A hands-free headlamp system for an item of headwear, the hands-free headlamp system including: a housing including headwear fastener, the headwear fastener configured to attach to the item of headwear an energy storage affixed to the housing; a light source mechanically coupled to the housing and electrically coupled to the energy storage; a motion sensor mechanically coupled to the housing and electrically coupled to the energy storage, the motion sensor configured to detect hand motion of a user; a controller mechanically coupled to the housing, electrically coupled to the energy storage, and communicably coupled to the motion sensor, the controller configured to operate the light source in response to detected hand motions of the user.