How to design custom hats people actually want to wear
- Benjamin Smith
- Aug 21
- 2 min read
Most businesses think a cap is just a cap, slap on a logo and call it merch. But the difference between a “meh” giveaway and custom hats people fight over comes down to design, details, and story.
Case Study: Custom Hats
When we reached out to Walk ’n’ Talk Collective, they already had hats, but they weren’t hitting the mark in our opinion. Flat embroidery wasn’t standing out, the style and colours felt off. Their logo, designed by OneSixx, gave us a strong identity to work with, it just needed the right canvas. So we rebuilt the concept from scratch, not just with
production, but with a full design process:
Step 1: Understanding the Brand
We started by chatting with their team and reviewing what wasn’t working. Their current hats felt like stock giveaways, not something you’d see on retail shelves. The goal was clear, create hats that represent the movement and people actually want to wear.
Step 2: Concept & Mockups
I developed multiple digital mockups of the custom hats to show different directions:
Custom shapes like A-frame truckers with a deeper crown for a modern fit.
Logo treatments including 3D puff embroidery, sublimated patches, and printed side details.
Colourways tied directly to their branding, instead of off-the-shelf catalogue colours.
Step 3: Details That Matter
Together we picked the standout ideas and layered in retail-level details:
3D puff embroidery and a Sublimated Patch to make the logos pop.
Screen printed side logos for that extra touch.
Woven inner/snap tags and printed tape details so it felt like a legit streetwear release, not promo gear.
The Result
Instead of giveaways that end up in the back of the wardrobe, Walk ’n’ Talk Collective now has custom hats people want to buy, wear, and talk about.
Takeaway
If your merch isn’t turning heads, it’s not creating demand. The right design makes your brand walk into a room before you do.
→ Want custom hats like this? Let’s chat at dss.design
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