Why you shouldn’t just crease the brim
Many people try to bend the cap with their hands or squeeze the brim together hard. The problem: without something round to bend it around, the curve is rarely even, and a sharp crease often can’t be smoothed out completely. It’s better to shape the brim slowly and evenly and hold it in that position for a while.
Washing can also take a toll on the brim: we advise against the washing machine, dryer and hot water. You’ll find out how to clean your cap gently by hand in our article How to wash a cap.
Flat or curved brim – which suits you?
Bending a snapback brim without creases: the steam method
To bend the brim of your snapback evenly and without ugly creases, all you really need is a little patience and something round. The core of the brim is usually made of sturdy plastic that is easy to shape with heat. Here’s how to do it step by step:
1. Prepare the brim with steam: Bring water to the boil in a pot or use a handheld steamer. Carefully hold the brim in the rising steam for approx. 3 to 5 minutes. This makes the plastic core inside soft and easy to shape. Mind your fingers and keep a safe distance from the hot steam – this is a job for adults, not for the kids.
2. Pick something round: Find a round object with the curve you want – for example a drinking bottle (such as a larger insulated bottle or a 0.5 l bottle), a can or a thick roll of tape.
3. Bend evenly: Gently lay the steamed brim around the curve of the bottle or can. Bend it evenly with your hands from the middle outwards instead of creasing it in one spot.
4. Secure it and let it cool: Stretch thick rubber bands, a belt or a sock tightly around the brim and bottle so the brim stays in shape. Leave the cap secured like this to cool and dry, ideally overnight or at least for a few hours. Once cooled, the plastic keeps its new shape for good.
Tip: After you take it off, the brim springs back very slightly. So when securing it, bend it a touch more than you want the final result to be.
Prefer to skip the heat altogether? Then use our Cap Curver, a hat brim bender that shapes your snapback or baseball cap without any steam. The step-by-step guide to the Cap Curver in this article shows you how.
Light, medium or strong: finding the right curve
How much you bend your snapback brim is a matter of taste. Our tip: start with a light curve. If you don’t like it yet, set the Cap Curver a little tighter next time – or use a narrower round object with the steam method – and repeat. That way you work your way towards your favorite shape instead of bending too much right away.
Can you bend a cap brim straight again?
Once a brim has been bent, it usually won’t get quite as flat as when it was new. If you like the flat look, simply leave the brim of your snapback cap as it is and store the cap so that nothing presses on the brim.
Bending the cap brim upwards
Some people like to wear the brim flipped up. The Cap Curver is made for the classic downward curve. For the flipped-up look, simply flip the brim up while wearing the cap – just make sure not to crease it sharply.
Bending a cap with the Cap Curver: step by step
Bending the brim on kids caps
The Cap Curver is adjustable in size and also works for all Soulbuddy KIDS S, M and L caps. That’s especially handy for a matching look: if you bend the brims of the parent and kids cap the same way, the look is even more uniform. Our kids caps come in KIDS M for toddlers approx. 1–2 years and KIDS L for kids from approx. 2 years. You’ll find matching sets for parent and child among our sets of 2.
You can put together your own combinations for the whole family in the Mix & Match Bundle Builder for caps & beanies, and you’ll find more helpers for your caps in our cap accessories.
Frequently asked questions about bending a cap brim
How long does the Cap Curver need to stay on the brim?
At least 1 hour – but you can also simply leave it on overnight. Then open the snap closure and your cap is ready.
How do I get a crease out of a cap brim?
A sharp crease usually won’t disappear completely. You can soften it with the steam method: warm up the brim, lay it evenly around a bottle and let it cool while secured.
Your set, your colours
Choose style, colour and size for every cap – and save up to 25 % with the bundle discount.
