The Dusseldorf-based company Arlt GmbH has been supplying hats, caps and accessories all over the globe for 35 years

It is the year 1978, and alongside Saturday Night Fever, tartan is storming the international fashion scene. In Dusseldorf, the young businessman Dieter Arlt identifies an attractive market in the headwear and accessories sector and establishes his own company. It doesn’t take him long to decide on the brand’s name: McBURN. Mc was a nod to the raging Scottish tartan trend at the time while BURN came from his nickname, Burn Dieter. And so the late 1970s witnessed the beginnings of a successful company that has certainly joined in countless fashion trends, but has always remained faithful to its own high standards. With the expertise gathered over more than thirty years, Dieter Arlt GmbH has become one of the most successful producers of headwear and accessories in Germany. The company has been handed down to the second generation and has been managed by Michael Arlt since 1996. Today, the Dusseldorf-based company produces hats, caps, scarves and gloves for customers all over the world.

Creative coupled with sustainability
The McBURN brand lies at the heart of the company. Sporty looks, timeless classics, urban style, elegant hats – McBURN offers the perfect headwear accessory for every occasion and everyone. A team of ten employees work around director Micheal Arlt who, together with Birgit Dorn, also creates designs for the brand. Every season, a range of attractive and original products are unveiled that unite exclusivity with an excellent price/quality ratio. In particular, Michael Arlt has been committed to the issues of sustainability and quality for many years. In light of this, almost all products are made using Italian yarn or fabrics. In the case of many products, the McBURN team traces the yarn all the way from the sheep to the finished cap, thus assuming the guarantee for first-class materials and exceptional processing.

McBURN – an established brand in international specialist trade
Each McBURN collection presents 175 items in the summer season and 400 in winter. The White Collection offers 75 special-occasion models for weddings or other events. The collections are primarily sold through owner-operated stores.

The company’s headquarters in Flingern, Dusselfdorf are also home to the warehouse with its constant stock of 200,000 items, thus guaranteeing customers flexible and demand-based supply at all times. The company’s client portfolio includes renowned names such as Stegmann in Hamburg and Steffi Mode in Hamburg, Helner, Sylt, Oberpaur, Landshut and Ludwigsburg, in addition to Carsch Haus, Dusseldorf and Karstadt am Bahnhof, Munich. Overall, the company has 1,500 clients primarily in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Its export rate is 40%. Products are also supplied to France, Italy, Great Britain, the Netherlands and Scandinavia. Nevertheless, Asia and America also present potential growth markets for the company. Five agencies provide assistance with foreign sales. The accessories specialist also attends all relevant European trade fairs, including CIFF, Copenhagen, the Salzburg and Martigny fairs (Switzerland), PRÊT-À-PORTER, Paris and a range of bridal fairs from Milan to Barcelona.