Hats round out most print-on-demand storefronts as the third product alongside a tee and a hoodie, but the production process (embroidery versus direct print) varies enough between platforms that it is worth comparing before picking one. Here is how the commonly compared print-on-demand companies handle hat brands, embroidery, and pricing.
Embroidery stitches a design directly into the fabric, which holds up better over years of wear and washing than a printed graphic on a curved cap surface. Printed hats cost less to produce but show more wear over time. A well-rounded catalog offers both, since a small text logo often works better embroidered while a detailed multi-color graphic prints more cleanly.
| Hat | Brand | Process | VIP base price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic Rope Hat | Richardson | Printed | $29.86 |
| Premium 5-Panel Baseball Hat | Otto Cap | Printed | $29.86 |
| Classic Flat Bill Snapback | Yupoong | Embroidery | $29.86 |
| Mesh Snapback Hat | Yupoong | Printed | $25.88 |
| Adjustable Cotton Lifestyle Hat | Yupoong | Printed | $25.88 |
| Cuffed Winter Hat | Yupoong | Embroidery | $25.86 |
| Youth Classic Baseball Hat | Valucap | Embroidery | $25.86 |
Both platforms support embroidered and printed hats through their print provider networks, with the specific brand, turnaround, and price depending on which provider in the network fulfills a given order. That variability is the tradeoff for the wider brand selection a large provider network offers. Bear Grips instead runs a fixed seven-style hat lineup at one flat base price per style, so a seller always knows what a customer receives.
The Classic Flat Bill Snapback and Cuffed Winter Hat both use embroidery, which suits a simple wordmark or icon logo that needs to hold up long term. The Mesh Snapback and Adjustable Cotton Lifestyle Hat use print, better suited to a more detailed or multi-color design. A seller launching with three starter products (tee, hoodie, hat) most often picks one embroidered style for durability alongside the tee and hoodie print.
Seven styles across Richardson, Otto Cap, Yupoong, and Valucap, embroidery or print, from $25.86 VIP base.
Start FreeYes, embroidery is stitched into the fabric and typically holds up better over repeated wear and washing than a printed graphic on a curved cap.
Yes, both support hat embroidery through their print provider networks, though the specific brand and pricing depend on which provider fulfills a given order.
The Cuffed Winter Hat and Youth Classic Baseball Hat are the lowest, both $25.86 VIP base.
Very detailed or gradient designs typically print more cleanly than they embroider. A simplified version of the logo usually works better for an embroidered hat.
Bear Grips Pro Shops