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New Era Cap Europe
THE 1920s: THE START: Ehrhardt Koch sees an opportunity to redesign the process and quality of headwear and borrows money from his sister and former co-worker to start E. Koch Company. In its first year of operation, the company used their new process to produce more than 60,000 Gatsby-style caps. After a successful launch, E. Koch Company officially changes its name to New Era Cap Co.
New Era makes their first baseball cap for the Cleveland Indians after Ehrhardt Koch’s son, Harold, notices the demand for the fashion cap was fading and professional baseball was growing in popularity.
To continue to meet customer needs during World War II, the Koch family purchased plain, surplus fabric and dyed materials in their family’s home washing machine to match the colors of local teams. Harold Koch designs New Era’s classic fitted 59FIFTY style cap providing headwear a more uniform look when lined up – similar to how men lined up in the military.
New Era begins to sell directly to every MLB team at its annual Winter Meetings. This is a pivotal step on the brand’s path to exclusivity with the league.
THE 2010s: ON-FIELD:
In 2015 New Era signs global deal with Manchester United football team. Giving New Era exclusivity with the two most recognizable sport brands in the world. Manchester United and the Yankees. Making sports headwear history in 2016, New Era becomes the official on-court cap of the NBA, making New Era the first brand in sports history to have exclusive on-field, sideline and on-court headwear rights globally for all three major U.S. leagues at the same time. Beyond caps, in 2007 New Era launches its first apparel collection and creates first women specific cap silhouette.