The origin of our Hats
Recognizable by all, originating from Ecuador, very popular in the 1900s, as comfortable at the beach as in the evening, the Panama hat has experienced a revival in recent years. Timeless, it's the iconic and trendy accessory for sunny days!
The origins of the real Panama hat
Genuine Panamas hats are made from the fiber of a Pacific Coast palm tree, the Cardulovica Palmata. The style was initially named after the coastal town of Montecristi, where the first Panama hat production workshop was established. Then, in 1836, it was in the city of Cuenca that a Panama hat was introduced, different from the Montecristi by its bleached and thicker straw. Our Panama hat models are all Cuenca.
A hat made for summer, for Men and Women, with various stories
The origin of the word "Panama" to designate this iconic hat is subject to several stories. It is said that in 1906, Theodore Roosevelt wore one during his tour of the construction of the Panama Canal and that the workers, discovering its extraordinary qualities, then adopted it and changed the name of this "Sombrero de Paja Toquilla" ("straw hat") to "Panama Hat". It is also said that the health services of the Panama Canal construction site have made it compulsory to wear a hat to protect oneself from the sun. And that it was the Toquillas, already very well known to these workers from all over Latin America, who were unanimously accepted. Another story tells that during the gold rush of 1848, those who emigrated to California took a route that cut through the Isthmus of Panama. And to protect themselves from the heat, they bought this famous hat from the natives (thus becoming "Panamanian").
It's up to you to choose your favorite Panama hat story!
Once the fiber has been cut, dried and dyed, the hats are braided by hand using a very meticulous traditional technique, recognized as intangible heritage by UNESCO. All the steps are done by hand. It takes several days, or even weeks, to make a hat depending on its thinness.
On our website, all our hats are woven with the "Brisa" stitch. They are available in 3 levels of fineness of the weave, or "Grade". The higher the grade, the finer the weave. They are also available in 4 colors, natural, brown, pink and navy blue.
A men's and women's hat, ideal for summer
While the Panama hat is a great accessory, bringing style and elegance to any outfit, its primary function remains to protect from the sun. For this, the authentic Panama hat is the color of its straw, creamy white and has brims wide enough for the face to benefit from a soft coolness of shade.
Cuenca, Montecristi: Authentic Panama Hats
A Panama hat, contrary to popular belief, does not refer to a form of hat but to a straw hat produced around two cities in Ecuador. There are two types of authentic Panama hats: the Montecristi, made in the city of the same name, on the Pacific coast (they are very fine hats) and the Cuenca, which also owes its name to its city of production, which is located in the Andes.
Real Panama hats are made using two braiding techniques:
- The "Llano": a herringbone weave, with 2 strands of straw
- The "Brisa": a straight braid, with 1 strand of straw.
What is the grade of a real Panama hat?
The finesse of the braiding of an authentic Panama hat is defined according to its grade. The higher this grade, the finer the straw hat has been braided. At MonChapeauPanama, we distribute 3 grades of fineness: 4, 6 and 8.
Shapes of the Panama Cuenca hat: Borsalino in the lead!
As for the Panama forms, the most "classic" is the Borsalino, even if all shapes are possible in Panama hats. Originally designed in felt by the Borsalino house at the end of the 19th century, the Panama Borsalino is a split hat, adorned with a ribbon, with a wide brim.
Where do our Panama hats come from?
Did you know? An authentic panama hat can only be braided by one person. Indeed, all craftsmen have their own way of weaving.
All our hats have been hand-woven in SigSig, Ecuador, near Cuenca by a cooperative of more than 150 women. Each hat is unique, a work of art, which represents a work of several days using their ancestral techniques, passed down from generation to generation.