I have recently added a hat bar to my markets and I wanted to share all the things I have been learning along the way and keep a running list of all the things I have purchased to make the bar amazing!
I have made a few updates since I have been in operation for a few weeks.
Heat Press and Accessories
First things first, I had to start with the heat press. There are many to choose from and I purposely chose one on the lower price end knowing it would be used to learn on. I also wanted to make sure the press would fit child-sized hats.
The Giraffe Auto Hat Heat Press has worked great so far and it fits child and adult size hats perfectly. I have no complaints so far and can recommend it!
Update: After using this heat press for a few large events, it is still great! I love that I can preset the time and temperature and I can just push the button and the rest is hands-free. It also has a small enough platen that fits the youth hats perfectly. I still highly recommend.
I also got a stock of heat tape and teflon paper to use while pressing. The heat tape is very narrow and tricky to use, but it works well once you get the hang of it. Having something handy to help peel it back after pressing is helpful!
Heat Tape- You will need heat tape to hold down your patches before pressing. I originally had to 10mm, but it was difficult to use and didn't stick down too well. I am now trying 20mm and it is much easier to work with.
Heat Tape Dispenser- Just make sure you get one that fits your tape rolls. They do not all come in the same size.
Teflon Sheets- The sheets are used to cover the patches while you press them. It protects the patch from the direct heat. It comes in sheets and you cut them down to size. They can be reused for a long time. I have found that some residue from the patches can get on the sheets, so you need to get fresh ones occasionally.
I have also been offering customization of my Wild Child hats. Pressing the more rigid front hats has been a learning curve and I realized that a handheld press would be better for my hats to help control the pressure and not crush the top of the hat. I have the HTVRONT Hat Press Machine coming, but I have not used it yet to give a review.
Update: I have been using this hand press and it has worked great. It is also good for adding patches to the visor or if you just need to do one hat and don't want to heat up the big heat press.
Hats
You can easily get decent hats on Amazon, especially if you need them quickly. The Dalix brand is the best one I have found there. The quality is great and they offer a lot of colors and youth and adult sizes.
I have set up a wholesale account with Otto Hats. Otto is the brand that most people in my area are looking for. Due to the popularity of trucker hats right now, they have a lot of backordered stock. Also, it takes about 10 days to get any orders.
Style 39-165 is the preferred style of my customers.
I have also ordered from The Park Wholesale which is great because you can order from multiple brands to try out different hats. They have a great selection or styles and colors. It also takes about 10 days to get orders, so just be prepared for that.
Patches
I have gotten my initial stock of patches from Amazon to get the bar started and they have worked well. I am focusing on patches for children and more of a beachy vibe to fit my customer base here in Jacksonville Beach, FL. Most patch retailers have more adult themed patches, or more country themes. I am still looking for a vendor that fits my vibe that I can order directly from. I am also open to making custom patches if I find a good source and some designs I need.
I have also found a ton of great, and cheap, patches on Temu. They take a long time to ship, so be aware of that.
Etsy and Faire, if you have an account, are a great source of higher end patches and custom orders.
Power
If you are planning to do outdoor markets, you will need a power supply. I purchased the Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 300W and it is definitely not big enough. I ran out of power two hours into my last market. I will be looking into investing in the 1000W version before my next big market.
Update: the 300W battery was not big enough. It only lasted me a few hours. I upgraded to the 1000W and it is plenty. It lasts me all day and I can plug in other things (like a fan and iPhone charger).
Shipping
If you are shipping your hats, here is how I ship my hats. I use Shipstation, which requires a subscription. Pirate Ship is a great free option and they give you great rates. You should be able to ship any hat using USPS First Class rates and it should be $4-$5.
I use 7x7x7 boxes to ship adult hats and 6x6x6 boxes for youth hats.