Field Notes

Summertime is here, which means it’s time for you to design your own hat that will match all your summer adventures. No matter if your plans are to play golf, hike a mountain or lounge by the pool, you’ll want an Imperial hat to keep you company. Now, if you know anything about Imperial Headwear, we’re obsessed with golf and think you may be, too. To kick off the summer in the right way, we released a few new hat styles and colors as well as tons of fun hat logos that you’d love to wear to the golf course; no matter where your vacation takes you this summer, you can always show your love for your favorite game with our trendy golf hats. That’s not to say every day is dedicated to celebrating golf (though we wouldn’t be opposed). We also designed logos for other summer activities we all enjoy, like camping, roadtripping, drinking and spending time with our best (canine) friends. So, take a peek at our newest hat logos below, along with our latest styles and colors, and see how you can incorporate golf into your summer vacation (even if it is simply a golf hat). That’s what our personalized hat tool is all about! Make Your Own Hat: Road Trip Edition A custom hat design for your summer road trip is the perfect item to pack. Road trips are all about creating memories, so why not slide some golf references in there no matter where the car, van (or cart) takes you. When you picture a squiggly line, are you imagining your car traversing roads out west or your golf shot? Commemorate either with our Shape Your Shot logo from our online hat designer tool; by adding this logo to any one of our bestselling hats, you’ll have a smile on your face -- either you’re remembering your road trip fun or laughing about a golf shot you tried to thread through some trees. You can also go the non-golf route when it comes to road tripping. Did you spend an inordinate amount of time with your family or friends in an RV? If they literally drove you crazy (but you can’t help but love them), get your family golf hats with our new elephant logo to remind them of their circus summer. You can also put our brand new RV logo on our brand new Barnes Cotton Rope Hat, which is lightweight and comes in several natural tones. If you like to kick it old school, switch out the RV logo for our cool Camping Glyphs on our new Hullabaloo Tie-Dye Performance Cap instead! Lastly, sometimes it’s nice to have a logo on your hat that can keep people guessing about the meaning. With our new State Flower Collection, you can subtly display your favorite state on your golf hat. On the flip side, you can add some city patches to your golf hat or even a buffalo-shaped mountain to pay tribute to the west in general. No matter which way you decide to prepare or commemorate your summer road trip, Imperial has tons of hats and summer logos to choose from. Don’t forget we also have new car logos -- the Model Tee and Caddy Caddy. Personalized Golf Caps: Fun in the Sun Wearing your golf cap design in the sun is a no-brainer -- how else will you celebrate summer without getting a sunburn on your face? Whether you’re headed to the beach, the pool or somewhere else with plenty of sunshine, Imperial has new hat styles and logos with the island vibe. On the golf course, is your go-to saying when you hit it in the bunker “Just heading to the beach!”? Maybe you’re a phenomenal bunker player who can hit it high and soft to one foot every time. If so, the Bunker Rake hat logo is for you. For a less conspicuous golf reference, our Sun Tee golf logo on The Humdinger performance hat will get the job done. With a heathered texture and colors ranging from a dark grey to pacific blue, The Humdinger golf hat fits the island theme seamlessly. Golf Rope Hats for Dips and Sips < Is it really summer if you don’t have a golf hat that represents food or drink? With a golf twist, we’ve debuted the Transfusion and Chili Dip icons. Do you take part in the transfusion cocktail on the 19th hole? Or did you start your transfusion early and chili dip your chip? Either way, these golf references are a blast and are sure to be a conversation starter. Add one to the front of the new Manifold Cotton Rope Cap. Did we mention the Chili Dip icon would be perfect on our new Habanero Performance Rope Cap? In addition to the sporty rope design, the Habanero is a spicy way to wear a more structured hat. Embroidered Golf Hats Your Best (Canine) Friend The dog days of summer are here, which means it’s time for you and your pup to explore while wearing your new favorite trucker hat. Imperial already has quite the Canine Collection, but we’ve added more breeds this summer, like Pitbulls, dachshunds and Pugs. Embroider Fido’s breed on whichever hat suits your eye, and you’ll have Fido with you wherever you go this summer (whether you hired a dog sitter or not). Your golf cap designs are endless, just like your summer plans. Now that we’ve added all these new golf hat styles, icons and even colors to our timeless Performance hats and Wrightson rope caps, you can build your dream summer hat. You can design a golf bucket hat with our Moon Man icon (yes, astronauts can bomb their drives while on the moon) or a mesh back hat with a patch of a bear surfing on a longboard; a custom golf hat with all the fixings, like a golf cart, golf shoes or a rangefinder, or a Tour Visor® with an island green or windy round logo. The possibilities are truly endless.

Imperial was recently voted the #1 headwear brand across the board for Public, Private and Resort golf facilities by the Association of Golf Merchandisers (AGM) for the first time in recent history. Imperial has previously been voted the #1 headwear brand for Private golf facilities for five consecutive years and #1 for Public facilities for the first time ever last year. For 2021 however, the AGM Annual Member Survey of top sellers by facility type reported Imperial as #1 in headwear in all three categories. "Imperial has been a consistent supplier to golf professionals and merchandisers since 1916 and provides expert craftsmanship, style and comfort in the ever-changing golf industry," said Patrick Casey, AGM President and Assistant General Manager at Brentwood Country Club of Los Angeles. "Their ability to provide product that has evolved with the business and game of golf, while still offering a classic and traditional offering makes them an ideal partner for golf shops in today’s retail market." Founded in 1916, Imperial Headwear is the leading manufacturer of premium quality headwear, apparel and accessories for the golf market. Imperial’s products can be found at 97 of the Top 100 and over 70% of the Top 400 Golf Courses in the United States. “Imperial is very proud to have been voted the #1 headwear brand in golf this year by the AGM,” said David Shaffer, President of Imperial. “The membership of the AGM represents the best merchandisers in the country, and to have this group vote Imperial the best headwear brand is an amazing accomplishment and the culmination of a lot of hard work from our entire team.”

To view a digital catalog of Imperial’s 2022 Collection, please click here. To view a digital catalog of Imperial’s 2022 Quick Turn Import Only styles, please click here. The new product catalogs debut for Imperial sales representatives and customers today. The 2022 Collection from Imperial continues to build on the brand’s comprehensive selection of headwear, apparel and accessories. Overall, 16 new headwear styles were added to the line this year, in addition to dozens of new color options for their best sellers. “Imperial has the most complete catalog in the golf industry and it’s extremely easy to navigate,” said Greg Morris, Director of Golf at The Summit Club in Las Vegas, Nevada. “There is literally something for everyone in their line.” Perhaps the most exciting announcement from Imperial is a new Custom Rope Cap Program. For years, Imperial’s ‘retro fit’ performance rope cap,The Wrightson, has developed into one of the best selling hats in golf. In order to provide more variety to their customers, Imperial has added five additional base fabric colors to create a collection of 14 total colors that can be combined with any of their 32 solid and multi-color ropes in small quantities. Optional white and black meshbacks are available as well. The brand has also expanded their lineup of stock rope cap styles in this collection. New for 2022 is a lightweight cotton version called The Barnes and a washed pigment dyed style called The Manifold. Imperial has also built a Mile High Fit rope cap called The Grand Teton , as well as a 6-panel rope hat with a multi-color rope and metal eyelets called The Habanero. Other notable highlights of Imperial’s 2022 collection include: The Humdinger Built off the same unstructured silhouette as Imperial’s best-sellingX210P - The Original Performance , this new style is made from lightweight, breathable performance poly fabric in heathered yarn. The Oglethorpe The Oglethorpe is a knit performance tonal camo cap. Its performance fabric has all of the lightweight breathability and popular moisture wicking features as the styles in Imperial’s core performance collection. WhereThe Oglethorpe proves to be unique is in its knit texture and tonal camo pattern with contrasting black undervisor. The Whitaker This modern and luxurious take on a classic performance cap features a lightweight ‘washed’ poly fabric, which gives it a soft brushed look and feel. In the back, it includes Imperial’s brand new rubberized hook & loop closure in black. The Hullabaloo In another modernization of a classic trend, Imperial recognized the resurgence in popularity of tie-dye patterns withThe Hullabaloo. The most colorful addition to their 2022 lineup is a new lightweight performance poly fabric style that comes in multi-color, pink or blue tie-dye. “For 2022, we’ve focused on expanding our best selling rope hat styles and colorways, as well as offering new fabrics with an emphasis on rich color palettes and playful patterns, said David Shaffer, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Imperial. “We are committed to bringing unique hats to the golf market that consumers recognize uniquely as Imperial, therefore allowing our customers to enjoy swift sell through and great margins.”

Imperial announced today a new sustainability platform where the brand commits to striving for improvement goals and alignment with like-minded suppliers. Imperial’s platform is based on the pillars of Compliance, Environmental Excellence, Waste Reduction and Energy Conservation: Compliance: Comply with all customer, international, federal, local and governmental policies. We will audit for compliance and maintain action plans that ensure that we move forward. Environmental Excellence: Strive to create a positive impact on the environment through our business policies and development of our people. Our roadmap will consist of looking for environmentally friendly alternatives in all aspects of our business: raw materials, production methods and production equipment and facilities. Waste Reduction: Strive for zero landfill. We will track and develop for month to month and year over year improvements. Energy Conservation: Strive do more with less through execution of a vision that continually reduces all resources. We will develop action plans that drive and track continual improvement across all these resources. Imperial commits to periodically keeping its customers and entire industry updated on their progress toward operating a more sustainable company. As of January 1, 2022, approximately 33% of the power used in Imperial domestic decoration and USA made visor facilities will be provided by solar energy. By the end of 2023, Imperial has the ambitious goal to move its best-selling performance fabrics, including the X210P lineup, to 100% recycled polyester. In addition, Imperial also intends on implementing Oeko-Tex®* certified cotton into its collections. Both changes will account for over 75% of products sold and set them on course to make that 100% by the end of 2024. “The journey towards sustainability and improved environmental responsibility will not be easy and will require many strategic decisions, new ways of thinking and working,” said David Shaffer, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Imperial. “One technology or process will not be the complete answer. It's more about being bold and having the courage to stand up, make these declarations and begin to align the tactics for our organization and operations.”