Move over, cheesehead, there’s a new foam hat in town: the bottle cap.
Launched in August, Cream City Originals is churning out a wearable bottle cap that founder Alex Giampietro hopes will take Wisconsin stadiums by storm. And no, it’s not just for the lactose-intolerant sports fan who can’t wear the cheese hat.
Alex’s goal behind the caps is simple, put a smile on sports fans’ faces, but what’s not simple? Creating a one-of-a-kind hat with no manufacturing, design, or retail experience.
So, how do you go from a wild idea to a patent-protected product? Let’s find out from Alex.
How did Cream City Originals get its start? How did the idea come to be?
Cream City Originals is entirely focused on our main product, The Bottle Cap Hat. Long story short, the idea was born when I was in middle school, watching the Brewers in the playoffs with my dad on a school night. The broadcast camera had panned across to a fan in a cheesehead, and without much thought, I asked my dad “why don’t Brewer fans wear bottle caps to represent the team?”
To my dad’s credit, he actually saw the potential in the idea, and asked me to draw a picture of what I meant. Fast forward almost 15 years, with a whole lot of life happening in between, the design is now patent-protected, and our product has hit the market!
What is your background?
I was born and raised in Elm Grove. For as long as I can remember, I’ve idolized Wisconsin sports teams; first the Packers, and then soon after, the Brewers and the Bucks. I attended Marquette High, and then Hillsdale College, where I played football and majored in Finance. I moved to Chicago to work for a major bank, before moving back to Milwaukee in 2024 for a job at a hometown firm, where I’ve been since.
Given my major, my life experiences had nothing to do with manufacturing and retail merchandise, so the entire thing has been a series of trial and error. Fortunately, when your product is as novel as a wearable bottle cap, there was no question that ever felt “too dumb” to ask a manufacturer… besides, the goal of the product has always been simple: make Wisconsin sports fans smile. After many nights of hand crafting a clay model, we had a final product to pitch to manufacturers. We hit the market at the end of August 2026.
What’s the mission behind Cream City Originals?
The mission is simple: Wisconsin sports fans are the best, and they deserve the best. Our tailgate scene in this state is unmatched, and our propensity to put random objects on our heads is well documented. Whether it’s for a player to put on in the dugout in celebration after a home run (how cool would that be?!), or a bunch of diehard fans in the nosebleeds, it’s our way of hopefully contributing to a wildly fun gameday environment
What is it like being a small business in MKE?
Being a small business in the Milwaukee area has been phenomenal. As we all know, the “midwest nice” is very real. At no point during conversations over the last couple years with chemists for materials, toolmakers, lawyers, or manufacturers, has anyone been anything other than supportive. I also have a phenomenal family and extended family and friends/girlfriend who have provided constant enthusiasm and support.
What’s your favorite part about what you’re doing?
This ties into my favorite part of the whole thing: the shared laughs and jokes about The Bottle Cap Hats. Whether it’s heading to games, bars, or making videos for the Instagram page (@creamcityoriginals) it’s exciting to try and break into the tailgate culture in our historic city and improve the gameday experience for everyone.
What can people expect when shopping for Cream City Originals or when they receive their bottle cap hat?
Bottle Cap Hat customers can expect real quality, with all materials sourced and manufactured right here in Wisconsin. It truly embodies the city— it’s an idea from here, brought to life by the amazing people who live here and helped along the way, as a tribute to the teams we love. Once it’s on your head, it’s truly the closest thing a to a crown for a Wisconsinite. You’ll get smiles and laughs, people asking for pictures.
We are not affiliated with any major brands, so we do hear all feedback, and love having total control of the product.
Anything else we should know about your business or anything you’d like to mention? Any favorite stories?
Ultimately, the journey of bringing this product to market has really deepened my appreciation and admiration for this City. I’ve been incredibly blessed to have the family and support system I have, and I hope that this product brings the buyers as much fun and laughter as it has brought me!
To find our product, visit creamcityoriginals.com, and be sure to give us a follow on Instagram, @creamcityoriginals, for updates and promotions!