Carhartt Toboggan Hat | Custom Embroidered Beanies for Work
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TL;DR
The Carhartt toboggan hat (officially the Carhartt Watch Hat, style A18) is the most searched beanie in the country. Over 110,000 people search for it monthly because it is warm, cheap, indestructible, and available in 30+ colors. It also happens to be one of the best blanks in the business for custom embroidery. This guide covers everything you need to know about the Carhartt toboggan: the hat itself, why it dominates, how custom embroidery works on it, and what it costs to put your company logo on the most recognizable beanie in workwear.
What Makes the Carhartt Toboggan the King of Beanies
The Carhartt A18 Watch Hat is a 100% acrylic rib-knit beanie with a fold-up cuff and the iconic Carhartt patch on the front. It retails for around $15-20 and is stocked at hardware stores, farm supply shops, and job sites across America. It is the default winter hat for every construction worker, rancher, mechanic, miner, and outdoor worker in Nevada and beyond.
The hat earned the nickname "toboggan" primarily in the southern United States, where "toboggan" is regional slang for a knit cap (not the sled). The term has crossed into mainstream search volume because the Carhartt version is so ubiquitous that "carhartt toboggan hat" has become a standalone search phrase with over 110,000 monthly searches.
What makes the A18 special is not any single feature. It is the combination: warm enough for a Nevada mountain winter, thin enough to fit under a hard hat, durable enough to survive an entire season of daily wear, and cheap enough that companies can afford to buy them for every employee. Carhartt rules Nevada for a reason, and the toboggan hat is ground zero for that dominance.
Custom Embroidery on the Carhartt Toboggan
The Carhartt A18 is one of the best beanie blanks for custom embroidery because the rib-knit fabric is dense enough to hold stitches cleanly and the fold-up cuff provides a flat, stable surface for logo placement. At Battle Born Clothing, we embroider Carhartt beanies on our Happy multi-head commercial machines using the same production standards as our structured hat embroidery.
Placement Options
Front cuff (standard): This is where 90% of custom logos go. The folded cuff creates a smooth, flat surface ideal for embroidery. Maximum recommended size is approximately 4" wide by 2" tall on the cuff. The Carhartt brand patch is on the front left, so most custom logos go front center or slightly right of center.
Side cuff: For a more subtle placement, the logo can go on the left or right side of the cuff. This is popular for companies that want the Carhartt brand recognition on the front with the company logo as a secondary mark.
Back cuff: Less common but available. Good for secondary text like a website URL or tagline.
Embroidery Specs for Beanies
Beanie embroidery requires special handling. The stretchy knit fabric needs proper backing and tension adjustments to prevent puckering. Our machines are set up for knit-specific stabilizers, and we test every new design on a sample before running production. The logo must be digitized specifically for knit fabric, which sometimes differs from the same logo digitized for a woven polo or structured cap. Stitch density, underlay, and pull compensation all need adjustment for the stretch of a beanie. We handle all digitizing in-house.
For thread selection on Carhartt beanies, we default to polyester for durability. Polyester thread handles washing, sun exposure, and the general abuse that work beanies endure. Pantone color matching is available so your logo thread matches your brand standards exactly.
Pricing: What Custom Carhartt Beanies Actually Cost
The total cost per unit is the blank beanie cost plus embroidery cost. Here is a realistic breakdown:
| Component | 6 Beanies | 24 Beanies | 100+ Beanies |
| Carhartt A18 blank (wholesale) | $9-12 each | $8-10 each | $7-9 each |
| Embroidery (simple logo, under 5k stitches) | $7-9 each | $5-7 each | $3-5 each |
| Total per beanie | $16-21 each | $13-17 each | $10-14 each |
*Pricing is approximate. One-time digitizing fee of $25-50 for new logos. Request a quote for exact pricing. We source Carhartt blanks through our licensed wholesale accounts with SanMar at commercial pricing.
For a detailed breakdown of embroidery pricing across all garment types, read our complete embroidery cost guide. For a broader look at all Carhartt items we can embroider, see our Custom Carhartt Embroidery Guide.
Other Carhartt Beanie Styles
The A18 Watch Hat is the most popular, but Carhartt makes several beanie variations that also embroider well:
Carhartt CTA18 (Acrylic Watch Hat with Carhartt patch removed): Same hat, no Carhartt branding. Choose this if you want only your company logo visible with no competing brand mark.
Carhartt CT104597 (Fleece-Lined Beanie): Same exterior look with a micro-fleece lining. Warmer for extreme cold. Slightly thicker, which means the embroidery sits a bit more prominently. Great for construction crews and anyone working extended shifts in Nevada mining and outdoor operations.
Carhartt CT100264 (Worsted Knit): A smoother knit than the ribbed A18. Provides a slightly more refined look that works for office-to-site versatility. Embroiders cleanly with less texture interference.
Why Businesses Order Custom Carhartt Beanies
Carhartt carries instant brand recognition. When your employees wear a Carhartt beanie with your logo, there is an implied quality association. People trust Carhartt gear because they have worn it themselves. That trust transfers to your brand. It is one of the rare cases in custom apparel where the blank itself adds marketing value.
Common use cases: Employee onboarding kits, winter safety gear programs, holiday employee gifts, client appreciation giveaways, and restaurant and brewery staff beanies for cold-weather outdoor service.
"When your team wears Carhartt with your logo, it communicates durability and professionalism before they say a word."
-- Rob Krause, Battle Born Clothing & Print
How to Order Custom Carhartt Beanies
Fill out the quote form below or call (775) 230-0211. Tell us how many beanies, which style (A18, CTA18, or fleece-lined), and send your logo. We send a same-day quote. No minimums. Browse our gallery for examples of our embroidery work, or check service areas for shipping coverage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it called a toboggan hat?
"Toboggan" is a regional term used primarily in the southern United States to describe a knit cap or beanie. It has no connection to the sled. The Carhartt A18 Watch Hat became so associated with the term that "carhartt toboggan hat" is now one of the most searched beanie phrases online.
Can you remove the Carhartt logo patch?
We do not remove patches from A18 hats. However, Carhartt makes the CTA18, which is the same hat without the Carhartt branding. If you want a clean beanie with only your company logo, the CTA18 is the right choice.
What is the minimum order for custom Carhartt beanies?
No minimum. We embroider one beanie or one thousand. The per-unit cost drops at higher quantities, but there is no required minimum on any Carhartt item.
How many colors can you embroider on a beanie?
Our machines handle up to 15 thread colors per design. Most company logos use 1 to 4 colors. More colors increase stitch count and cost, but there is no hard limit on color count for embroidery.
Will the beanie fit under a hard hat?
Yes. The Carhartt A18 is thin enough to wear under most hard hats and helmets. The embroidered area does add minimal thickness, but a standard left-cuff logo does not interfere with hard hat fit.
What colors are available?
The Carhartt A18 comes in over 30 colors including black, navy, heather grey, dark brown, coal heather, bright orange (hi-vis), brite lime, and many more. Color availability can vary by season. We source through SanMar wholesale and can check current stock for any color you need.
Ready to gear up your crew? Call (775) 230-0211, email sales@battlebornclothing.com, or fill out the form above. Same-day quotes. No minimums. Everything embroidered in-house in Yerington, Nevada.
Written by Rob Krause, owner of Battle Born Clothing & Print in Yerington, Nevada. Born in Nevada. Built for the Grind.