Hat Business

2 Hat Business Success Stories [2024]

Pat Walls

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Updated: October 6th, 2024

Imagine turning your passion for fashion into a tangible business. A hat business can be just that. It's a straightforward concept—you design and sell hats, whether they’re fedoras, beanies, or baseball caps.

In today’s world, where personal style speaks volumes, hats are more than mere accessories. They’re statements. Your target market ranges from everyday consumers to niche audiences like fashionistas and outdoor enthusiasts.

Running a hat business involves design, sourcing materials, and managing inventory. You'll need to find reliable suppliers and might work with manufacturers for custom designs. Marketing strategies, from social media campaigns to collaborations with influencers, will play a crucial role in driving sales.

With relatively low startup costs and the flexibility to scale up, starting a hat business offers a practical entry into the fashion industry. If you’re ready to blend creativity with entrepreneurship, this might be the path for you.

In this list, you'll find real-world hat business success stories and very profitable examples of starting a hat business that makes money.

1. Truffaux ($600K/year)

Founders Imogen and her partner started their business in 2007 after moving to Ecuador. Imogen, who didn't bring a hat with her to the motherland of Panama hat production, designed her own at a local hat maker, which attracted attention from tourists. Realizing they had become hat makers, they aimed to create original designs and sell them online to the global market. However, they soon discovered that selling online was not effective, prompting them to focus on opening popup stores in various locations.

How much money it makes: $600K/year
How much did it cost to start: $10K
How many people on the team: 3

How We Created A $150K Panama Hats Brand While Traveling The World

How a couple traveling the world turned a vision of creating unique Panama hats into a $15k/month business selling over 150 models across five stores on three continents, and now expanding into new products and opening a local store.

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2. Snappies ($24K/year)

Burly Vinson, the founder of Snappies, came up with the idea for his hat brand after getting tired of the cheap plastic straps found on traditional snapbacks. He created a hat that uses leather and brass instead of plastic, and also opted to make the hats out of hemp for a more lightweight and durable option. His focus on creating a comfortable hat that connects with outdoor enthusiasts has resonated with customers, and the brand has been able to make an environmental impact by partnering with nonprofits to plant trees.

How much money it makes: $24K/year
How many people on the team: 1

Reaching $2,000/mo With a Comfortable, Environmentally-Friendly Hat

Snappies hats, made with leather and brass instead of traditional plastic straps, have helped to plant thousands of trees in the US; Facebook ads, lookalike audiences and retargeting campaigns helped to find customers, while a Shopify store provided a professional looking outlet and Reddit offered information from subforums such as r/entrepreneur.

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