you hold the licence, send it over and we will proceed. We can always build a cap to the same construction and quality level with your own mark.