Panel Programs I Embroidery Project

How many times have you cussed a cap? Probably quite often, as caps can be troublesome at times. But the demand is strong, so wiping caps off your shop’s menu of offerings is not a practical solution. So what makes caps so problematic? There are several factors, but it all comes down to the construction. You are trying to put flat embroidery on a curved surface, and in the case of low profile caps, you are dealing with two distinctive curves. First of all, you have the curve of the front of the crown from left to right. Second, the crown curves vertically up and back towards the rear. When you hoop the cap using a standard cap frame, you are trying to flatten out some of the curves in order to support the embroidery. Said another way, you are distorting the natural shape of the cap in order to embellish on it. In the long run, the unnatural positioning of the cap will lead to potential sewing and quality problems.

There’s got to be a better way!

In fact, there IS a better way to sew caps and that is by using a panel program. In the days before cap frames were created, the majority of all cap embroidery was done using this system. Basically, the cap company sends you “pieces” of the cap, usually just the front panel of the crown, for embroidery. You can hoop this using a flat hoop, rather than a cap frame. All of the curvature problems are gone! In addition, you get a larger sewing field and don’t have interference from the bill. After sewing the panel piece(s) you send them back to the cap company, where they are assembled into the final product.

While many cap panel programs provide only the individual crown panels, one cap company has taken the concept to a different level. Mike Meade, President of Pacesetter Caps, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, elaborates. “We send the embroiderer the entire crown of the cap, rather than individual pieces. This provides them the ability to sew anywhere they wish on the cap, not just any one panel. Plus, they can sew larger designs. The bill is not attached and neither is the closure hardware, so the crown is easy to hoop using regular flat hoops instead of cap frames. This makes sewing easier and provides a higher level of quality in the stitching.”

But there are more advantages to cap panel programs than just ease of sewing. Because the cap has to be assembled, it is possible for the embroiderer to select his own fabric in order to create a unique cap. “We give the customer the option of customizing the bill of the cap using the fabric of their choice. We provide a template for the bill panel and they can cut out their own fabric bought locally, then embroider it. When they send the crown in for assembly, they include the bill panels as well,” says Meade. “It opens up more doors of opportunity and is a very popular option with our customers. Also, we can sew in custom garment tags, which gives the embroiderer the ability to create their own private line of caps.” In fact, Pacesetter’s crown program is doing well, with yearly volume being in the hundreds of thousands of units.

Based on the simplicity and improved quality provided by cap panel programs, it would seem that embroiderers would shift away from sewing on finished caps in favor of panels. But this is not the case. In actuality only a small number of shops use this method. There is a perception that panel programs are very expensive with long turnaround times, which is not necessarily true. “Our turnaround time is 48 hours for the panels and 5 days for sewing the final cap. Plus our prices are quite reasonable, with caps starting at $3.50 each,” comments Meade. “Certainly this is a bit higher than a finished cap from overseas, but you are comparing apples to oranges. There is a huge difference in our cap quality over that of the ones produced offshore, plus panels give better sewing quality and more options with the end result being a better cap worth more money,” says Meade.