Cashing In With Wholesale Hats: A LA Retailer’s Guide 

Custom hats have a rather unique position in American retail. Not all custom hats generate decent revenue for retailers. However, some customizations take sales to the next level, with retailers ending up with considerable profit. Customizations transform otherwise simple headwear into profit generators. This is particularly true for LA where the crowd is more fashion-forward and quick to adopt great fashion trends. 

That’s why you see customized hats from streetwear boutiques to beach shops in LA. While delivering good margins, the hats also play a pivotal role in building the brand and granting it more recognition for its lineup.

Why LA’s Loves Custom Caps

Because, for retailers, custom hats sell themselves. For consumers, custom hats elevate their fashion and add a new dimension to their style. The numbers back this up – decorated caps sell for 200-300% markups over plain wholesale prices.

Wholesale caps typically cost between $3-12 per piece. Add custom decoration ($2-5), and the total investment hits $5-17 per hat. Most LA fashion retailers sell these caps for $25-$45. Some of them with “perceivably unique” decorations sell for higher than $60. The margin is huge.

Last year, I met someone who sold customized caps at Venice Beach. The caps looked fascinating. He told me that he sold 5 panel baseball hats adorned with gemstones alone for $50. He possibly invested around $10 to customize one hat, making a profit of $40 from a single hat. People were buying and the business was good. 

Investing in wholesale caps is how retailers can cut costs and maximize profits.

Sourcing Caps Wholesale

Getting hats from a wholesale supplier doesn’t mean you won’t get a lot of variety. You can get everything from fedoras and camp hats to beanies and snapback hats wholesale at low per-unit prices. The key is to identify the right kind of suppliers and build relationships with them. This could yield bonus discounts, minimizing the overall investment even further. 

The ideal wholesale hat supplier will offer:

• Consistent quality across batches
• Quick turnaround times
• Competitive bulk pricing
• Fast and dependable shipping
• Decoration services and low setup charges for digitizing designs

Popular styles in the wholesale hats market include:

• 6-panel structured baseball caps
• Camper hats
• Fedoras
• Low-profile dad hats
• Trucker hats
• Flat visor snapback hats
• Flexible fit unstructured caps

Something many retailers overlook when ordering wholesale caps in bulk is neglecting to check the stitching quality of embroidery and the durability of the hat’s closure at the back. 

Hats Decoration & Custom Creations

People are willing to pay a premium for personalized or unique, uncommon designs. Last year, boutique designers sold blank trucker hats with multiple patches on them for even $80. There’s an even better way to make money from hats – by offering customization services. There’s a lucrative market here, with businesses needing promotional hats and individuals seeking one-of-a-kind designer hats. 

Retailers can offer decoration services like:

• Embroidery
• Patches
• Printing

Embroidery offers durable designs and a premium feel. That means embroidered caps are expected to cost more. 3D puff embroidery adds an extra pop to the design and can have an even higher markup. 

Caps can also have graphics printed on them. Many hat styles come with a foam front panel that’s print-friendly. But it’s always patches that steal the show most of the time. Decorators often experiment with patches to bring a new texture and dimension to the designs on the hat. Southern California generally appreciates vintage designs on apparel and accessories, but that doesn’t mean an entire batch of hats should have vintage graphics. The retailer’s inventory should offer variety, and measure what kind of designs are appealing to the target market.

These tips can help.

• Test new styles in small batches
• Monitor seasonal trends
• Track color preferences
• Maintain a bestseller inventory
• Rotate slow movers quickly

Sales Opportunities In 2025:

• Summer beach season
• Back-to-school rush
• Holiday gift giving
• Festival season
• Sports playoffs

LA’s custom hat market offers serious profit potential for prepared retailers. Success comes from combining quality wholesale caps with standout decoration and strategic marketing. The market rewards creativity and consistency. Keeping the designs fresh, the quality high, and the customers excited about what’s coming next will work wonders.