Richardson 112 Hat Colors: Choosing From the Range
The 112 comes in more colorways than any other blank we run, which is a genuine advantage and a decision problem. We'll narrow it down.
Richardson 112 colorways are built as a split — a front panel color and a mesh back color — which is why the range runs to well over a hundred combinations from a much smaller set of individual colors. Understanding that structure is what makes the range navigable, because you're choosing two things rather than one.
- Front and back are specified separately. That is where the range comes from.
- The front panel is what your logo sits on. Choose it first.
- Solid, two-tone and tri-color options. The range covers plain crowns through split colorways.
- Made in the USA, no minimums. One hat is a real order.
How the Color System Works
A 112 colorway is described front-to-back. A listing reading "Navy/White" means a navy front with a white mesh back; "Charcoal/Black" is a charcoal front with black mesh.
Three configurations exist across the range.
- Solid. Front and back the same color. The most conservative and the easiest to decorate, since the whole hat reads as one tone.
- Two-tone. A front panel in one color with a contrasting mesh back. The classic trucker look and the largest part of the range.
- Tri-color. A front panel, side panels and mesh back in three colors. Bolder and more specific, which suits teams and events more than corporate work.
Our note on Richardson 112 vs 115 covers the mesh-free alternative.
Choose the front panel color first, since that is what your logo sits on. The mesh back is a styling decision that barely affects how the decoration reads.
Which Fronts Decorate Best
| Front panel | Decorates | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Black | Excellent | Any thread reads; the safest choice |
| Navy | Excellent | Same as black, slightly softer |
| Charcoal | Very good | Neutral; suits most palettes |
| White | Very good | Needs dark or saturated thread |
| Heather gray | Very good | Texture softens fine detail slightly |
| Mid-tones | Variable | Contrast is the constraint |
| Camo | Difficult | Pattern competes with the design |
Dark and neutral fronts are forgiving. Mid-tones and patterns need the design checked against them.
The camo case is the one worth planning for. A patterned front breaks up any stitched design, so camo 112s generally want a patch, a bold single-color mark, or a design placed to sit on a quieter area of the pattern.
Our note on how to choose hat colors covers the wider decision.
Narrowing a Large Range
Four questions settle most orders quickly.
- What are the brand colors? If one exists in the range, the front panel decision is usually made.
- Does it need to read at distance? Event and team hats need a strong tonal step between front panel and thread. Retail and staff pieces do not.
- Who is wearing it? A broad audience argues for neutral fronts; a specific group tolerates a bolder choice.
- One colorway or several? Retail programs sell better with two or three options; giveaway programs are simpler with one.
Where a brand color is a mid-tone that would fight the decoration, putting the brand color on the mesh back and a neutral on the front usually solves it — the hat still reads as the brand and the logo still reads clearly.
If your brand color is a mid-tone that fights the thread, put it on the mesh back and use a neutral front. The hat still reads as the brand and the logo stays legible.
Camo Options
The 112 range includes several camo patterns, which are among the most requested and the most constrained.
Camo fronts break up stitched detail, since the pattern already occupies the visual field the design has to compete with.
Three ways to handle it.
- Use a patch. A leather or woven patch brings its own flat surface, which is why patch hats on camo blanks are so common.
- Go bold and single-color. A heavy mark in one high-contrast thread survives the pattern where fine detail does not.
- Choose a camo with a quiet area. Some patterns have larger tonal blocks that a design can sit within.
Our note on Richardson 112 patch hats covers the patch route.
- Choosing by the mesh back. The front panel carries the logo.
- Fine detail on camo. The pattern breaks it up.
- A mid-tone front with mid-tone thread. They merge at distance.
- Too many colorways on a first order. Two or three, then reorder what moves.
Colorway Availability
A practical point on any large range.
Not every colorway is stocked at the same depth. Core colors — black, navy, charcoal, white and the common two-tones — are reliably available. Seasonal and less common combinations move in and out.
Two consequences. For a repeat program, staying on a core colorway means reorders match. And for a one-off order, an unusual colorway is fine but worth confirming before the design is built around it.
Where an exact colorway matters across years, recording the specific combination rather than a description keeps subsequent runs consistent.
Our note on Richardson 112 XL hats covers the sizing variant.
Matching a Colorway Across Reorders
A practical concern on any program that runs for more than one order.
Colorways in a large range are not all permanent. Core colors persist across years; seasonal and specialty combinations are introduced and retired. A program built on an unusual combination can find it unavailable on the second order.
Three habits protect against it.
- Record the exact colorway name rather than a description. "Navy/White" is unambiguous; "the blue one" is not and a year later nobody remembers which blue.
- Stay on core colors for long-running programs. Black, navy, charcoal, white, heather gray and the common two-tones are the reliable set.
- Order the full projected quantity at once where an unusual colorway is essential, rather than reordering later against uncertain stock.
Dye lots vary slightly between production runs even within the same colorway, which is normal and usually imperceptible. Where exact matching matters across a large program, ordering in one run removes the question entirely.
Common Combinations That Work
- Black / black. Solid, neutral, decorates with anything. The default.
- Navy / white. Classic trucker contrast, reads clean and traditional.
- Charcoal / black. Understated, suits corporate and premium work.
- Heather gray / black. Casual and contemporary, very widely used.
- White / black. High contrast, reads bright, shows dirt.
- Loden or forest / black. Outdoor positioning without being loud.
For a program that needs one colorway to work across a broad audience, charcoal or heather gray fronts are the most reliable — both are neutral, both suit most brand palettes and both decorate well in either light or dark thread.
What We Tell Customers Who Ask
Colorway does not affect decoration cost. Choose by how the hat should look and read rather than expecting a saving on a particular combination.
Light fronts show dirt faster on a hat that gets handled constantly. For a work or outdoor program, a mid to dark front stays looking new considerably longer.
On camo or patterned fronts, specify a patch rather than direct embroidery. The patch brings a flat surface and the design stops competing with the pattern.
For a program needing one colorway across a broad audience, we would run a charcoal or heather gray front with a black mesh back, which decorates well in either light or dark thread.
We choose the front panel against your artwork before anything else, because that is the surface carrying the logo and the mesh back barely affects how it reads. Free digital proof, free artwork setup on twelve or more, no minimums.
Richardson 112 vs 115, Richardson 112 XL hats, how to choose hat colors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Core guides: richardson 112 color guide, richardson 323fpc review.
How many colors does the Richardson 112 come in?
Well over a hundred combinations, because the front panel and mesh back are specified separately. The number of individual colors is much smaller than the number of colorways.
How are 112 colorways named?
Front to back. Navy/White means a navy front panel with a white mesh back. Tri-color listings add a separate side panel color.
Which color should I choose first?
The front panel, since that is what your logo sits on. The mesh back is a styling decision that barely affects how the decoration reads.
Which fronts decorate best?
Black, navy and charcoal are the most forgiving — any thread color reads against them. White works with dark or saturated thread. Mid-tones and camo need checking against the artwork.
Can I embroider on camo?
Yes, with care. The pattern breaks up fine detail, so camo fronts suit a patch, a bold single-color mark, or a design placed on a quieter area of the pattern.
What if my brand color fights the decoration?
Put it on the mesh back and use a neutral front. The hat still reads as the brand and the logo stays legible.
Is there a minimum order?
No. One hat is a real order and artwork setup is free on orders of twelve or more.
Pick the front panel first; everything else follows. Order custom Richardson 112 hats — start on the quick order page — every colorway, embroidered or patched. Free digital proof before production, free artwork setup on twelve or more, no minimums. Browse custom trucker hats.
A go-to blank: Richardson 112 Snapback Trucker.
Popular blank: Yupoong 6606 Retro Trucker. Browse all custom Richardson hats.
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