Why Is There a Small Ball on Top of Hats? It's Not Just for Cuteness! It Originally Had a Head-Protecting Purpose

When wearing a knitted hat in winter, many people may have noticed a seemingly unnecessary design detail: why is there often a fluffy little ball on top of the hat?

Today, its main function appears to be decorative. Without the ball, the hat looks sleek and neat; with it, the entire hat instantly gains a wintry charm.

This small ball, called a 'pompom,' 'pom-pom,' or 'pompon' in English, has actually existed for hundreds of years and was once a highly recognizable feature of sailor caps. A long-standing legend claims that the fluffy ball on sailor hats not only served as decoration but also provided a cushion to protect the head from harsh impacts against low ceiling beams in cramped ship cabins.

However, tracing its true history reveals that the story isn't as simple as 'invented for head protection.'

What is the little ball on top of hats called? In English, it's called 'pompon.'

The fluffy ball we see today on the top of knitted hats is commonly referred to in English as 'pompom' or 'pompon.'

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the word 'pompon' originates from French and is related to clustered ribbon decorations. Its earliest known use in English dates back to at least 1751.

In other words, this kind of fluffy cluster ornament on hat tops wasn't invented by modern fashion brands but has been a decorative element in European clothing culture for hundreds of years.

Later, pompons appeared on various types of hats, with one of the most memorable being the bright red ball on top of French sailor caps.

Was the small ball on sailor hats really used to prevent head injuries?

One widely circulated explanation for the pompon on sailor hats is 'impact protection.'

In old wooden sailing ships and warships, interior space was limited, and the cabins and passageways below deck were often very low. As ships constantly rocked on the waves, sailors working or moving around could easily bump their heads against overhead beams or decks.

The National Maritime Museum in Amsterdam, the Netherlands (Het Scheepvaartmuseum), has introduced that the soft, round part on top of sailor hats could reduce the impact when sailors' heads struck upper structures in low-ceilinged, violently rocking ship cabins.

According to the Dutch National Maritime Museum, this soft, round structure served as a cushioning element at the time.

Thus, the idea that 'the ball on knitted hats originated from sailors' head protection' has become a popular piece of trivia.

However, this is not the only historical interpretation.

The French Maritime Museum offers another explanation: it might have just been a way to finish the knitting

If pompons were truly invented for impact protection, why do some still believe their origin lies elsewhere?

The French National Maritime Museum, in introducing the French sailor cap, mentions that the 'preventing sailors from hitting their heads' theory is one of several legends surrounding the pompon's origin. A more practical explanation may relate to the knitting process itself.

Traditional knitted hats are woven from the bottom upward, gradually decreasing stitches toward the top, then gathering and securing the remaining yarn.

The problem arises: how to handle these leftover yarn strands gathered at the top?

One natural solution was to bundle the yarn into a fluffy cluster decoration—what we now recognize as the pompon.

Therefore, the ball on top of the hat may not have originally been an added accessory but rather a structural remnant from finishing the knitting, which was later beautified and enlarged into a distinctive decoration.

This suggests that 'impact protection' is better understood as one maritime cultural interpretation, rather than a definitive origin for all pompon-equipped hats.

Why did French sailor hats specifically feature a 'red' pompon?

One of the most iconic examples of the hat pompon is the 'bâchi,' the sailor cap worn by French sailors.

According to materials from the French National Maritime Museum, these sailor caps already featured red pompons in the 19th century and later became a highly recognizable element of the French sailor image.

As for why it was specifically 'red,' various legends have emerged.

One story claims that a sailor once suddenly stood up in a low space, hit his head, and bled onto the top of his cap, leading to the preservation of the red pompon.

Why do modern knitted hats still have a ball? The function is gone, but the design remains

Today, the knitted hats we buy from clothing stores no longer need a fluffy ball to prevent head injuries in low ship cabins, nor do they necessarily require it to hide leftover knitting threads.

Modern garment technology can already finish the top of a hat very neatly.

Yet, fashion design often exhibits an interesting phenomenon: designs originally tied to manufacturing methods or practical uses tend to persist in appearance even after their function fades.

The hat pompon is a classic example.

From European clothing tassels to sailor caps, ski hats, and winter knitted hats, the pompon gradually detached from its maritime context and evolved into the familiar winter fashion element we know today.

So the next time you put on a knitted hat and see that seemingly 'cute' little ball on top, take another look.

Even a small fluffy ball that now appears solely for cuteness carries centuries of clothing and maritime culture.

References Het Scheepvaartmuseum (Dutch National Maritime Museum), 'Brrr, it's chilly today!': Introduces the soft ball on sailor hats and its alleged use for head impact protection in low ship cabins. Musée national de la Marine (French National Maritime Museum), 'Un vrai look de marin': Introduces the French sailor cap 'bâchi,' the red pompon, and different origin theories including impact protection and knitting finish. Chemins de mémoire (French government defense history and culture website), 'Le pompon rouge des marins': Discusses the history and legends of the French sailors' red pompon. Merriam-Webster Dictionary, 'Pompon' entry: Details the etymology and earliest English usage records of 'pompon.'