HATS, YOU ASK?

I.m a hat guy.

Ashley, my wife, will tell you that I own more hats than shoes. I may even own more shoes than she does, but that's a story for another day. The shoe rack behind our closet door doesn't have a single shoe on it. From floor to ceiling, it's filled with hats. So offering hats I'll wear and that you'll want to wear too is a must for me.

If we're going to put the Blessed & Blue Collar name on a hat, it has to be one we're proud of.

When we started this journey, I already had my mind made up on the exact hat I wanted to use. I still love the style, fit, and feel of that hat. As far as I was concerned, the hat decision had already been made.

The problem is, it's not American made at all.

I've always been pro American made products, but the truth is, when this journey started, I hadn't given much thought to where our products would come from. I also had no idea how difficult it would be to find products that met the standards we were looking for.

As this brand became a reality, we spent a lot of time defining what we stand for. Along the way, supporting American manufacturing became increasingly important to us.

What started as a preference became a core value for us. That's when I realized finding a hat would be a lot harder than finding a shirt.

Our goal is to offer an American-made hat. If we can find one that meets our standards, that's what we'll offer. If not, we'll be transparent about where it's made and why we chose it.

To be honest, finding shirts made in America was challenging enough. Finding manufacturers willing and able to provide documentation to back up those claims was even harder.

When it comes to hats, the options are even more limited. The sad reality I discovered is that there are only a handful of American cap manufacturers left, and fewer still that can work with a small brand like ours without requiring a significant upfront investment.

We're still doing the homework so we can stay true to the core values that have defined Blessed & Blue Collar. We want to get it right, not just for ourselves, but for the people who continue to support this brand and those who will support it in the future.

When we find a hat that meets the standards we're looking for, you'll find it here.

Trust me, when we do, you'll probably get tired of hearing about it.