Apart from head protection, personalized hard hats can be an effective branding tool. Find out the top customization providers you can work with in this guide
When we think of hard hats, the first thing that comes to mind is the important role they play in keeping our workforce safe. Often overlooked is that these pieces of personal safety equipment can also serve as a powerful tool for branding.
In this article, Canadian Occupational Safety lists 10 of the top providers of personalized hard hats in the country. We will give you an overview of the customization services they offer. We will also discuss the different ways to personalize your team’s hard hats and how these can benefit your business.
If you’re searching for ways to raise brand awareness without sacrificing worker safety, this guide can help. Read on and take your pick from our list of custom hard hat providers.
Top 10 personalized hard hat providers in Canada
Providers of personalized hard hats in the country offer a range of products and services that can help your brand stand out. Here are some of Canada’s best customization specialists. The companies on our list are arranged alphabetically. This list isn’t exhaustive; you can also get quality personalization services from providers not featured in this guide.
1. A2Z Branding
Headquarters: Mississauga, ON
Expertise: Digital printing, promotional products, custom apparel, trade show displays
MOQ: 12 pieces
Production time: 2 to 3 weeks
A2Z Branding specializes in custom-branded products. It holds partnerships with some of Canada’s top vendors. The company boasts more than two decades of experience in providing logo printing services. For personalized hard hats, you can choose from an array of colours, including hi-vis yellow and orange. Logos can be printed on the front, sides, and back.
The company provides digital printing services for various types of hard hats, including cap-style, full-brim, vented, and welding versions. Per-unit price varies depending on your order quantity. You can choose among 12, 24, 48, and 96 pieces.
2. AdCentives
Headquarters: Delta, BC
Expertise: Promotional and incentive products
MOQ: 9 to 24 pieces, depending on the type of hard hat and logo requirements
Production time: 5 to 21 days; 1 to 3 days for rush orders
AdCentives offers promotional and corporate items designed to boost brand awareness. The company’s selection includes headwear, workwear, and an assortment of awards and memorabilia. AdCentives provides different types of personalized hard hats. You can choose from a range of colours and logo sizes, which have a corresponding impact on the price. Brand logos are mostly pad-printed.
3. Anything Printing
Headquarters: Belleville, ON
Expertise: Decoration, graphic design
MOQ: 9 to 24 pieces, depending on the type of hard hat and logo requirements
Production time: 5 to 14 days; 1 to 3 days for rush orders
Printing services specialist Anything Printing can do just about any type of printing. From heat transfer, screen printing, and debossing to dye sublimation and digital printing, the company boasts facilities to create unique logos. But for custom hard hats, brands are typically pad-printed. The firm also offers logo-printing services for other types of workwear, including jackets, vests, and coveralls.
4. Bullard
Headquarters: Kentucky, USA
Expertise: Personal protective equipment (PPE)
MOQ: 20 pieces
Production time: Varies depending on project approval
US-based personal safety equipment specialist Bullard provides a different kind of customization. An established brand in the industry, the manufacturer allows you to create personalized hard hats for your team through its “Build your Bullard” online tool.
Apart from the colours and materials, you can add features and attachments that suit the industry your business is in. You can save and access your project through the tool’s user-friendly dashboard. You can also add notes if you have special requirements. All projects are subject to approval.
Hard hats are an essential part of your team’s PPE. Find out what other types of protective gear your business needs in this essential guide to personal safety equipment. This guide includes downloadable checklists of the PPE requirements for each industry.
5. Defender Safety
Headquarters: New York, USA
Expertise: Personal protective equipment (PPE)
MOQ: 12 pieces
Production time: 2 weeks from logo approval and full payment; repeat orders usually take less time
PPE manufacturer Defender Safety offers customization services for types 1 and 2 and classes C and E hard hats. Designs can be printed or in the form of decals. The company accepts logos with up to four colours. It also has a dedicated webpage where you can view the technical specifications and request a quote.
6. Grafica
Headquarters: Toronto, ON
Expertise: Promotional items
MOQ: 20 to 25 pieces, depending on the type of hard hat and logo requirements
Production time: 5 to 12 days; 1 to 3 days for rush orders
Grafica may be a good option if you require a large number of personalized hard hats. The promotional products specialist can handle orders of more than 1,000 pieces. Rush items can even be shipped within 24 hours. Printed logos can come in a variety of colours. The company also ships products to other parts of North America.
7. JB Promotions
Headquarters: Mississauga, ON
Expertise: Promotional products
MOQ: Varies depending on the type of hard hat and logo requirements
Production time: Varies depending on the type of hard hat and logo requirements
JB Promo offers customization services for types 1 and 2, sure-lock, and pin-lock hard hats. Most technical details are available on request but for those with disclosed information, pad-printing is the common method of logo application. The company accepts anywhere from single orders to bulk orders in the hundreds. It also provides personalization services for different types of apparel, including workwear and high-visibility clothing.
8. MSA Safety
Headquarters: Toronto, ON
Expertise: Personal protective equipment (PPE)
MOQ: 12 to 40 pieces, depending on the type of hard hat
Production time: Within 8 days; 7 days for repeat orders
MSA is an established brand in the personal safety equipment market. The manufacturer offers personalized hard hats through its MSA Logo Express service. Apart from your brand logo, you can add the worker’s name, title, and ID number. You can also have text and artwork printed on different parts of the shell.
MSA allows you to choose the shell colour. The company can match any PMS colour requested. You can also pick from about 30 reflective and retro-reflective stripe colours for enhanced visibility in low-lighting environments. MOQs are as follows:
MSA is also one of our 2024 Readers’ Choice awardees in the PPE-head protection category.
9. PIP Global
Headquarters: Laval, QC
Expertise: Personal protective equipment (PPE)
MOQ: Not indicated
Production time: 15 days
PIP Global offers a range of industrial and personal safety equipment. It also provides custom logo printing services for different types of PPE. For personalized hard hats, your designs can be printed on the front, back, and sides. Full-graphic wrap option is also available. You can download the logo requirements and request forms from the company’s website. The firm accepts low MOQs.
10. Trigon International
Headquarters: Calgary, AB
Expertise: Promotional products
MOQ: Varies depending on the type of hard hat and logo requirements
Production time: Varies depending on the type of hard hat and logo requirements
Trigon International provides a range of customization services for a range of products, including safety headwear. Designs can be printed on different parts of the hard hat. The company has experience working with global brands, including Cool Gear, Safety Works, and New Balance. It can handle quick turnaround times for clients in Canada and the US.
Check out our picks for the best hard hats for your construction worksite in this guide.
What are the benefits of personalized hard hats?
Beyond their functional role, hard hats can be an effective branding tool. These are some of the benefits of providing personalized hard hats for your team:
1. Brand awareness
Having your company’s logo on a piece of protective equipment that almost all workers wear helps reinforce your brand’s identity on the job site. It also allows you to establish a visual presence that can resonate with your employees and clients.
2. Increased visibility
Visibility is key in streamlining communication and coordination in a busy work environment such as manufacturing and construction sites. Custom hard hats help you identify team members easily. They can also improve accountability in the workplace as employees are readily identifiable when accidents and emergency situations happen.
3. Professional impression
A branded hard hat helps your business establish a professional image. It shows your commitment to safety, which can leave a positive impression on your clients, stakeholders, and even the public.
4. Marketing and advertising
Personalized hard hats can serve as an effective promotional tool. As your workers move between job sites and interact with the community, custom headgear becomes a mobile advertisement. This allows you to introduce your company’s logo to a wider audience, enhancing brand recognition and awareness.
5. Employee engagement
Custom hard hats help foster a sense of belonging and camaraderie within your team. In a way, your workers also become ambassadors of your brand, giving them a sense of ownership that can boost morale and engagement. This can also enable you to cultivate a culture of safety within your company.
What are the different ways to personalize your team’s hard hats?
There are many ways for you to stamp your company’s identity onto your hard hats, including:
Company logo
Having your business’ logo on your team’s protective headgear is one of the simplest ways for you to increase brand recognition and awareness. Prints and decals are the most popular methods of hard hat customization. For best visibility, your logo must be printed on the front of the hat. It must also be big enough to be seen but not too large to look out of place.
Company name
Along with your logo, having your company name on your hard hats is a cost-effective way of boosting your brand’s visibility and recall.
Safety slogans
Safety slogans on hard hats can send a powerful message to your employees and clients that you value a culture of safety in the workplace.
Job titles
You can use personalized hard hats to identify a worker’s role easily. You can do this by using abbreviations or spelling out the complete title.
Employee names or initials
Nothing can be more personal than having your employees’ name or initials on an essential piece of protective equipment.
Artwork
Custom artwork can make your team’s hard hat look unique and more attractive. It can also be an effective way to convey your brand’s values, missions, and vision.
Reflective strips
Reflective strips improve visibility in dark work environments. These elements come in different colours, which you can mix and match to create personalized designs.
Hard hats play a crucial role in preventing head injuries, but there’s more to head protection than this type of PPE. Here are three things employers need to know about head protection in the workplace.
What should you consider when customizing hard hats for your team?
When personalizing your team’s hard hats, there are several factors you need to consider to make branding effective. These include:
Shell material
The type of material has a huge effect on how your logos appear on the hard hats. Some materials are not suitable for printed designs. This means that other logo-application methods such as decals, etching, and debossing may be a better option.
Colour
The right colour combination lets your company’s logo stand out. Make sure that the hard hat’s hue doesn’t drown out your brand’s colour themes.
Brand positioning
Your company’s logo must be printed on the front of the hard hat. Placing it on the sides and back reduces brand visibility.
Is there a colour code for hard hats in Canada?
Unlike in the US where hard hats are colour-coded, the CSA Standard Z94.1-15 doesn’t assign colours to protective headwear for different jobs. Companies, however, may implement their own colour coding schemes.
The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) emphasizes: “It is important that attention is focused on a hazard assessment and ensuring the hard hat provides the protection required – not the colour.”
Visit our Products Resources page to get more news and information about protective headwear in Canada. Be sure to bookmark this page for the latest industry updates.
Do you have tips on how to make personalized hard hats stand out? Let us know in the comments.
