Impressions - May 2019 - 37

New Styles: Headwear
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Headwear, which will be emailed May 28.
1. Callaway Heritage Cap
Style CGH144 from Heritage Sportswear  Unstructured, made of 100%
washed cotton  Low profile with six panels and adjustable buckle Chevron
closure  UPF 30 protection  One size fits all
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2. Flexfit Wooly Combed Cap
Style 6277  Now available in Coyote brown for 2019  Features original Flexfit

Technology, a wool-like fabric and classic baseball-cap shape  Available in
24 colors
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3. Pacific Sportswear & Emblem MagiCAP
Removable, collectible logo cap allows companies to put up to 15 patches on
one hat  Offers continuous promotional value to brands, according to the
company  Customers can stick on or peel off their favorite patch at will
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4. Top of the World Sunrise Cap
Style 5503 from TSC Apparel * Made of 100% cotton canvas with a 100% poly
mesh backing  Structured with five panels  Mid-profile with an adjustable

snapback  One size fits all  Available in six colors
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5. Alternative Dad Cap
Style H0070C1  Made of vintage, soft-cotton chino fabric  Unstructured
with antique brass side buckle  Six panels with a precurved bill  Unisex fit
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6. Otto Trucker Hat
Style 83-1239  Six-panel contrast stitching  Structured firm front panel
 Low-fitting  Available in 44 colors  Front is made of 65% polyester/35%

cotton; back is made of 100% polyester
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f you think about the state of the headwear category one year ago,
you'll probably remember a proliferation of retro headwear, with
the front-and-center positioning of trucker and low-profile styles.
Denim and mesh also were commonly seen.
While some of these trends have made an appearance again in
2019, a few new styles and colors also will be ushered into the mix.
"Standout colors include seafoam and coral," says Ben Roberts,
senior vice president of marketing, Outdoor Cap. "With fabrics, it
depends a lot on the category the hats are in. But you'll see bold patterns, sublimation and even pop-culture references."
The 1980s neon color scheme currently is trending strongly, says
Stacy Ki, marketing associate with Flexfit. Neon shades, which
began as a micro-trend in 2018, undoubtedly constitute a 2019 fashion statement.
"Our top-selling style, [the] 6606T YP Classics retro trucker twotone [cap], now features neon colorways: neon green and neon orange,"
Ki says. "With the charcoal body and neon mesh backing, it will be a
great introduction to incorporate neon colorways into your wardrobe."
While mesh-back caps have been uber popular for nearly a decade,
the actual structure is the real phenomenon, Roberts says. Right now,
the popularity of certain structured caps is stemming from the outdoor
industry, thanks to retailers like Patagonia. "Now, everyone has their
version or multiple versions of these caps," he says.
It seems the "everything-old-is-new-again" sentiment will continue
to ring true for the headwear category.

"As fashion's cyclical tendency allows the inevitable rise of past
trends, designers and brands continue to modernize retro trends,"
Ki says. "It's quite apparent that retro, older styles are now the norm.
Consumers are flashing their individuality and sense of style through
their nostalgia with vintage-styled caps, like the trucker and lowprofile styles."
And that may be because trucker hats are priced lower than the
traditional, all-fabric baseball cap. "Being in a promotional industry
where pricing is constantly a concern, this may have contributed to
the popularity of trucker caps," says Tina Liu, marketing manager
for OTTO Intl. "Low-profile caps just fit and look better on the
majority of the population, hence the popularity. Your mid-profile
or even high-profile caps tend to give a person the appearance of
having a big forehead when not worn properly."

Innovation Drivers

"Innovation in most headwear for 2019 is coming out of [the] surf
and skate [markets]," Roberts says. "With our retail business and
partnerships in that industry, we have a great line to what is coming
next year from that vertical."
Roberts adds that the same stylistic innovations will be seen in
Outdoor Cap's promotional lineup.
While some trend drivers center on culture and lifestyle, simple
comfort will never take a back seat when it comes to headwear. NeiMAY 2019

P.37

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Impressions - May 2019

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