Course 01The hat range
Both forms are documented in the chef series accessory range at 100% polyester in 135 and 170 GSM cloth options. Minimums are confirmed per style at quotation and stated on the quotation line.
Course 02Hats in the program, not as an afterthought
Hats are small, light and changed daily — which makes them the item programs most often under-order. Three planning rules keep them under control:
- Order hats on the coat ratio, not the headcount. Every wearer needs a clean hat per shift; the rotation maths in How Many Chef Uniforms Per Employee applies to hats exactly as it does to coats.
- Fix the form by grade. Many properties issue the classic form to chef grades and the mesh form to production lines — one program, two forms, both fixed in the specification so reorders stay simple.
- Ship hats with the coat order. Hats ride the same production and inspection flow (AQL 2.5/4.0 outgoing), on the program lead times in the wholesale framework.
Course 03Branding and matching
Hat branding is usually kept minimal — the coat carries the name and logo (see Custom Chef Coats). Where a program does brand its headwear, embroidery or label options are confirmed per style at sampling. Colour matching is handled at the program level: the hat order is specified against the approved coat sample so the kit reads as one set at the pass.
Course 04A note on colour
The hat is specified against the coat program's colour decision, and one practical rule governs it: where coats run in two colours by grade (white for senior grades, a colour for production, for example), the hat order is usually kept in one colour across grades, so hats stay pooled, interchangeable stock while the coats carry the grade distinction. Buyers who grade hats by colour as well should expect a tighter spares calculation — the planner treats the two systems separately, and so does the quotation.