Custom Round Hat Boxes Sized to the Brim

What is a hat box today?

The round hat box has been around for well over a century, and the shape has barely changed. A tall drum with a lid keeps a brim from being bent and a crown from being crushed.

Ours is a rolled greyboard tube with a base disc and a lid that slides over the top. The wrap covers the outside, and a contrast paper lines the inside.

Today they are bought as much for the look as for the hat. Our round rigid tube boxes are the same construction in smaller, taller sizes.

How does a round hat box open?

The lid is a short drum that slides over the top of the tube. You lift it straight up, and there is a gentle draw as the air comes in.

The lid depth is usually 40 to 60 mm on a hat box. That gives enough grip for the box to be carried by the lid if someone forgets the handle.

In our blue sample, a gold foil rim runs round the lid edge and the base, and a white ribbon is tied across the top. The ribbon is decorative, but it also stops the lid lifting in a bag.

Because the tube is round, the lid can go on at any angle. There is no front or back to line up, which makes hat boxes quick to close in a busy shop.

What size hat box do I need?

Measure the hat across the widest part of the brim, then the height from the table to the top of the crown. Add 20 mm to the width and 15 mm to the height.

Brims are not always round. A boater is close to a circle, but an occasion hat may be oval or swept up on one side. Give us the longest width.

Fascinators need height rather than width, because of feathers or veiling. The worked examples in sizing a rigid box in millimetres follow the same steps.

Can hat boxes come as a nested set?

Yes. Our floral photo shows three drums in a pink rose print with gold rims, each a size smaller than the last. They stack inside each other for storage and look good stepped on a shelf.

Nested sets are popular with gift shops and florists. Each box is quoted at its own size, and they share one design.

What about a flat hat box for a boater?

One of our photos shows a different build: a flat grey box that opens out, with a white card post in the centre. A straw boater rests on the post, so the brim never touches the base.

This suits hats with stiff, flat brims that should not rest on their edge. Tell us if you prefer this style, and we will quote it as a special build.

For most felt and occasion hats, the round drum is simpler and easier to carry.

How are hat boxes wrapped and finished?

The tube takes the wrap in one long strip, so patterns run all the way round. Florals, stripes and solid colours all suit the shape.

Our black sample uses a ribbed, textured paper with a gold foil frame and a short message. A twisted black cord runs through two holes in the walls as a handle.

Any laminate (soft touch, matt or gloss) can be added as an option, along with foil, embossing, debossing or spot UV. Foil rims round the lid and base are a classic hat box detail. Our finishes for wrapped rigid boxes guide covers how foil wraps a curve.

Can you post a hat in a hat box?

Yes, inside an outer carton. Hat boxes come to you fully formed with lids fitted, so you only add the hat and tissue.

Choose a square outer carton a little larger than the drum, and fill the four corners with packing. Keep the box upright so the crown stays on top.

Hats that are sold in a shop rarely need an outer carton. The customer carries the box by its cord, so the handle and lid fit matter more than packing. Tell us roughly what the hat weighs, and we place the cord holes and choose the board so the handle holds.