Check Out Niki Rust’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Niki Rust.

Hi Niki, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Ampersand Hat Co. was founded in 2024 by lifelong friends Niki and Willa at the intersection of creativity, curiosity, and real-world collaboration. After years in demanding legal and management careers, both founders were seeking a hands-on creative outlet—something personal, energizing, and meaningful. What began as casual conversations evolved into intentional design, market exploration, and a lot of experimenting with felt, thread, and technique.

The brand started with one-of-a-kind hats made for friends, featuring custom embroidery, gemstones, studs, and unique burning styles. As demand grew, Ampersand formalized its process and expanded into commissioned embroidery, creating everything from detailed dog and buffalo designs to richly embellished statement pieces.

Rooted in mental health, authenticity, and self-expression, Ampersand Hat Co. exists to celebrate individuality and multi-hyphenated lives. Through pop-ups in Buena Vista, Denver, and St. Louis, the brand has grown into a creative, communal experience. Ampersand’s signature hat bar invites customers to design a custom hat—or bring their own to embellish—alongside curated collaborations featuring accessories like handkerchiefs and jewelry. Every piece is designed to feel expressive, intentional, and genuinely human.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Many times at outdoor pop-ups and markets, we are battling the elements such as gusty winds, dust, and the sun. The winds have been especially difficult as our tent often wants to fly away and some of our inventory has gotten ruined. We also struggle like any other small business in figuring out how to fund all of the things we want to do, creative blocks, and sometimes just the energy to keep grinding.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Ampersand Hat Company specializes in custom felt hats. We help create a personalized hat with customers through either our Hat Bar experience or our Custom Hat process. Both are a la cart experiences where the customer holds the reins with our creative support in crafting a truly unique, wearable piece of art. We take pride in that our felt hats are 100% wool, currently made in the U.S.A., and we thrift the majority of materials for the hat making experience. Our unique ability to add embroidery to felt hats set us apart from other hat companies by adding texture and hand applied artistry. Next up this year is learning to shape hats ourselves for a complete 360 custom hat experience.

What matters most to you?
Creativity, Collaboration, and Upcycling while getting to make some really cool pieces of art.

Pricing:

• Tier 1 Hat: $200 (three layered hat band + 1 feather/charm + 3 brands
• Tier 2 Hat: $250 (5 layered hat band + 2-3 feathers or charms + brands)
• Tier 3 Hat: $300 (Tier 2 plus whatever else)
• Custom Hat Experience: $300 & up (usually reserved for custom embroidery or burning art)
• Add a Hat Bar to your event! Contact for pricing. We are willing to work with you!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ampersandhatco.com
• Instagram: @ampersandhatco