Confirm the cap construction before the physical sample is made. In one project, a design started as a 6-panel cap and the buyer later asked to compare it with a 5-panel A-frame. In another, a 6-panel mockup was prepared from a brief that also included a 5-panel reference hat.
Two cases that caused the question
Project 1: the original design file specified a 6-panel cap. The buyer later asked to see a 5-panel A-frame as another option and planned to compare the two styles and fits before deciding.
Project 2: a 6-panel mockup was already prepared, but the attached reference hat was a 5-panel. The buyer then clarified that the reference hat was only meant to show the logo, not the hat style.
What to write on a reference brief
- Target construction: 5-panel, 6-panel or another named shape.
- What the reference hat is for: fit, crown shape, logo placement, fabric, or overall construction.
- If two shapes are being compared, keep them as two separate sample directions.
Record note: identifying and commercial details have been removed from the project records.