New Era's MLB Team Issued Caps: Inconsistency is The Only Consistency

After buying multiple team issued MLB on-field caps over the last few seasons, I have determined that there are multiple types of caps that New Era is producing at their Florida facility and sending out to the MLB teams. Below is the list of types that I've encountered from New Era's assembly plant in the Miami, Florida area that opened in 2019.

Size measurement band guide: Size measurement bands can be found between the crown and the back of the sweatband. A perforated band with brown ink is what New Era uses for all overseas-made caps. US-made caps with this band have had their crowns, embroidery/decoration, and visor cut and sewn overseas. MLB allows New Era to sew together the crown, visor, and sweatband at their Florida plant and call it "Made in USA." A solid white band with blue ink is for caps that have at least some degree of cutting and sewing domestically. New Era has used this size measurement band since 2006.

The Usual


This type cap is made exactly like typical overseas-made New Era caps. These caps have a slightly-shorter visor and a very tall crown. Initially the most common type of cap "assembled" in Florida, they have now become the minority.

Size measurement band: Perforated white band with brown ink

The Bangladeshi-American


These caps are made from components from Bangladesh. The dead giveaway is the visor stitching, which is much closer together on caps made in Bangladesh (observe the second photo). Rock-solid front panels and a squat, round crown are also signs of a cap made in Bangladesh.

Size measurement band: Perforated white band with brown ink

The Onion Dome


When we think of the worst features of New Era caps made in China, these take the cake. These feature bulbous, onion-shaped crowns and smaller than usual visors. Fortunately, the 2019 Player's Weekend caps appear to be the only US-assembled caps I have encountered with this shape.

Size measurement band: Perforated white band with brown ink

The Laotian-American


With the spring training/batting practice and 4th of July retail caps being made in Laos starting in 2022, many noticed that the Laotian caps have a distinctly tall crown with a bulbous, rounded top. Here they can be seen on these assembled-in-Florida team issued caps 4th of July using the Laotian components. As of 2023, all team issued 4th of July, Armed Forces Day, Mother's Day, and Father's Day caps are made with the old Derby, NY plant pattern.

Size measurement band: Perforated white band with brown ink

The Hybrid


This cap is made similar to overseas caps but may have had more USA assembly than just the three components being stitched together. These have the same visor size and shape as caps that were made at New Era's former plant in Derby, NY. However, I have only seen this version issued to the San Diego Padres in 2020. This is the case for their standard brown and gold cap, Sunday home alternate, and the never-worn 2020 St. Patrick's Day cap.

Size measurement band: Solid white band with blue ink

The Derby Clone


The Florida plant apparently does have the capability to cut & sew from scratch. These caps are made exactly like the caps made at New Era's former Derby, NY. plant. As you may recall, much of the Derby plant's cutting and sewing equipment was sold at auction a while ago. It's possible that the company New Era contracts with to assemble team issued caps in Florida purchased this equipment and is now using it, or New Era simply held on to some of the machinery. I'd be willing to bet that the Covid-19 pandemic and supply chain issues have made a US-based cutting and sewing operation a necessity. Fortunately, these are becoming more and more common, likely due to players complaining about their caps changing. Players can be very particular about their uniforms and caps and may notice subtle changes. Look at what happened during the 2024 season with the uniform changes! I believe that this must have happened with the team issued caps but it went under the radar.

Size measurement band: Solid white band with blue ink

The US Plant Button Pin


One key feature of US-made MLB on-field caps is the button pin. Since 2007, the US plants have exclusively used buttons with the New Era flag logo on the pin that has varying degrees of artificial patina. These are also the same ones they send out if you request replacement buttons from New Era. I have noticed that some Florida-made caps with the perforated band with brown ink do have these, and some use the pins from overseas. All with the solid band with blue ink have them. The US button and pin are also known to produce a clicking sound when touched.

How can you tell a Derby-made and a Derby Clone apart?


Check the country of origin & materials label. If there is a white row of stitching at the top, it's Derby. If there is a black row of stitching across the top, it's Florida.

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