Our Custom Snapbacks Are Made of Trash: SPOILER

We have something to admit to you guys…

After a thorough investigation by the FSA (Federal Snapback Association), we have to finally come clean. That custom snapback you’re wearing on your head right now isn’t what you think it is. The truth is, our Snag & Stitch originals are made of trash…

custom snapback

But not just any trash. As a snapback company with very high standards, we only use the best kind of trash. And that’s recycled plastics. Plastics that might otherwise end up in a natural environment like a sea turtle’s sand dune condo or a squirrel’s nut hideout.

And that’s not cool. We don’t like trash and such crashing our party. What makes you think that one of planet earth’s many critters like it? 

We always wondered as a vintage snapback company what it was we could do to give back to the world. The same place we love to explore and have been inspired by since we first started to buy and sell snapbacks. And to be honest, for quite a while, we didn’t have a single clue. 

What to do?

We just know how to find snapbacks for sale in every place you can imagine. What could we possibly do to make the world a better place? But the answer was right in front of us the whole time. On the news. In our timelines. Being talked about at coffee shops. And that’s that the world around us is very rapidly falling apart. 

Our founder Scott discovered this through quite a rude awakening when he was overseas in Thailand. He soon realized that this place of exquisite natural beauty, breathtaking landscapes, and vibrant culture, had an incredible poison pulsating through it. 

The coast was littered with trash. 

thailand trash

Particularly, with bottles and other plastics that lined the beaches and riverbanks. It was rattling to realize that such an incredible place could have such an incredible problem. But instead of saying “that’s that”, and turning a blind eye, Scott finally realized what he could do.

And that was to make custom snapbacks made from recycled polyester fabric, otherwise known as rPET.

What is PET & rPET?

eco-friendly

PET is all around you. And no, I’m not talking about your cat Felix. I’m talking about polyethylene terephthalate, which is a plastic resin that can be found in common household items like soap bottles and jars of peanut butter. 

Now I’m sure you can guess what the ‘r’ stands for in rPET. We work with companies entirely dedicated to taking stuff made of PET, cleaning it, and turning it into fabrics that you can then turn into other items like blankets, clothes, and in our case, custom snapbacks

Here’s how they do it:

  1. Clean the bottles/plastic.
  2. Items are shredded into tiny pellets.
  3. Pellets are crushed and melted.
  4. Melted plastic is spun into thread.
  5. Thread is turned into custom snapbacks and other sustainable items.

Sounds easy enough right? Well, compared to normal fabrics and materials used by the bigger snapback companies, it is pretty unideal. Recycled polyester is actually more expensive to use than these “regular” fabrics. Which makes sense right? Otherwise, everybody would be using it. 

Here’s the kicker - more and more companies are establishing themselves to collect and distribute rPET. Which means this sustainable material is quickly becoming more available for more manufacturers. But it’s up to them to make the move! 

We’re happy to be making these second-life snapbacks and doing our part to keep this beautiful world of ours green. For more information on how these custom snapbacks are made, check out our process page.

How Can You Help?

The truth is, you don’t need to be a snapback company or a recycling plant to help save the environment. There are several things you as an everyday citizen can do to support the cause. Whether that’s by trying harder yourself to learn what plastics you can recycle or by starting a charity for an ocean clean-up, every bit matters. 

We believe in a better tomorrow. Do you?