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CAPS 101
MARCH 2002

The ballpark is not the only place you see caps anymore. They have become one of the most popular promotional wearable items in the marketplace -- for men and women alike. When you consider the marketing mileage you can get out of a promotional cap, it's easy to see why so many companies choose this versatile item. The key to making a promotional cap work for your company is to choose one that your employees or customers will WANT to wear.

Choosing the right cap for your audience can be daunting because there are so many styles available. To make the process easier, we've come up with a few Frequently Asked Questions about caps. Consider these questions when you are deciding what kind of promotional cap you would like to give away:

WHAT TYPE OF PROFILE?
HOW MANY PANELS?
WHAT TYPE OF STRUCTURE?
WHAT TYPE OF VISOR?
WHAT TYPE OF CLOSURE?
HOW MANY GROMMETS?
WHAT TYPE OF FABRIC?

WHAT TYPE OF PROFILE?
There are several types of profiles to consider when choosing the caps for your promotion. See the image below for a photo of each style.
1. HIGH PROFILE cap.
3 1/2" - 3 3/4" high from the visor

2. PRO STYLE cap.
3" from the visor

3. MID to LOW PROFILE cap
2 3/4" - 2 1/2" from the visor

4. LOW PROFILE cap
conforms to the head -- 2 1/4" from the visor

HOW MANY PANELS?
Caps are made up of a series of panels sewn together to form the crown of the cap. 5-Panel caps have one larger panel in the front. Screen-printing is recommended as a method of imprinting because they provide a completely flat imprint area. 6-Panel caps have 2 panels sewn together to shape the front of the cap and have a better overall form. These are recommended for embroidery.

WHAT TYPE OF STRUCTURE?
Some caps have a BUCKRAM, an inserted piece of stiff material that provides a firm structure for the crown of the cap. Caps that have buckrams are referred to as CONSTRUCTED or STRUCTURED caps. Caps that do not have a buckram are call RELAXED or UNSTRUCTURED.

WHAT TYPE OF VISOR?
Is the visor of the cap PRE-CURVED (shaped into a permanent curve)? This is usually offered on Mid to Low Profile caps. Newer styles of caps have extra detail on the visors such as SANDWICH BILLS, where fabric has been sandwiched between 2 bills adding an element of design.

WHAT TYPE OF CLOSURE?
There are several types of closures to choose: straps such as Leather, Self Fabric, Plastic Snap, Fabric Tuck, Velcro Straps, and Fitted (no straps). See the image below for a photo of each style.

HOW MANY GROMMETS?
Some caps have one grommet on each panel. Other caps have 2 grommets on each side. Grommets can either be stitched or metal.

WHAT TYPE OF FABRIC?
Caps can be made from all sorts of fabrics. Fabrics such as Cotton Twill, Brushed Cotton Twill, Poly/Cotton Twill, Garment Washed Cotton, Cotton Canvas, Jersey Mesh, Corduroy, and Wool