Hats On!

Retailers may still be making final buying decisions for the 2012 fall and holiday season. Top off the season with one of the biggest trends: hats, hats, hats! From traditional pom-pom caps to fantastical ski masks, the perfect hat should go with any coat, dressy or play, but have enough detail to set it apart from everyday stocking caps. Our picks all have unique elements, plus are warm enough for little ears while also being adorable enough to make parents skip the local drugstore 2-for-1 sale and head to your store: Ambler, 2H knits, Virginia Dunn and Patouche.

Ambler Caps the Canadian Rockies

When we talk hats, it doesn’t get more straight forward than Ambler. Right when you click on their site, the name screams it all: “Ambler. We make hats.” Simple and perfect, Ambler is a family owned hat company based in the Canadian Rockies. Who better to be right at the heart of what kids need in a freezing tundra?

Ambler started out selling 10 styles of handmade fleece hats at a local craft fair, and while their scope has become broader, their style is no less handmade and local. Their ideal is for every kid to have that one hat that goes with them everywhere, from the peaks to the pavement.

Take the adorably lumberjack-styled Canuck hat; with its deep red hue and detailed bear and moose, a child can feel part of a forest adventure.

Capitalize on the popularity of birds and owls and offer the younger girls a fleece-lined hat complete with birdie perched on a branch in rich purples and pinks.

Ambler is a company you can feel good about supporting. They use different groups of home knitters located in small communities throughout the Kathmandu region and provide them with knitting needles, yarn and skill development.

For the whole story, visit www.amblermw.com

2HKnits Helps Support Villages

Now doing good can look good with 2HKnits, a small family business owned and operated by Todd Berry and Puttachard Tanomrat. Puttachard was born into poverty, went on to a prestigious university in Thailand, and began to train women in impoverished communities to knit beautiful handmade items. Todd and Puttachard have even lived in the villages with the knitters that make their beautiful and colorful knit hats, making a commitment in creating sustainable economic opportunities for them.

Target your fair trade savvy customers with 2HKnits hats in vibrant pinks, blues and whites. Little boys will look decidedly handsome in the dark brown hats, neutral enough to wear with any jacket. The hats designed for little girls are particularly beautiful, featuring slim bows and big flower decals. There’s even a beret-style hat for little fashionistas.

2HKnits uses 100% cotton yarns of the best quality, producing garments that can be passed on from older to younger sibling. All sweaters are knit to order, making every sweater a unique and truly special garment . The top quality buttons are recycled mother of pearl and coconut shells.

Bring together fashion and style with artisan handmade quality at www.2hknits.com

Virginia Dunn is All the Buzz

What’s better than incorporating a bit of summer fun into fall clothing? Virginia Dunn does just that with her adorable Bee Skep Hat. Handmade in Peru from the finest materials, this periwinkle blue or perfectly pink hat is covered with tiny but detailed buzzing bees.

Make no mistake, springy as they look, Virginia Dunn’s hats are warm as can be. Consider carrying them with the beautiful accompanying handmade knit vests and stoles. They’re also a great sell for environmentally-conscious shoppers.

Inspired by nature, Virginia Dunn’s fibers are colored using low-impact AZO-free dyes and naturally occurring colors of wool, alpaca, llama and pima cotton.

Slightly less whimsical, but no less adorable, is the Newborn Cardigan Set, a perfect shower gift sure not to be duplicated. Beautifully hand-crafted from pima cotton, the cardigan set features a cardigan, booties and soft little baby cap. The sweater features delicate tie closures and the booties have sweet little mother of pearl buttons to complete the outfit. But it’s the cap that tops it off! It frames the chubby little cheeks of the newborn babe and is an attention-grabbing display wherever you put gift sets in your shop.

Get in on the buzz at www.virginia-dunn.com

Patouche Tops Adventures

Little girl, little boy, what beautiful hats you have! The better to show off to the world! Inspired by Little Red Riding Hood’s mystical romp through the forest and the swashbuckling adventures of Treasure Island, Patouche has outdone itself with its collection. By including little elements of dress-up in everyday wear, Patouche makes children feel like they’re walking through the pages of their very own storybook. Parents will hunt you down for the adorable little red hood with a patterned beige interior and delicate strings.

Not to be outdone, Patouche offers Wooly Pirate hats for boys, complete with a red star. Creator Kesa Laxton used to work as a designer and scenic artist for the theatre world, and it shows. Her flair for the dramatic is evident in the Flapper Girl Bonnet in scarlet, adorned with a flower decal with such precise petals it almost looks like whimsical bunny ears. All hats are done in Canadian Melton wool and lined with cotton flannel.

Carry products that are environmentally friendly? Patouche uses 100% recycled paper when printing marketing materials and packaging.

Begin your buying adventure at www.patouche.ca