Cary Woman Makes Lids for Kids

Here is an interview with Janne Anderson, owner of Jojoco Hatmakers of Chicago. Her business is based in Cary. Her best seller is the Earhart cap, a windproof ear-cover, named after Amelia Earhart, the legendary pilot.

Questions for Janne Anderson:

Where did you grow up?  Evanston, Ill. 

When did you make your first hat?  Christmas Day, 1990

Why did you make your first hat?  My husband gave me sewing machine for Christmas.  I stayed up all night, Christmas Eve, perfecting an ear-cover for Jordan, my baby girl, later named the Earhart cap because of Amelia.  I was always a fan of Amelia Earhart, accomplishing what she did.

When did you become Jojoco Hatmakers of Chicago? I co-owned Good Night Moon Childrens shop, at 125 W. Main Street, in Cary, with Judy Baker. We would bring our babies to work with us. Sam and JoJo. Our customers liked Jojo's ear-cover cap.

I sold (the Earhart hats) after I got the sizing just right with babies that come in the store.  That took a long time and I figured out where to enlarge the features of the cap to accommodate the next size growth. The next size is not a simple enlargement.  The small size [going up to medium] gets longer in the back, for example. About a year later, I started selling them in Chicago, then beyond.  

What is the significance of the name of your company?  Jojo is short for my daughter Jordan.

How many hats have you made so far?  I have never actually counted, but in the 1990's, I created a logo for my company and I had to buy 10,000 labels. I have about 400 left and I do not sew them on every cap on a store order.  Some stores like them plain, some stores like the logo on all the caps.

My new logo will be ready soon. The new logo sewn on the back of the Earhart, still has the airplane logo for Amelia, but it is flying over mountains with a caption that says, "Let's Go!"

Do you design your own hats?  I do. It takes awhile to design anything. They have to be functional and serve a purpose. 

What is your busy season for making hats?  I am filling spring orders. In March I start filling fall and winter orders.

Do you make all of your hats in your home? You used to have a crew? If you are organized you can accomplish anything. I had four sewers and they were the best.

What kinds of materials and equipment are needed to make a hat? I only use 100-percent organic cotton manufactured in the USA.  My goal is to have every cotton color organically grown. I have 28 organic colors now! … I think it is the largest collection in the country.

My stores tell me that all the time. My other goal is to have all my Polartec hats made out of recycled material. I only have five out of 35 colors made from recycled water bottles.

What is the question (your son) Max asked you about hat making? It was something about you making one for every child in the world? Yes (laughing).  So a few years later, I have my second child, Max, who grew up with me in the hat business.  He asked, "Do you have to make hats for every baby that gets born."  I nodded. I am still nodding!

Who are your customers?  How many hats do you expect to sell this year? I have many specialty children's shop across the US and Canada. I never count!

Target asked you to supply them with hats but you turned them down. Why did you turn them down?  Yes, in 2009, Target wanted my caps. It only took a few days to realize, I already am Target. With a website and a position in high-end stores, I am already where I want to be.  

What is your bestselling hat?  Hands down, the Earhart cap is the bestseller.

What is the future of your business?  Well, since Jordan, now 23 years old, started working for US National Park Service, I have been hiking and visiting more parks and more climates and seeing babies in backpacks and on bikes enjoying the paths.

The Earhart cap fits snugly under bike helmets.  It can be so windy on the side of the mountain.  

Our organic line has grown to a [heavier material].  I guess the future of JoJoCo Hatmakers of Chicago relies on what JoJo does next!

Visit Anderson's website at www.jojocohatmakers.com.