Hat Manufacturer FAQ

Thirty questions. Straight answers.

MOQs, sampling, lead times, materials, and compliance — from the team at Jiuwang Flax Century, hat and woven bag manufacturer since 1987, with factories in Wenling, China and Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

N° 01

Ordering & MOQ

What is your MOQ for custom straw hats?
MOQs start at 150 pieces per SKU, on any of our 17 materials. Typical MOQs are 300 pieces for standard hat styles such as straw and bucket hats, and 500 pieces for braid constructions. MOQ is counted per SKU, so color splits within one style are quoted per SKU — each color starts at 150 pieces. We work with small businesses and startups — special requirements are reviewed case by case.
Can I place a small trial order before committing to full production?
Yes. MOQs start at 150 pieces per SKU — an entry level built for brands validating a new fiber or silhouette before scaling to the typical 300-piece MOQ for standard styles (500 pieces for braid constructions). Trial orders run on the same production lines and pass the same final inspection as full orders, so the quality you approve at 150 pieces is the quality you get at 10,000.
Do you work with small brands and startups?
Yes. Alongside programs for Costco, Target, and Walmart, we produce for independent labels. MOQs start at 150 pieces per SKU, with the same 5–7 working day sampling and OEKO-TEX-tested materials at any volume — special requirements are reviewed case by case. Our design team develops 500+ new styles every month — thousands a year — and can adapt an existing pattern to shortcut development for a first collection.
How do I get a quote, and how fast do you respond?
Email info@cn-hat.com or WhatsApp +1 717 216 1984 with a reference photo, sketch, or tech pack, plus your target quantity and market. We reply within 24 hours with a tailored proposal covering price, MOQ, sampling plan, and lead time. Quotes remain valid for 30 days.
N° 02

Sampling & Lead Times

How long does it take to get a custom hat sample?
5–7 working days from confirmed specs and artwork. The sample room sits inside our own factory, so pattern makers, material stock (17 fibers on hand), and embroidery machines are all under one roof — no outsourcing delays. Revisions typically take 3–7 working days, depending on the change. Once you approve the sample, it becomes the sealed production reference.
Do you charge a sample fee?
Sample fees are quoted case by case — contact our sales team for details. Material swatch sets, by contrast, are usually free of charge — confirmed with your quote — and delivered within 7 days. Courier costs for sample shipments are confirmed together with the sample quote. Ask for the current sample policy when you request a quote — we confirm all costs in writing before starting.
Can I get material swatches before sampling?
Yes. Tell us your style direction and target price, and our materials team curates a tailored swatch set with a written recommendation document, delivered within 7 days. The set can span any of our 17 fibers — from Madagascar raffia to in-house paper braid — so you can compare hand feel, weight, and finish before committing to a full 5–7 working day sample.
What is your production lead time for bulk orders?
30 to 45 days depending on category: braid hats run about 30 days, bucket hats 35 days, and hand-finished straw hats 45 days from sample approval and deposit. With 8 million+ pieces of combined annual capacity across our Wenling and Phnom Penh factories, these lead times stay stable even in the pre-summer peak.
Can you handle large or urgent orders?
Yes. With 8 million+ pieces of annual capacity — 350 workers in Wenling, China plus 500 workers on 4 production lines in Phnom Penh, Cambodia — we can run large programs in parallel across two sites. Urgent orders are accepted, with pricing reviewed case by case; tell us your in-store date and we will work the calendar backward.
N° 03

Customization

Can you put my logo on the hats?
Yes. In-house decoration includes embroidery, screen printing, heat transfer printing, and debossed leather patches, plus private-label sewn-in labels and hangtags in a range of options — we also accept customer-nominated trim and packaging suppliers. Send a vector file (AI, PDF, or EPS) and we confirm placement, size, and thread colors on your 5–7 working day sample before anything goes to production.
Can you develop a hat from a sketch, photo, or tech pack?
Yes — we run full OEM and ODM development. Send a sketch, reference photo, or tech pack; our team develops 500+ new styles every month — thousands a year — so most briefs match an existing block we can modify. First prototype ships in 5–7 working days, then we iterate until you approve.
Do you offer private label manufacturing?
Yes — private label is the core of our business. Retailers including T.J.Maxx, Urban Outfitters, and Anthropologie sell hats we make under their own brands. We produce your sewn-in labels, hangtags, and custom retail packaging in a range of options, and we accept customer-nominated trim and packaging suppliers. Your designs stay confidential. We are happy to review and sign customer NDAs — reviewed case by case.
Can you match a specific Pantone color?
For synthetic and paper fibers — poly braid, our patented ribbon, paper braid — yes: these are produced in-house, so we control dye lots directly. Pantone matching is supported; color tolerances are agreed during sampling and quotation. Natural fibers like raffia, seagrass, and wheat straw carry inherent shade variation, so for those we approve against a physical shade band rather than a Pantone number.
N° 04

Materials

What materials do you use for your hats?
We work with 17 fibers across three collections: seven naturals (wheat straw, ramie braid, palm straw, raffia braid, raffia crochet, seagrass, rush straw), five synthetics (poly braid, our 1993-patented ribbon, Rainier, pearl fabric, cotton), and five paper types (paper braid, fine paper braid, poly paper braid, paper crochet, paper cloth). Each is available with MOQs starting at 150 pieces per SKU.
What is paper braid, and how is it different from natural straw?
Paper braid is braided yarn spun from twisted paper — lighter, more uniform, and easier to block into consistent shapes than natural straw, usually at a lower unit cost. We produce it in-house in four variants, including fine paper braid for dressier silhouettes. Natural straws (wheat, palm, raffia) give organic texture and premium positioning; many buyers run both tiers in one line.
Do you offer sustainable or eco-friendly materials?
Yes. Options include recycled PET (rPET) fabric, cotton, and natural plant fibers such as wheat straw, seagrass, and raffia — with OEKO-TEX-tested materials across the line. If your retailer has a preferred-fiber policy, send it over — we will map our 17 materials against it.
Where do you source your raw materials?
Wheat straw and rush come from Northern China, ramie and seagrass from Southern China and Southeast Asia, raffia from Madagascar, and palm straw from tropical Asia. All synthetic and paper fibers — poly braid, ribbon, paper braid — are made in-house, which shortens material lead times and keeps dye-lot control in our hands rather than a supplier's.
Do you also make felt hats, fabric hats, and bags?
Yes. Beyond straw, braid, and bucket styles, we produce felt hats, ribbon hats, and cloth hats in a range of fabrics, plus a bag line of 18 woven styles and placemats. One supplier can cover your spring straw program and your fall felt program — same vendor code, same QC system, one audit to manage.
N° 05

Quality & Certifications

What certifications does your factory hold?
Factory-level: BSCI, ISO 9001, ISO 14001, Sedex membership with SMETA audits, and — at the Phnom Penh site — WRAP and BCI. Our materials are OEKO-TEX certified. Product and final inspections are carried out by third-party inspection firms such as SGS, Intertek, and QIMA. Certificates and audit documentation are available on request — contact info@cn-hat.com.
Are your hats OEKO-TEX certified?
Yes, our materials are OEKO-TEX certified. This matters for hats because they sit against skin and hair: OEKO-TEX testing screens for harmful substances including azo dyes and formaldehyde. Certificates and audit documentation are available on request — contact info@cn-hat.com.
How do you control quality during production?
Under our ISO 9001 system: incoming material inspection, inline checks at weaving, blocking, and finishing, then a final random inspection before packing. AQL standards are agreed per order. Third-party final inspection through SGS, Intertek, or QIMA is welcome — all three already carry out inspections at our factories — with cost allocation agreed at quotation. The approved sample is sealed and referenced at every checkpoint.
Can your factory pass a social compliance audit for Walmart or Target?
Yes. Our standing audits — BSCI, SMETA via Sedex, and WRAP and BCI at the Cambodia factory — meet the requirements of the major US retailers we supply. If your retailer requires a fresh or program-specific audit, both sites are audit-ready. Certificates and audit documentation are available on request — contact info@cn-hat.com.
N° 06

Shipping & Payment

What payment terms do you accept?
Payment terms are flexible and tailored to each order — agreed during quotation and confirmed on the pro forma invoice before production starts. The same applies to trial and sample orders. One safety note: our bank details never change by email — if you ever receive “updated” account information, verify by phone at +86 576 86832988 before wiring anything.
What shipping terms do you offer — FOB, CIF, or DDP?
We quote FOB Ningbo for China-made orders and FOB Phnom Penh for Cambodia-made orders; CIF and DDP are also available depending on destination. With production in both China and Cambodia, you choose the origin at order placement, and we handle export documentation from either country — certificates of origin included.
Can you ship from outside China to reduce US tariff exposure?
Yes. Our Phnom Penh, Cambodia factory — 8,000 sq m, 500 workers, 4 production lines, 5 million+ pieces a year — produces genuine Cambodia-origin goods with full documentation. Many US buyers route programs there to manage China tariff exposure. The site holds WRAP certification, and programs can be split between Wenling and Phnom Penh as duty rules evolve. Cambodia-made orders are quoted FOB Phnom Penh.
How long from order to delivery in total?
For a first order, plan roughly 6–8 weeks ex-factory: 5–7 working days sampling, then 30–45 days production depending on category (braid 30, bucket 35, straw 45 days). Repeat orders skip development and go straight to production. Ocean transit is additional and route-dependent, so if you have a firm in-store date, share it early and we plan backward.
N° 07

Factory & Audits

Where are your factories located?
Two sites. Wenling, Zhejiang, China: 12,000 sq m, 350 employees, 3 million+ pieces a year, at 17 Guangchang Road, Ruoheng Town. Phnom Penh, Cambodia: 8,000 sq m, 500 employees, 4 production lines, 5 million+ pieces a year, in Kamboul District. Combined capacity is 8 million+ pieces annually.
Can I visit your factory before placing an order?
Yes, buyers are welcome at both sites — many retail programs start with a walk-through. Email info@cn-hat.com or WhatsApp +1 717 216 1984 to schedule; we confirm within 24 hours. Can't travel? We run live video factory tours on request.
How long has Jiuwang been making hats?
Since 1987 — nearly four decades of hatmaking in Wenling, Zhejiang. Milestones along the way include our patented ribbon-hat construction in 1993 and the opening of our Phnom Penh, Cambodia factory in 2025. Today the company employs 850 people across two countries and has 8 million+ pieces of annual capacity across hats and bags.
Which brands and retailers do you supply?
We supply major retailers and brands including Costco, Target, Walmart, T.J.Maxx, Urban Outfitters, Amazon, and Issey Miyake. Our core markets are the United States and Europe, alongside mid-to-high-end programs in Japan and South Korea; our Phnom Penh, Cambodia factory also supports value-driven programs. Most of this business is private label — hats sold under our customers' own brands rather than ours.

Didn't find your question? Email info@cn-hat.com or send an inquiry — a real person replies within 24 hours.