Panama hats are made from a special straw, called toquilla in Spanish, that is native to Ecuador. While small amounts of this straw are exported to bordering countries, and some plants are exported for their ornamental characteristics, large quantities of this material simply cannot be found anywhere else in the world.

That’s one reason why 95% of all panama hats are made in Ecuador.

The toquilla is harvested, and the soft interior leaves are separated from the brittle outer parts of the plant. The sheaves are boiled for several minutes, and then the ribbons of straw are separated and dried.

Woven by Hand

One interesting feature of toquilla straw is that it cannot be woven by machine. The straw is rather fragile in its natural state, so it must be woven completely by hand.

Because of this, each and every panama hat is unique in some way. A panama hat is truly a representation of the personality of the unique weaver who crafted it.

It's Not a Panama

You will find some so-called panama hats that were mass produced by machinery. These are typically made from paper or synthetic fiber.

You will see that they do not compare to the handwoven, toquilla straw of a genuine panama hat. They do not breathe well, and they do not wear as long.