Our Craft

Click to play the movie on the left. It shows how much care and attention is given to each individual item.

The Story of a Patch Cap

Johnny blocking the cap - a little bit like ironing your shirt, except in 3D!

The 'crown' of the cap before it is sewn.

Nellie joining the lining and interlining of a cap.

Marion starts another cap - each cap is made from start to finish by the one machinist!

Richard Junior and Paul discussing the days production.

Ron and Johnny laying out fabric for the next batch.

Tim 'picking' an internet order.

Some of the 'knives' used to cut the fabric.

An order cut and ready to be sewn.

Paul cutting the next order.

Marion sewing a mizen cap.

Finola attached the peak to the crown.

Johnny carries out final checks after blocking.

Very happy with the quality on this one!

Eileen working on a patch cap.

Marion working on a mizen cap.

Nellie making the peak.

Finola finishing a peak.

Richard (left) and Paul (right) - making sure the orders get to our customers on time!.

Here at Mizen Head, we make our genuine Irish products at our base in West Cork, Ireland.

Each Mizen Head machinist is highly skilled and can make any of our garments from start to finish by themselves.

A variety of tweeds is used for the patch cap, which is one of our more popular items from our range.

It was originally developed to reduce waste from off cuts, but now it has developed a life all of its own.

Each square of patch is cut using a special cutting tool, and then assembled and sewn together by hand.

These newly sewn fabrics are cut to the required shapes for creating the crown, and the peak of the patch cap.

Of course, our famous caps wouldn't be very comfortable without our soft lining, which is cut to shape and inserted into every cap we make.

Sizing strips are inserted into the crown of each cap to ensure the cap is always exactly the right size – they are made from a material that will not stretch or shrink. Only 100% brass studs are used in the making of each cap.

Each hat is steamed in a specially designed machine to retain its distinctive shape, now ready fully finished, and ready to begin its new life.