Where are Port Authority hats made?
Port Authority is SanMar's flagship house brand, and SanMar sources across 19–21 countries — with headwear staying in Asia even after the company exited China entirely in 2025. What it doesn't publish is which country your specific cap came from.
The facts
SanMar is the promotional industry’s largest supplier and, credit where due, its most transparent: a published code of conduct, a modern-slavery statement, Fair Labor Association accreditation since 2012, and a downloadable factory list. The FLA’s 2023 reaccreditation report — the best neutral source available — counts 111 tier-one facilities across 21 countries, with Vietnam and China leading, and names headwear among the products.
Then 2025 happened. The company documented its own China exit: under 7% China exposure entering the year, then production ceased entirely. Its CEO said on the record in August 2025 that the company is out of China with no plans to return. Basics moved toward the Americas, but trade-press reporting notes that for higher-value goods including headwear, Asian sources were kept. Your Port Authority cap is an Asian-made cap by deliberate, stated strategy.
The Flexfit thread. Port Authority’s premium tier is built on licensed Flexfit technology — a Korean manufacturer’s cap engineering inside a SanMar label, at prices above Richardson’s 112. From Fall 2026, SanMar also sells Flexfit as a standalone brand. When you pay $15 for a house-brand cap, a meaningful part of that is someone else’s technology licence.
Sources: Fair Labor Association reaccreditation report (2023) · Trade press coverage, 2025 · Published company tariff statements. Customs findings are attributed as customs findings, not brand statements.
What it means for you
SanMar's price ladder runs from roughly $4.99 to $15.54 inside one brand. A direct programme prices the cap, not the ladder — we manufacture in the same countries, under your label, from 144 pieces sublimated.
The house brands share one supply chain
Port & Company sits at the value tier; Sport-Tek covers performance, with several styles carrying Yupoong-branded caps; District is fashion and CornerStone workwear.
Style-number note for searchers
The C112 was renumbered C402, and the C115 became the C405 — same cap, new number. Much of the web hasn't caught up.
The same cap, bought two ways.
Our headwear numbers,
in a PDF you can forward.
Capabilities, capacities, compliance, MOQs. Plus our biweekly sourcing letter.
Port Authority is a trademark of its owner. Headwind Group is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or a supplier to Port Authority. Origin information is compiled from public records — customs filings, trade-body registries, and the companies' own published statements — each cited where used. Sourcing changes; facts on this page were last verified August 2026.
Origin facts verified August 2026 · re-verified quarterly