You love wearing your black cap on morning walks, gym, and performing other outdoor activities. Apart from saving you from harmful UV rays, it has become an integral part of your personality and attire. However, you have started noticing a slight change of color in your hat and wondering how it is happening. This relates to the color fading of your black hat and turning it brown or orange.
Don’t worry; you are not alone!
There’s nothing more disturbing than seeing your favorite accessory break down. And hat lovers can understand this pain. If you are facing the same issue and thinking Why is My Black Hat Turning Brown? This article is for you!
Let’s explore the reasons behind the color fading of a black hat and ways to avoid it.
There are a lot of offenders that cause a black hat to fade away and turn brown. Some of them include sweat, chemicals, UV rays, excessive or wrong way of washing, and many more.
Reasons behind a Black Hat Turning Brown:
1. UV Rays Coming From The Sun
UV rays are the biggest enemies of your black hat. Ultraviolet rays from the sun fade and kill your hat’s black dye, which looks faded afterward. If you wear your hat regularly, excessive sun exposure can break down the fabric’s dye. On the other hand, the occasional wearing of a black hat does not let the UV rays affect its color.
Tip: If you are immensely exposed to sunlight daily, consider getting a hat that offers UV protection. On top of that, you can use UV protection spray on your hat before heading out for extra protection.
2. Sweat:
If you tend to sweat a lot during your workout sessions or running, your black hat is more likely to get yellowish or orange stains. Only a few people know that our sweat contains salt and some acidic value, which turns your black hat’s color into off-white or yellowish orange. There’s no way we can stop getting sweaty.
Tip: One way is to clean your sweat with a dry cloth every few minutes. Moreover, washing your hat after having a hectic, sweaty day will remove all the stains, and the color will be restored.
3. Chemicals:
Our cosmetic items or shampoos contain chemicals that cause the fabric to lose color and melt away. Our face creams, moisturizers, sunscreens, shampoos, and other hair or skincare products have a wide range of chemicals, like benzoil peroxide, that discolor our headgear. Chemically faded hats cannot be washed to recoup the color as they kill the fabric’s dye.
Tip: One thing you can do is re-dye your hat with black color, and it will turn new.
4. Excessive washing or scrubbing:
Scrubbing is another thing that dies out the original color of the black hat. Scrubbing your hat with a toothbrush or other brush is not recommended to get rid of the stains. Harsh scrubbing causes the dye to break down. Moreover, if your hat color is fading, it’s probably because you are washing it too much.
Tip: Only wash your hat once a week gently. Consider washing it every two or three days in case of different uses. Don’t scrub it, just use a damp cloth and dishwashing soap to clean it.
Final Thoughts:
It is normal for hats to break down and change their color for various reasons. You can prevent your favorite black hat from turning into a brown color by following some preventive measures. To nip it in the bud, the first step is to recognize the cause behind it and then you can take action to save it from discoloring.
