Ordering printed swim caps in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland: quotes, VAT and delivery
How a quote works for a club in Sweden, Norway, Denmark or Finland, what the quote confirms, what is different for Norway and Iceland, and how early to start.
Bruno P., 2026-10-19
A Nordic club treasurer usually wants three answers. What will it cost in our currency? Who deals with VAT and customs? Will the caps be here before the championships? This guide answers the second and third in full. The first gets answered properly in your quote, and I'll explain why that's the honest way round.
Some background. AquaEvents passes each request to Swim Hat Company, whose European brand is Euro Swim Caps. Same company, same factory. The caps are printed in their UK factory and shipped from there to the club.
Why the price comes in a quote
A cap order has a lot of settings: material, quantity, cap colour, one or two printed sides, one to six print colours, names or no names, standard or express. Each one changes the sum. Add the delivery country and the VAT treatment that goes with it, and a published table would be wrong for most clubs that read it.
So the price for a Nordic club comes in a written quote, within 24 hours of the request. Ask for it in your own currency and the quote will show it, which saves the treasurer converting anything. The quote is also the document the committee approves, so it's worth getting right the first time.
What the quote confirms, country by country
Standard delivery is free anywhere in Europe. After that the five Nordic countries fall into two groups, because Sweden, Denmark and Finland are in the EU and Norway and Iceland are not.
| Country | Standard delivery | VAT | Customs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweden | Free | Confirmed in your quote | Delivery terms confirmed in your quote |
| Denmark | Free | Confirmed in your quote | Delivery terms confirmed in your quote |
| Finland | Free | Confirmed in your quote | Delivery terms confirmed in your quote |
| Norway | Free | Prices quoted without VAT | Handled by us |
| Iceland | Free | Prices quoted without VAT | Handled by us |
For Sweden, Denmark and Finland, read the VAT and delivery lines of the quote before the committee signs anything off. They say exactly how the order is invoiced and delivered for your club, and that's the version that counts, not a general rule on a web page.
Norway and Iceland: customs is handled for the club
For Norway and Iceland the caps go through those countries' own customs, and for a club ordering through us that is handled by us. The club doesn't file a declaration or deal with the customs authority. Prices for both countries are quoted without VAT.
That last part is the one a treasurer needs to understand, because the number on the quote isn't the whole budget line. Import VAT exists in both countries, and these are the official rates, straight from the national tax and customs authorities.
| Country | Standard rate | What the authority says | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norway | 25% | 25 percent for most goods, calculated on the customs value (freight included) plus any customs duty, excise duties or fees | Tolletaten, Skatteetaten |
| Iceland | 24% | 24 percent is the standard rate; importing goods is taxable and VAT is payable at the time of import | Skatturinn |
Norwegian Customs (Tolletaten) gives the 25 percent rate and the calculation base on its import page, and Skatteetaten lists 25 percent as Norway's normal VAT rate. Skatturinn, Iceland Revenue and Customs, gives 24 percent as Iceland's standard rate. My advice to a Norwegian or Icelandic club: when the quote arrives, ask it to spell out how the import VAT is settled and by whom, then approve the order with that in writing.
There's one number I'm leaving out on purpose: a customs duty rate for swim caps. Duty depends on how goods are classified in each country's tariff, and that classification is exactly the paperwork that's handled for you. A duty rate copied from somewhere else would be worse than none.
What to send with the request
The fastest quotes come from requests that already answer the printer's questions. Our form asks for most of this, and the reply email asks for the rest.
| What | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Club, country and city | Sets the delivery and VAT terms the quote will confirm |
| Currency you want the quote in | So the treasurer can approve it without converting |
| Material and quantity | The two biggest settings in the price |
| Cap colour, print colours (1-6), sides (1 or 2) | Each one changes the sum |
| Named caps, if any | Names cost extra and need a list |
| Logo, ideally .ai, .eps, .pdf or .svg | Vector files print sharp; .png and .jpg are accepted but may need redrawing |
| Pantone references for club colours | So the blue on the cap is your blue |
| Hard deadline | When caps must be in swimmers' hands, not when they ship |
| Delivery address, consolidated or split | One address or several, for clubs with more than one pool |
Each request gets a reference like AE-2026-00001, and the reply asks for anything missing. The checklist of what to send a cap printer goes into each item in more detail.
Minimums, by material
Minimums don't change with the country. Most clubs order silicone, the printer's cap for daily users. Latex is 20 g and thin, and the printer describes it as the cap for one-off events and giveaways. The silicone, latex and suede comparison goes through that choice.
| Cap | Minimum order | What the printer says it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Silicone (50 g) | 50 | Daily users |
| Suede silicone | 50 | Daily use, wrinkle-free exterior |
| Long-hair silicone | 50 | Swimmers with long hair |
| Latex (20 g) | 100 | One-off events and giveaways |
| Polyester | 50 | Younger children, learn to swim, swim schools |
| Competition (FVC3) | 25 | Competitive racing |
Timing: count back from the championship
Standard lead time is 3 weeks from artwork approval. Express and Super Express options exist for tight dates and are priced in the quote. Count back from the day the caps have to be on swimmers' heads, not the day they leave the factory, and leave time for the artwork to go back and forth.
A plan for a standard Nordic order
- 6 weeks before: Send the request with the vector logo, Pantone references, quantity, currency and the hard deadline.
- Within 24 hours: The quote arrives with a reference number, the price in your currency if you asked, and the VAT and delivery terms for your country.
- 5 weeks before: Committee approves the quote; visual agreed and artwork approved.
- 4 weeks before: The 3-week production clock is running.
- 1 week before: Caps arrive. The remaining week is slack for anything that went wrong.
A committee that only meets once a month is what usually stretches this plan, not the factory. If the approval has to wait for the next meeting, start earlier. For championship dates, the guide to the Nordic swim season works back from the main events, and the events calendar lists them.
The English overview for all five countries is our Nordic swim caps page.
Frequently asked questions
Can we get the quote in our own currency?
Yes. Ask for your currency in the request and the quote will show the price in it.
Does a Norwegian club deal with customs when the caps arrive?
No. For Norway and Iceland customs is handled by us, and prices are quoted without VAT. For reference, Norwegian Customs gives 25 percent as the import VAT rate for most goods.
Is delivery to Sweden, Denmark and Finland free?
Standard delivery is free anywhere in Europe. The VAT and delivery terms for your order are confirmed in your quote.
How long does an order take?
The quote comes within 24 hours. Production is 3 weeks from artwork approval, with express options. Plan for about 6 weeks from first email to caps in hand.
What is the smallest order?
50 caps for silicone, suede, long-hair silicone and polyester, 100 for latex and 25 for competition caps.
Sources
- Tolletaten (Norwegian Customs): Beregning av tollavgift og andre avgifter
- Skatteetaten (Norwegian Tax Administration): value added tax rates
- Skatturinn (Iceland Revenue and Customs): Value Added Tax
- Euro Swim Caps: silicone swimming caps (weight, minimum, lead time)
- Euro Swim Caps: long-hair silicone swimming caps
- Euro Swim Caps: suede swimming caps
- Euro Swim Caps: latex swimming caps
- Euro Swim Caps: polyester swimming caps
- Euro Swim Caps: competition swimming caps