The Stories Behind Nammu Hat
I created Nammu to solve a simple problem. I never expected that one small product would become part of so many different personal stories. These are just a few of the messages people have shared with me.
Finding Confidence Again
See the original post →
Alopecia, cancer, and showing up anyway
For people navigating hair loss from alopecia, chemotherapy, or other causes, going in the water can mean choosing between comfort and exposure. These stories are about the moment a hat gave someone back their confidence.
“Our daughter has alopecia and for her to keep a hat on at the beach is near impossible, not to mention swimming. We ordered several of these caps and she loves them — every beach and pool photo we have, she’s wearing one.”Stacey M.
“I’m very happy with my Nammu… it really changed my vacation experience. And then there was being able to swim in a pool for the first time in about 10 years.”Betsy W., Glendale, California
“I ordered mine because I had lost my hair due to chemo and my husband and I were going on a cruise which involved snorkeling. The hat protected my head from the sun and was comfortable to wear all day long. I love this product!”Becky Saranich
“My daughter has alopecia areata and has lost hair several times. These caps boost her self esteem as well as protect her head.”The Flood Family
“We got the Nammu hats today — they are great! I wish I would have found them sooner.”Anita
“I received my order today. They are awesome. I am going through chemo and needed something to protect my head at the pool this summer.”Janel
“I have had a lot of radiation to my head and can’t be in the sun uncovered. Really happy you are making these.”Brigid
“I really do love the caps — and have even got my handsomely-balding husband to wear one! The kids think they are cool and they really do stay on.”Lise C., Toronto, Canada
“I have alopecia totalis so I like to wear my Nammu cap under my wig to go swimming in.”Lisa
“I looked all over for a bathing hat like Nammu. My 11 year old daughter has alopecia and needs protection from the sun while swimming.”Buffy
“I found your ad in the NAAF Magazine. My daughter has alopecia and wanted a head covering she could wear to swim, go tubing, and go on a wave runner.”Peggi
“My sister told me about your hats. I have alopecia, and I also need to keep my son’s head protected since he doesn’t have much hair yet.”Jennifer
Being Able to Join In
See the original post →
Families, kids, and everyday water play
A lot of these stories aren’t dramatic. They’re just about a kid who finally kept a hat on, or a mom getting more pool time with her grandkids. Small moments that add up.
“They were a huge hit in Mexico! My daughter refused to wear a sunhat while we were there but was eager to put her Nammu on every morning. Not one sunburn!”Becky, Ottawa, Canada
“I cannot say enough of how great these hats are. I purchased 3 for our trip to Cuba and we all absolutely loved them. They worked great while snorkelling or just swimming in the pool.”Debbie
“Here is a photo of my husband wearing the Nammu swim hat while snorkeling in the Maldives — it definitely prevented his head from getting burned (he has no hair!) and meant he could snorkel for longer.”Maureen R., Suffolk, UK
“My son also likes to pretend he is a pirate while wearing his Nammu.”Vanessa C., Vancouver, Canada
“We just got back from Cuba last night. The kids (ages 8 and 5) wore the hats every day — they are amazing and look good too.”Julie G., Ontario, Canada
“I have a heck of a time keeping a hat on Colton. He actually kept the Nammu Hat on for about an hour, which is surprising! He thought he was really cool.”Bussy Mom
“My daughter loves her Nammu swim cap and wears it everywhere we go. I like to keep her head covered in the sun and this cap is perfect.”Rachael L., Atlanta
“This is just a magical hat, every parent should get their kids. Now I’m worry-free from the sun burning his head and worry-free he’ll get lost in the crowd.”Josh
“I bought the black Nammu for my son and the pink Nammu for me. They’re comfortable and stay on the head, even my picky son put it on.”Beth
“My son loves his sister’s Nammu swim hat so much he is insisting on wearing it. We all enjoy using our Nammu in the pool.”Michelle H.
“My daughter has long, thick hair and I thought it would be a great idea both as sun protection and to help keep the hair out of her face.”Gail
“My 2 year old will not wear a regular swim hat as she finds it too tight. Nammu is so comfortable for her that I decided to order one more.”Mimi’s Mom
“I liked them so much I came back to order more. My daughter has received a lot of compliments on her swimming hat.”Nancy
“This is a great product and we wear Nammu every time we go swimming or to the splash pads.”Scott
“I’m so happy I found you — now I can spend more time with my grandchildren at the outdoor pool.”Ruth
“My kids put the hats on and kept them on all day long. Now they use it for summer camp and their friends already ask their parents to get them Nammu hats too.”Peter
“We love the Nammu bandana. It has kept our daughter safe from the sun while on the beach and in the pool!”Angela
“One thing that is very important to me is that it fits my ‘bigger’ head. This one works really well when it’s wet and dry.”Paul
“Absolutely fantastic! Exactly what we needed. Arrived quickly. Really neat swim hats.”Jessy, New Zealand
“I love my son’s new swim hat — it is perfect! He has cornrows that need to be covered while swimming.”Jen U.
“My granddaughter loves her hat with the bow. She was all day in the water with her hat. We both love it and will keep wearing it.”Sara, Spain
“My son LOVE his Nammu hat and will wear it anywhere we go, even if there’s no water involved. He gets a lot of compliments.”Amy
“The Nammu baby bandana is a great solution for my baby’s sensitive head. She’s 7 months and won’t take off any other sun hat, but she won’t take her Nammu off either.”Carolyn
“I was so happy to find they are exactly what I was looking for. And they’re so affordable too.”Dan
“My 4yr old son loves his Nammu hat! He wants to wear it in the pool, splash pads, and even playing dress-up around the house. He calls it his ‘pirate hat.'”Jenn, Ontario, Canada
“Your product is excellent. I couldn’t have been more satisfied with the quality and comfort — made swimming in the hot sun a pleasure, despite my very sensitive skin.”Robert F.
“Our 18 month old son loves to swim, we can’t get him out of the pool. Your hat is what we were looking for — he won’t take it off and it doesn’t fall off when he dives in.”Michel M.
A Challenge Nobody Else Understood
See the original post →
Cochlear implants and staying connected in the water
For cochlear implant users, swimming often means silence, or a workaround that fails. These stories are from parents and swimmers who found something that finally held everything securely in place.
2012 → Today
In 2012, a little girl named Lily was so frightened of the pool that her swim instructor called her mother in tears. Lily is deaf, and her cochlear implant sits on the outside of her head — if it slipped off in the water, she couldn’t hear at all.
Her mother, Christina, found Nammu. A hat held the implant securely in place, and Lily started swimming. Then she started thriving: she co-founded a nonprofit, started an ASL club at her school, and this spring — fourteen years later — she graduated top of her computer science class at UNC Chapel Hill.
“When a child gains confidence in one area, it spreads to everything.”Christina, Lily’s mom
“My daughter is hearing impaired and uses a cochlear implant to hear. We put it in a waterproof bag and use a swim cap to help keep it in place. She has tried several different swim caps but this was by far the best.”Yvette, Lindsey’s Mom
“He has bilateral CIs and was born with congenital CMV. He wore his beloved red Nammu hat, which never budged throughout the event. I could see his distinctive red ‘pirate hat’ as he ran around the course.”Laura, Dublin, Ireland
“In each pic he is wearing his cochlear implant in its waterproof bag underneath the hat. My favorite is the one of my son with his face in the water — without his Nammu hat, his implant would literally float off his head.”Louise
“Here is a picture of our London boy with his new Nammu cap and his Cochlear AquaBags, headed out the door to swimming lessons! You have no idea how amazing this is for us.”Kennedy
“He loves his ‘special hat’ that he has to wear with his ‘special ears’ when he swims. People say he looks like a pirate!”Lauren
“My daughter using the Nammu hat with the cochlear aqua accessory.”Bobbi
“I was searching for swim hats for my girls, in bright cheerful colors, to hold their long hair well. My girls love Nammu hats so much that they wear them the whole time at the pool.”Karen, Melbourne, Australia
“She can not only hear every word her swimming instructor needs to tell her, but can have fun and interact with the children in her swim class.”Rachel
Moments That Mattered
See the original post →
Vacations, memories, and everyday adventures
Snorkeling trips, family cruises, a summer at the lake. These stories come from people who just wanted to enjoy the moment without thinking about sunburn.
“We wanted to send you a thank you note. Your hats were a great hit on our snorkeling trip to the Red Sea. We snorkeled all day long without worrying about the sun burning our heads.”Sam & Adam
“My 5 year old’s underwater swimming has taken off so much recently that I was in a bit of a panic until I found your hats. These lovely swimming caps really work.”Leslie-Ann, Texas
“I teach kids and adults swimming. I’m out all day in the sun — this cool hat is the perfect solution for me.”Judy, swim instructor
“My little girl’s swim instructor used a fabric hat to stop her hair getting in her eyes. We looked online and found Nammu — very glad we did.”Clive
“I have one in black and one in white. It’s perfect for holding back my long hair when I’m scuba diving and snorkeling.”Kimberly, California
“Nammu swim cap was the only one that worked for me. I love to windsurf and I’m getting bolder — still want to keep my cool in the water and on the beach.”Ab
“We had a great holiday and loved the swimming hat. Two weeks snorkelling and swimming around the Pacific Islands. I found it very comfortable and it protected my head from the hot sun.”John D., Australia
“Ever since I started wearing the Nammu bandana, I feel much more comfortable — it doesn’t move or need readjusting, and does a much better job keeping sweat from stinging my eyes.”Steven B.
“Snorkeling in the sun, we had so much fun. We had Nammu all day long, and even wrote a song. Our heads protected all day — hooray, Nammu, hooray!”The Family
“I’m using my Nammu hat for any sport activity, mainly jogging and cycling. It’s really comfortable and cool.”Ami
These are the stories our customers have shared publicly. The full collection lives in my inbox — hundreds more messages from people who wanted me to know what this “just a hat” meant to them.