About Panama Hats
These elegant straw hats are known throughout the world as Panama Hats, but in Ecuador they're simply called sombreros de paja toquilla — hats woven from the straw of the toquilla plant.
Surprisingly, the Panama Hat is not from Panama. It's always been made in Ecuador. The misnomer stuck after the Ecuadorian straw hats were worn by workers building the Panama Canal for protection against the heat and sun.
Ecuador has been making these hats for centuries, at least since the 16th-century Spanish Conquest, and possibly longer.
Finding an authentic, hand-woven Panama Hat is easier if you know what to look for. Let us give you a brief introduction to these beautiful hand-made straw hats so you can choose yours with confidence.
Authentic Panama Hats are hand-woven. It takes years of practice to perfect the art.
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The straw used to weave a Panama Hat is abundant in Ecuador, but is found almost no where else in the world.
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The final steps form the hat into that that well-known Panama Hat style.
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Many inexpensive hats that look like a Panama Hat are actually made in China. They're not made by hand. And they're rarely made of straw.
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The Panador Hat Company™ has a few hats that improve on the perfection. These hats are still hand-woven, but we've added sun block, a special waterproof coating, and a great hat band.
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Montecristi Panama Hats
XXL Panama Hats
