The Panama hats are made from the toquilla straws. These straws are taken from the tropical rain forest wild plant known as Carludovica Palmata. The scientific name was given by two Spanish botanists in the 18th century in honor to the King Charles of Spain (Carlos) and his wife Ludovica. To get the best quality of the straw for weaving the Panama hats, the plant is harvested when the leaves hold less moist. Each stalk has wrapped fingers inside of large multiple leaves. The Panama hats are made from these leaves, but first they have to go through certain procedures to get the straws to weave the Panama straw hats. There are four stages actually to tame the toquilla straw. All these steps are necessary to get the best straw to weave the Ecuador panama hats.
First, you need to get the straw out of the leaves. The stalks of the toquilla plants are opened and the inner tender leaf fingers are separated and split into thin straws. This takes a long time separating the individual strand of leaflets. The leaf fingers have to be split into several thin straws using the hands and bundled.
The next stage is to boil the straws in water for an hour. The straws are carefully submerged and stir constantly in the water so that the strands remain separated. All the straws must be carefully boiled. When it is boiled properly it is taken out to dry.
The Panama hat straws usually need shade for protection. They are not dried directly under the sun. Often straws are hung to dry beneath the houses or under a roof.
When the straws are dry, the next step is to bleach them. The Cuenca and the Montecristi hats differ in the process of bleaching. To make the Montecristi hats, the straws are fumed with sulfur while the Cuenca Panama hats use peroxide. The difference you get is the color of the straws. The Montecristi hats are ivory in color and the Cuenca Panama hats are white. However, the quality of the straw remains high in quality.
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.
Hats were worn to identify the status of the person in the past. Aristocrat men preferred to be seen with the most stylist and expensive hats in public. The hats they wore were elaborate to symbolize their powerful role in the society. The natural purpose of wearing a hat that is for protecting against heat was restricted to the lower classes or laborers and these hats were not as stylist or sophisticated as the hats worn by the rich people. In olden days, the hats were an important part of men’s outfit, and it represented their status. However, one hat that was loved by both the royalties and the laborers was the Ecuador Panama hat.
The Panama hats are lightweight, airy, and durable. These great feature suits perfectly for hot climates. During the gold rush, these straw hats were bought by people on the way to California. The workers of the sugar and tobacco plantations in Cuba bought these straw hats, as they were highly comfortable for the hot climate. During the construction of the Panama Canal in early 1900s, workers wore the Ecuador Panama hats for protecting them against the burning sun.
The Panama hat soon became a hat for the royalties when it was taken to Paris by a Frenchman in 1855. It was displayed in the World Fair. It became a fashion sensation in Europe when Napoleon III wore a Montecristi hat and spread the trend to other European countries. Soon the Prince of Wales took fancy of the straw hat and wore one to the races. The Panama hats were a favorite among the royalties. Sweden’s King Gustavus V wore his Panama hat whilst playing tennis.
The Panama straw hats have been adorned by the rich and famous and it was seen on the heads of the poor as well. The straw hat is loved by all no matter how rich and poor they are.
The Panama hats are made from the toquilla straws. These straws are taken from the tropical rain forest wild plant known as Carludovica Palmata. The scientific name was given by two Spanish botanists in the 18th century in honor to the King Charles of Spain (Carlos) and his wife Ludovica. To get the best quality of the straw for weaving the Panama hats, the plant is harvested when the leaves hold less moist. Each stalk has wrapped fingers inside of large multiple leaves. The Panama hats are made from these leaves, but first they have to go through certain procedures to get the straws to weave the Panama straw hats. There are four stages actually to tame the toquilla straw. All these steps are necessary to get the best straw to weave the Ecuador panama hats. 
