Cap maker near New York buoyed by ‘Harris-Walz’ momentum

One hundred thousand caps bearing the “Harris Walz” logo have been sold since the announcement of their candidacy: near New York, a manufacturer of textile products derived from American election campaigns is being carried by the dazzling momentum of the new Democratic “ticket” for the presidential election.

“We’ve never seen caps sell so quickly, and we’ve been making campaign promotional items for 24 years,” said Mitch Cahn, CEO of Unionwear, who met AFP at his textile factory in Newark, an industrial bedroom community in New Jersey, west of Manhattan.

Since President Joe Biden withdrew from the race on July 21 and his running mate Kamala Harris took over, the business owner has been shocked: Sales of “Biden” caps were “anemic” until a new military-camouflage cap with an orange “Harris Walz” slogan became the latest campaign trend.

A textile worker works on a cap with the names of Democrats Kamala Harris and Tim Walz for the US presidential election on November 5 at a factory in Newark, New Jersey, near New York, on August 22, 2024 (AFP/ANGELA WEISS)

Mitch Cahn owes his good fortune in part to the very dynamic governor of Minnesota Tim Walz, who will be Kamala Harris’ vice president if they are elected on November 5 against Republicans Donald Trump and JD Vance: as soon as he “wore one of our hats on television the night he was elected, sales skyrocketed.”

“Since Barack Obama’s campaign in 2008, we haven’t seen such enthusiasm for a candidate,” says the boss, surrounded by his employees who are running the sewing machines at full speed.

– “Never seen before” –

Mr. Cahn claims to have, for a quarter of a century, “worked with all the Democratic candidates for president, including during the primaries (…) and with many Republican candidates.”

Caps with the names of Democrats Kamala Harris and Tim Walz for the US presidential election on November 5 are seen at a factory in Newark, New Jersey, near New York, on August 22, 2024 (AFP/ANGELA WEISS)

“The volume of caps sold in such a short time is unprecedented,” he said, putting forward the figure of 100,000 pieces in a few weeks.

The explosion in demand is such that his staff is working up to 60 hours a week, including Saturdays, to cope with the avalanche of orders. The manufacturer has even had to invest hastily in additional machines to be able to produce up to 4,000 caps a day.

The cap is a real traditional item in the United States.

The one that really stands out at Unionwear is a high-crowned model worn in baseball stadiums. The textile workers added a khaki green camouflage print and neon orange lettering.

– Hunter’s cap –

A model favored by hunters who represent a huge reserve of votes in the United States, on which Tim Walz himself, a hunter, is counting and for a time supported by the firearms lobby NRA.

“Merchandising sales reflect the candidate’s popularity and the degree of voter attachment,” Cahn said.

A cap for the US presidential campaign of Democratic candidates Kamala Harris and Tim Walz made at the Unionwear factory in Newark, New Jersey, on August 22, 2024 (AFP/ANGELA WEISS)

Certainly, President “Biden would have obtained the votes of his electors but with little enthusiasm. They would have voted for him but without wanting to display his name on their heads”, thinks the manufacturer for whom “the difference between Harris and Biden is that she is really in tune with the (voters) and that they are proud to wear his name on their heads”.

Another important detail for the American industrialist: its caps are “made in the USA” in an international context of protection of the manufacturing industry in the United States – many of whose employees vote for Trump – in the face of competition from China or Mexico.

In fact, Mitch Cahn recalls the 2016 campaign: “Hillary Clinton merchandise was selling very poorly, even though we thought she was going to win hands down. (But) she wasn’t connecting with people the way the polls suggested.”

Unionwear also made the famous red “Make America Great Again” caps for Donald Trump at the time before stopping due to competition from producing this item outside the United States.

© 2024 AFP

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