How To Shrink A New Era Hat (Fitted 59FIFTY)

Although New Era hats come in a variety of sizes, suitable for heads of any size, you may still find yourself with a hat that’s too small from time to time. So, can you shrink a New Era 59FIFTY hat?

Shrinking a New era 59FIFTY hat is possible. It can be done by heating water and submerging your hat in it. The water should be hot enough that there’s a little steam, but not boiling. After cooling, it should be allowed to dry while being worn.

However, there’s much more to it than that.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to shrink a New Era 59FIFTY hat.

Please be cautious as there’s a clear risk of injury when dealing with warm water. In addition, be wary that there’s always a risk of shrinking the hat too much or damaging it with DIY methods such as these.

How To Shrink Your New Era 59FIFTY Hat In 6 Steps

Understanding the ins and outs of shrinking New Era 59FIFTY hats can be a challenge. This no-nonsense guide will teach you exactly how to do it.

It’s important to understand that there’s always the risk of damaging or misshaping your hat when attempting to shrink it.

1. Research The Hat

The first and most foundational step to shrinking your New Era 59FIFTY hat is doing some research on the hat that needs shrinking.

Its material is the main thing you’ll need to find out. However, finding out its size and the size you want it to shrink to can be useful too.

You can check the hat’s material by checking the label on the inside of your hat or by consulting the place you bought it.

Here’s an example of a 100% polyester 59FIFTY on Amazon: 

The majority of New Era 59FIFTY hats are 100% polyester. Having said that, it’s best to check, just to be certain.

Polyester is typically more resistant to shrinking than other materials, and therefore, it can be challenging to shrink.

2. Find A Suitable Saucepan

The method that’ll be described in this post requires a saucepan. It’s important to find a saucepan suitable for the job.

You’ll need to find a saucepan that comfortably fits your hat, with minimal scrunching or folding of the hat.

While a little bit of scrunching is acceptable, too much could cause the hat to deform when heated.

Therefore, finding a saucepan large enough to accommodate your hat is essential. The most readily available large saucepans are 22cm, 24cm, or 26cm. 

3. Fill The Saucepan

When filling up the saucepan, it’s essential to ensure that you put the right amount of water in.

Too much water has the potential to overflow when putting the hat in and heating it up while too little water won’t shrink the hat.

For a standard-sized saucepan, keeping the water approximately 1.5 inches from the top of the pan is sufficient. 

On the other hand, for smaller saucepans, you should keep the water a little further from the bottom whereas you can allow the water to go a little closer to the top with larger saucepans.

However, saucepans come in many different sizes, so you should do what’s best. As a rule of thumb, there should be enough water in the pan to be able to fully submerge the hat without it overflowing.

4. Heat Up The Water

The heat of the water matters because if it’s too cold, the hat won’t shrink whereas, if it’s too hot, it could damage the hat or shrink it too much.

Heating the water-filled saucepan on low heat is recommended. It can take several minutes for the water to heat up.

When heating the water, you should allow it to get warm enough for it to produce a small amount of steam.

However, if the water starts boiling, you heated it too much. Boiling water can damage or deform your hat.

5. Submerge The Hat

Once the water is warm, you’ll need to submerge your hat in the water. There are two ways you can do this: fully submerge the hat or hold it by the bill, so that only the crown gets shrunk.

Each has its benefits, but ultimately, the product will be pretty much the same – a shrunken New Era 59FIFTY hat.

Using kitchen tongs is highly recommended to avoid getting wet or potentially injuring yourself if the water is hotter than expected.

Once it’s in the saucepan, you’ll need to leave it submerged for a few minutes, allowing it to soak up the warm water.

Because New Era 59FIFTY hats are usually 100% polyester, it may take longer than you expect it to; persistence and patience really pay off here.

Always be wary that submerging the hat in warm water can damage or deform the hat.

6. Wear The Hat Until It’s Dry

After a few minutes of your hat being submerged have passed, it’s ready to be taken out. Once it’s out, you can begin the drying process.

When you take the hat out, it’ll be very wet. Shake it a bit to remove any excess water and leave it a couple of minutes to cool down.

Once the hat has cooled, you should put it on. 

Do not wear the hat if it’s warm enough to cause injury. 

It’s recommended to wear the hat until it’s dry, so beginning this hat-shrinking procedure in the morning is best.

This is because, when the hat comes out of the water, it’ll be pliable and will, therefore, dry conforming to the shape and size of your head.

By the end of the day, the hat still might not be completely dry. In this case, you should hang the hat up with a clothespin overnight. 

When hanging the hat up, it’s important to ensure that you hang it up by its bill, to diminish any chances of the hat’s shape warping.

Frequently Asked Questions

Now you know how to shrink your New Era 59FIFTY hat in 6 simple steps, you’ll likely have some questions on the matter. Here are some frequently asked questions to really round things off.

Do New Era Hats Shrink Or Stretch?

New Era hats can both shrink and stretch. Both involve a hat-heating method to make the hat material more pliable. However, be careful when warming up the hat to stretch it, as if it’s too hot it could begin to shrink.

Shrinking or stretching your New Era hat is entirely possible. Both require similar methods: the main one being heating your hat.

How Do You Shrink The Crown Of A New Era Hat?

To shrink the crown of a New Era hat, you should first find out the material. Once you know the material, heat some water so that there’s a small amount of steam but it’s not boiling. Then, holding the hat by the bill using kitchen tongs, submerge the crown in the warm water.

As mentioned in step 5, to shrink just the crown of your New Era hat, submerge just the crown and not the rest of the hat.

Be careful when removing the hat from the water because it’ll be warm.

Conclusion

Shrinking your New Era 59FIFTY hat can be done. Once again, there’s always the possibility of damaging or misshaping your hat with DIY methods such as these.