What type of plastic are hat brims made of?

[danwolf]

I'm trying to make my own hats, 5 panels, but I don't know what to use for the brim, since I can't find them wholesale..
Preferably plastic, thin but sturdy. Something that I can cut and sew through. Anyone?

 

[gtdean48]

Okay...you mean "cap" brim...whew...

 

[Brad Bowers]

Welcome to the Lounge, Dan. I hope someone can answer your question, but over the last year many folks have joined here asking questions about 5-panel cap construction, only to discover that we on the Lounge know absolutely nothing about them. We can tell you about 8-panel caps, but those are an entirely different animal. I just didn't want you to be surprised that you weren't finding answers here.

Brad

 

[tonyb]

I ain't much of a cap guy (nothing against 'em mind you, and I think they look great on some guys, but they just ain't for me), but if I were looking to make caps, I'd do what I assume most cap makers did initially, and that's to reverse-engineer based on one they admired. You know, that it apart and "borrow" the design (which is very likely borrowed itself, seeing how the basic styles have been around longer than any of us).

 

[John in Covina]

There is a plastic that is available at the big sewing supply places you can cut it to shape and mold it the shape for curves and folds etc. Don't know hat it is called. I want to use it to make a tiny superman cape for my dog to have it appear as flowing out behind him.

 

[Wolfwood]

Whoa, I was horrified by the idea of hat brims made of plastic there for a moment, until I realised that the question was about caps...

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

High-Density Polyethylene is used in cap brim's. They switched to plastic's back in the 70's. I have a co worker who use to work at a cap manufacturer here in Louisville and she told me this. Before that they used cardboard. But plastic and HDPE Sheetwas used for durability.
We get a few 5 panel people show up here from time to time looking for info on how to make this style of cap. Five panels are and off chute of Flight caps. usaafflightcaps

 

[Simonds]

I'm trying to make my own hats, 5 panels, but I don't know what to use for the brim, since I can't find them wholesale..
Preferably plastic, thin but sturdy. Something that I can cut and sew through. Anyone?

You can use quilters plastic that is used to make templates, It comes in different thicknesses and you can find it at craft stores and most fabric stores.

 

[DamianM]

just make them.
I haven't found a place really.

This could work well. I haven't gave it a try but I will

 

[dmar836]

You are unlikely to be able to sew through HDPE or any other tough plastic - unless you have a very powerful machine. I'm not sure why you would need to sew through the brim. I would just use cardboard if sewing through them is important but that won't be as durable. You would still need an industrial and maybe even a walking foot machine for that - just not too many ways around that.
The 5-panel caps were iconic in the 50s but the style now seen in the rap culture and skate culture(I use the word culture loosely here) are not really what they were like IMO.
JMO,
Dave