THE TRUTH BEHIND THE PANAMA HAT

"Panama Hat" made in Ecuador!

Could it be possible that the Panama Hat does not come from Pamana at all? Could the Panama Hat have come from Ecuador? And if it is possible, how did this confusion come about? Follow us through the true story of the Panama hat.

It was the end of the 19th century, beginning of the 20th century. First the French and then the Americans were trying to finish building the Panama Canal. During the construction of the Panama Canal, which many settlers used in the gold rush from the east to the west coast of the USA, the merchants from Ecuador recognized good sales opportunities and distributed their hats there.

This circumstance, together with the photographs of Theodore Roosevelt that went around the world in 1906, mark the beginning of a historical error that baptized the Ecuadorian hat with the name "Sombrero Panamá", or Panamá Hat"...a name that continues to this day in the international fashion world.

The making of the Panama hats is a tradition....

The straw hat, better known as the Panama Hat, is the result of a fusion of nature, manual skill of Ecuadorians and their popular culture.

Its origin...

The Panama hat has deep historical roots. In the province of Manabí, indigenous people used so-called "tocas" made of toquilla straw for sun protection. With the arrival of the Spaniards, the hats took on European forms. In 1854, the export value of the hats even exceeded that of cacao.

However, let's take a closer look at the whole manufacturing process....

Toquilla palms, also called Carludovica Palmata, which grow in the provinces of Manabí, Guayas and the Amazon, are used for processing. The trade is widespread in the countryside, where it is passed down from generation to generation in the weavers' homes.

The process begins with cutting the leaves, which are still tender. These are boiled and dried. The dry straw is sold in various markets. The weaving starts with a few strands of straw and is extended until a width of 5 to 10 cm in diameter is reached. It continues with the so-called cylinder, for which a wooden mold is used, until the so-called comb is reached. This is the last part, and measures 7 to 15 cm.

To finish the hat, at the end the fibers are tightened and cut to prevent fraying. The hat is then washed or dyed, dried in the sun and then reaches the final stage where skilled hands give the hat its final shape. This is done by hand, pressing or steam. Depending on the model, the hat is still decorated.

The production of a high quality Panama hat requires time, excellent raw materials, skillful, precise but also strong hands, and ancestral knowledge of manufacturing techniques. That is why the Panama hat has a long cultural tradition, is part of everyday life and family heritage.

Abroad, a good hat can cost up to $5000.

500,000 hats were exported in 1854. The straw hats from Ecuador are exported mainly to European countries, such as France, Spain and Italy, but also to the United States, Brazil, Argentina and Japan.

The straw hat industry is still completely handmade. The production has been simplified over the years by acquired skills and habits of the artisans, and today still manages without machine assistance.

Are you curious to know more? On our tours you will have the best opportunity to experience the amazing history, manufacturing and processing of the Panama Hat!