Be A Designer, Gallarate. Hats for your brand.
Your brand’s hats.
Baseball caps, knitted beanies, bucket hats and felt hats featuring your brand. We’ll support you every step of the way – from the design stage through to choosing a manufacturer, right through to the sample and production.
12 years in the Made in Italy supply chainOver 200 people supported in launching their brandTrustpilot 4.2/5, every review is 5 stars
In brief.
Be A Designer is a design studio based in Gallarate (Varese) which has been supporting emerging designers and brands in the creation and production of their collections for the past 12 years. For hats, it acts as both a design studio and an intermediary: it works with the brand to develop designs, materials and customisations; it finds the hat manufacturer or workshop best suited to the type of hat and the quantities required; and it oversees the sample and production stages. Each hat has its own shapes, materials and construction methods: for this reason, costs and minimum order quantities are specified in the quotation. Logo embroidery costs an additional €5–6 per item, with a one-off set-up fee of €25–60.
Service details Hats by brand
- Who
- Be A Designer, Gallarate (VA)
- What
- Product line development and selection of the manufacturer
- Models
- Baseball caps, flat caps, bucket hats, felt hats and straw hats
- Minimums
- Subject to quotation, depending on the model and manufacturer
- Customisation
- Embroidery, labels, colours and packaging
- Who it's for
- Fashion and streetwear brands, shops, brands launching accessory ranges
Every hat has its own specialist.
A baseball cap, a knitted beanie and a felt hat aren’t made in the same place: they require different moulds, materials and machinery. The key is to find the right manufacturer for that particular style and to work closely with them.
Caps and bucket hats
Cotton, nylon, velvet or denim, with a peak, panels and fastenings chosen to match your brand, and the logo embroidered in a prominent position.
Knitted hats
Yarns and stitches as in knitwear, with a turn-up, pom-poms or a visible label.
Felt and straw
Moulded hats, with brims, ribbons and trimmings that require a specialist hat-maker.
A range of hats or an accessory for the collection.
Some brands want a proper range of hats, whilst others want a style to complement their collection. In this first call, we’ll work out where to start.
Hat range
More styles, materials and colours, with a clear positioning: a project to be developed through strategy and a sample collection.
A hat for the collection
A cap or beanie in the brand’s signature style, to wear with sweatshirts, T-shirts or accessories.
In both cases, we start with the design and materials: if you don’t have them, the design department will develop them with you.
The right manufacturer for every hat.
Hats are manufactured in hat factories and specialist workshops, selected on a project-by-project basis depending on the design, material and quantities. We always tell you where they are made and do not label anything as ‘Made in Italy’ if it isn’t.
Be A Designer doesn’t just handle production. We only undertake pure contract manufacturing for VAT-registered individuals and established companies. Those starting from scratch go through the full programme: it’s the safest way to avoid spending money on production before knowing what to sell, to whom and at what price.
The garments are manufactured near Gallarate; for the hats, we select the manufacturer best suited to the design.
From idea to product, in six stages.
The ‘Be A Designer’ programme, tailored to hats. If you already have a design, we’ll start with the stage you need.
Strategy
Who are you selling to, at what price, and which models are you selling?
Drawing
Design, materials and customisation.
Manufacturer
We’re looking for the right hat maker for this design.
Sample
The first hat to try on and adjust.
Production
Sizes, embroidery, labels and packaging, subject to quality checks.
Launch
Content, e-commerce and distribution.
Why Be A Designer and not just any manufacturer.
| Generic manufacturer | Be A Designer | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting point | A cap from the catalogue with the logo on it. | Your brand and a bespoke model. |
| Manufacturer | You’re trying to sort it out on your own, without knowing who does what. | The right hat-maker for the style and material. |
| Check | Look out for the hats when they arrive. | Sample tested and corrected prior to production. |
| Transparency | You don’t always know where it’s made. | We’ll tell you where it’s made before you set off. |
| After | Just get the hats; the rest is up to you. | Content, e-commerce and launch – all handled by the same team. |
How much does a range of hats cost?
For hats, the cost depends on the style, material, workmanship and quantity, and varies considerably from one manufacturer to another. For this reason, it is specified in the quotation once the design has been finalised.
| Item | Approximate cost | What drives it |
|---|---|---|
| Model development | subject to a quotation | Shape, materials and details |
| Sample | subject to a quotation | Model and material |
| Production | subject to a quotation | Model, material and quantity |
| Logo embroidery | +5–6 € each | Plus a one-off installation charge of €25–60 |
| Brand labels | €0.15–0.20 each | Manufactured on an industrial scale, in a batch of around 1,000 items |
| Packaging | subject to a quotation | Boxes, envelopes and labels |
During the first call, we’ll give you a rough estimate for your project and explain what factors affect the minimum requirements and timelines.
Frequently asked questions.
Be A Designer supports brands in the development of hats and caps, acting as both a design studio and an intermediary: design, materials, selection of the right mill for the style, prototyping and production.
No. The hats are manufactured in specialist hat-making workshops and factories, selected on a project-by-project basis depending on the design and quantities required. Be A Designer oversees the development process and manages the relationship with the manufacturer.
It depends on the model, material, finish and quantity, and is specified in the quotation. Logo embroidery costs an additional €5–6 per item, with a one-off set-up fee of €25–60; brand labels cost €0.15–0.20 each for an order of around 1,000 items.
Minimum quantities depend on the model and manufacturer and are specified in the quotation. During our first call, we’ll give you a rough estimate for your project.
No. Be A Designer works with brands that want their own product, as part of a capsule collection. Promotional caps for teams and events are not part of our projects.
It depends on the manufacturer you choose. Be A Designer always states where its products are made and does not label items as ‘Made in Italy’ if they are not.
What else do we do for brands?
Let’s talk about your hats.
A free call to discuss the project, the models and the budget. No obligation.
Or write to [email protected]
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