Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Cuenca Panama hats

Cuenca, in Ecuador is a haven for most historians and cultural buffs. This city is surrounded with narrow cobbled streets, dozens of fine architecture churches, museums, art galleries and red tiled roof houses with ironwork balconies. Cuenca is famous for its colonial architectures, but it is also known for the Panama hats that are sold in great numbers.

The Panama hat weaving business in Cuenca began in 1836, to increase the local economy. For that, the authorities opened a modern hat workshop with several hat-making tools like bleaching powder, hat blocks and toquilla straws brought from the coast plantations. Master weavers from Manabí were brought in and people were trained to weave the straw hats. The hat industry grew up immensely as well as the demands. The development of the hat industry in Cuenca became the most powerful and profitable economic activities.


The Cuenca Panama hats are weaved from a thicker straw and that allows the hat to be complete in just days of weeks. Though, the Cuenca hats have a lesser reputation than the Montecristi Hats, but they are no less when it comes to quality. The Cuenca panama hats are bleached white and most people seem to prefer that color. The Cuenca Panama hats are weaved thicker than the Montecristi hats, but they are still the Ecuador Panama hats. The quality is good and hand weaved by the local artisans. These hats are regarded as affordable of overall good quality.


Next time you are in Cuenca, the Panama hats will be served to be a luxury souvenir. You will find many hat factories selling the genuine Panama hats in affordable prices. You can also have the chance to view the Panama hat being made in arrays of colors. You don’t have to just dream about getting the Panama hat. Make it possible with the Cuenca Panama straw hats.

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