I have recently added a hat bar to my markets and I wanted to share all the things I have been learning along the way and keep a running list of all the things I have purchased to make the bar amazing!
First things first, I had to start with the heat press. There are many to choose from and I purposely chose one on the lower price end knowing it would be used to learn on. I also wanted to make sure the press would fit child-sized hats. The Giraffe Auto Hat Heat Press has worked great so far and it fits child and adult size hats perfectly. I have no complaints so far and can recommend it!
I also got a stock of heat tape and teflon paper to use while pressing. The heat tape is very narrow and tricky to use, but it works well once you get the hang of it. Having something handy to help peel it back after pressing is helpful!
I got my initial stock of hats from Amazon because I wanted them quickly. There is a very limited stock of child and youth sized hats anywhere, so I am still working on finding a good source of fun colors and options. So far I have just gotten the generic black and white and a few colors/white hats from Amazon, but I am still working to find a better option. All the I have gotten have been basic and ok quality.
I have also been offering customization of my Wild Child hats. Pressing the more rigid front hats has been a learning curve and I realized that a handheld press would be better for my hats to help control the pressure and not crush the top of the hat. I have the HTVRONT Hat Press Machine coming, but I have not used it yet to give a review.
I have gotten my initial stock of patches from Amazon as well and they have worked well. I am focusing on patches for children and more of a beachy vibe to fit my customer base here in Jacksonville Beach, FL. Most patch retailers have more adult themed patches, or more country themes. I am still looking for a vendor that fits my vibe that I can order directly from. I am also open to making custom patches if I find a good source and some designs I need.
If you are planning to do outdoor markets, you will need a power supply. I purchased the Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 300W and it is definitely not big enough. I ran out of power two hours into my last market. I will be looking into investing in the 1000W version before my next big market.