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American Flag Hats: Baseball Caps, Trucker Hats and Bucket Hats

Which American flag hat to pick: baseball cap, trucker or bucket hat, plus fit tips, how to check a Made in USA label and when to take your hat off.

By Patriotic Clothing editorial team4 min readHow we research

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Close-up of a white trucker cap with an embroidered American flag on the front panel and a red bill

The best American flag hat for most people is a baseball cap, since it suits almost any outfit. For hot days, a trucker hat with a mesh back runs cooler. A bucket hat, with its brim all the way around, gives the most shade. Check the label for Made in USA, and take your hat off as the flag passes.

Which American flag hat style to choose

Style What sets it apart Best for
Baseball cap Solid fabric crown, curved or flat brim, often a strap or snap back Everyday wear and ball games
Trucker hat Mesh back panels behind a solid front Hot days and cookouts, with a relaxed, retro feel
Bucket hat Soft crown with a brim all the way around Beach days and festivals, when the sun is on your ears and neck

A cap with an embroidered flag patch on the front reads as classic. An all-over stars-and-stripes print is louder and suits parades and the 4th of July. Distressed or faded flags give a worn-in, vintage feel.

American flag baseball caps

The baseball cap is the default flag hat and goes with almost anything, from a T-shirt and jeans to a polo and chinos.

Things to check in a listing:

  • The closure. Snapbacks and strap backs adjust to most heads. Fitted caps come in exact sizes, so measure around your head just above the ears before ordering.
  • The brim. A curved brim looks traditional; a flat brim looks more streetwear.
  • How the flag is applied. An embroidered flag is stitched into the cap, while a printed one sits on the surface of the fabric. Check the seller’s care notes for either kind.

The men’s hub shows how a flag cap fits into full outfits, and the women’s hub covers caps and other accessories in women’s styles.

American flag hats on eBay

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American flag trucker hats

A trucker hat swaps the back of the crown for mesh, which lets heat out on a hot afternoon.

Trucker hats suit fishing trips and county fairs, or any long day outdoors. If you want something that sits lower on the head, look for a “low profile” trucker in the listing title.

American flag bucket hats

A bucket hat has a soft crown and a short brim all the way around. It shades the ears and the back of the neck, which a cap does not. Cotton bucket hats fold flat for a bag, which makes them handy at the beach or a summer festival.

How to tell if a flag hat is made in the USA

A flag on the front does not mean the hat was made in America. If that matters to you, check two things:

  • The label. The Federal Trade Commission says a product labeled Made in USA must be “all or virtually all” made in the United States.
  • The listing. For clothing, the FTC says online and catalog descriptions of textile and wool products must say whether an item was made in the U.S., imported or both. Hats sit outside the textile rules unless they contain wool, so a hat listing may not name a country at all.

If neither the label photo nor the listing names the country, ask the seller before you buy. Our guide to Made in USA patriotic clothing covers the rules in more detail and points to brands that make their clothing in America.

Made in USA patriotic clothing and hats on eBay

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Should you take off your hat when the flag passes?

The Flag Code covers what to do with a hat when the flag is raised, lowered or carried past you. Under 4 U.S.C. § 9, people present who are not giving the military salute face the flag with the right hand over the heart. If you are wearing a hat, you remove it with your right hand and hold it at your left shoulder, so the hand is over the heart. Older wording of the code spoke only of men removing their headdress; the current text covers everyone else present. This applies to any hat, not only one with a flag on it.

Wearing a flag design on a hat is a separate question. 4 U.S.C. § 8 says a real flag should not be used as wearing apparel, but a cap with a printed or embroidered flag graphic is not the flag itself. Our guide to whether it is okay to wear American flag clothing explains the distinction.

How to keep a flag hat looking new

Start with the care notes in the listing or on the label, if there are any. A gentle approach is to spot-clean caps and trucker hats with a damp cloth and mild soap rather than putting them through a full wash, then let them air-dry on a rounded shape, such as a bowl, so the crown keeps its form. Keep a stiff brim or a fitted cap away from high heat unless the care notes say otherwise.

Strong sun can fade dyed fabric over time, so a hat that lives on a car dashboard may lose some color. Storing it somewhere shaded between wears helps.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a trucker hat and a baseball cap?

A trucker hat has a mesh back panel, while a baseball cap is solid fabric all the way around. Trucker hats run cooler in summer; baseball caps look a little neater.

Is it disrespectful to wear an American flag hat?

No. The Flag Code says a real flag should not be used as clothing, but a hat with a printed or embroidered flag design is not a flag.

Should you take off a flag hat when the flag passes?

Yes. Under 4 U.S.C. § 9, people present who are not giving the military salute remove their headdress with the right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, hand over the heart, as the flag is raised, lowered or passes in a parade. The same applies whether or not the hat has a flag on it.

How can I tell if a flag hat is made in the USA?

Look for the country of origin on the label and in the listing, and ask the seller if neither says. The FTC's textile labeling rules do not cover hats unless they contain wool, but a Made in USA claim still means all or virtually all of the product is made in the U.S.

What kind of flag hat is best for summer?

A mesh-back trucker hat or a cotton bucket hat. The mesh lets heat out, and a bucket hat's brim shades the ears and neck.

Sources

  1. 4 U.S. Code § 9: Conduct during hoisting, lowering or passing of flagLegal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
  2. 4 U.S. Code § 8: Respect for flagLegal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
  3. Complying with the Made in USA StandardFederal Trade Commission
  4. Threading Your Way Through the Labeling Requirements Under the Textile and Wool ActsFederal Trade Commission
  5. 4 U.S. Code Chapter 1: The Flag (sections 8 and 9)U.S. Government Publishing Office
  6. 16 CFR Part 323: Made in USA Labeling RuleU.S. Government Publishing Office
  7. 15 U.S. Code § 70j: Exclusions from the Textile Fiber Products Identification ActU.S. Government Publishing Office
  8. 16 CFR § 303.34: Origin disclosure in mail order advertisingU.S. Government Publishing Office

Part of our guide to Men's Patriotic Clothing: Tees, Polos, Hats and More.

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