The Associated Press

They say one man's trash is another man's treasure, but no one was expecting this.

An unlikely top seller has emerged in a new line of official New York City apparel - not from the fire and police departments that have long enjoyed the spotlight, but rather from the agency that moves mountains of trash every day.

A fashionably grungy brown cap with the Sanitation Department's light blue logo is the new must-have item - even among celebrities - since the city launched the products last year. The collection is part of Mayor Michael Bloomberg's goal to profit from the city's official landmarks and logos.

"I'd wear that," said Tam Smail, a 33-year-old tourist from Edinburgh, Scotland, who tried on the cap while browsing for souvenirs at a Times Square shop. "It's a very popular look right now. You see it everywhere."

For years, agencies like the New York Police Department and the Fire Department of New York have sold souvenir T-shirts, sweatshirts, caps, mugs and toy vehicles. Sales generally hovered below $1 million US annually, but surged to an all-time high of $28 million US in the year after the Sept. 11 attacks when the city and its rescue workers gained worldwide fame. The collection drew retail sales of $20 million US in 2006.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg's administration realized the city was likely losing millions of dollars because City Hall lacked any sort of central licensing operation that could capitalize on the city's popularity and help eliminate unauthorized use of its logos.

Now, those responsibilities have been concentrated under one agency, NYC Marketing. The group has not only helped police seize counterfeit goods and crack down on illegal vendors, but created a new apparel line with updated and hip designs.

Besides the Sanitation cap, which is being sold at Target stores nationwide, the trash department's line features T-shirts with a similar hipster esthetic. The city's film and television agency has also produced some winners - sleek tees and loungewear stamped with its minimalist Made in NY logo. Macy's carried some of the merchandise last fall.