The Gold Rush and the Panama Hat

The California Gold Rush began on 1848 when gold was discovered in California. By the beginning of 1849, word of the Gold Rush had spread around the world, and an overwhelming number of gold-seekers and merchants began to arrive from virtually every continent resulting in some 300,000 men, women, and children coming to California.

The largest group of forty-niners (as referenced in 1849) were Americans, arriving by the tens of thousands overland across the continent and along various sailing routes. Many came by way of the Isthmus of Panama, the easiest way in that time to reach California from the east. While passing through, they often bought straw hats on their way and spread the word about these fabulous Panama Hats in their destinations within California.

Gold seekers never knew that what they thought it was a Panama Hat was really a straw hat that was sold in Panama but that it was originally made in Ecuador. As a matter of fact, these straw hat should have been named Montecristi Hat because it is hand made by master weavers of a small town of Montecristi, in Ecuador.

Anyway, the Panama Hat gained popularity in California and in 1849, Ecuador exported 220,000 hats to California that protected gold seekers from the strong sun since in that time the gold was retrieved from streams and riverbeds using simple techniques, such as panning.

The effects of the Gold Rush were substantial. San Francisco grew from a small settlement to a boomtown, and roads, churches, schools and other towns were built throughout California. On the other hand, the greatest of all straw hats gained popularity within the USA as the Panama Hat. Still today, Panama Hats are more popular in California than any other state of the USA and most of the celebrities that wear them are Hollywood stars.

Where are the famous Panama Hats made?

This is a question that I've seen in the board game "Trivia Pursuit" and the famous TV show "Who wants to be a millionaire." The name obviously suggests that the Panama hat is made in Panama, but in reality this hat is exclusively produced in Ecuador. Panama Hats or Toquilla Straw Hats as they are also known have always been handcrafted by artisans from the towns of Montecristi on the coast of Manabi in Ecuador and use a very fine and thin straw called Toquilla Straw, which only grows in this region of the world.

The history of this hat name started when an Ecuadorean businessman named Manuel Alfaro who had his own plantations in Montecristi, decided in 1835 to hire several experienced weavers and build a hat business. His business prospered and when the Ecuadorian market got limited, he decided to extepand his business by exporting straw hats to Panama, since this country was becoming a major center for business. Shortly after he opening stores in Panama, he attracted the attention of many customers around the world that passed through Panama, which was already a major trading port.

Eloy Alfaro, son of Manuel Alfaro and later President of Ecuador took over the family and at the early 1900s, Ecuador was exporting thousands of hats to Panama, taking advantage that the Panama Canal was being built by many workers and American engineers who needed sun protection. The hat then was baptized by all foreigners in Panama as "Panama Hat" because it was linked to the country where it was bought. The popularity grew throughout the world when the world press published a photo of President Theodore Roosevelt using a Montecristi hat during his visit to the channel.

The truth is that since then on, this beautiful Ecuadorian Montecristi Hat it is now known as Panama Hat.

Straw Handcrafts in Manabi

Manabi is famous for its straw handicrafts and the most famous of all of them is the Panama hat. The Panama hat is the widely and most popular purchased souvenirs from Ecuador. The Manabi inhabitants have been hand weaving the straw hats for years, and they are truly master weavers. The toquilla palm straws are widely used in Manabi region to weave the Panama hats. Way before the discovery of America by Columbus, pre-Hispanic cultures in Manabi used to weave straw headgear to protect against the heat.

Manabi lies on the northernmost province of Ecuador. It is also well known for its fauna and flora. The town of Montecristi is the home of the famous Panama hat, “Montecristi hat”. Montecristi is where many master artisans live weaving the famous Montecristi hats. Several people in this region have dedicated their lives weaving the Panama straw hats.

The Montecristi Hats are regarded the finest Panama straw hats in the world where people around the world eagerly seek to lay its hand on it. This Panama hat from the Manabi region is the most expensive straw hats. The weaves are so fine that is as supple and soft as silk. The straw hats are also smooth and light as a feather. The Panama hats are also weaved in Cuenca but quality wise the Montecristi hats are more superior. The Cuenca hats are quality straw hats however, the Montecristi hats are still well known for its finer quality weave.

The Panama hat is the famous straw handicraft of the Manabi region, but there are also many other handicrafts that are made out from the toquilla palm straw. The toquilla straws are not confined in making the Panama hats only. You will find baskets, carpets, handbags, bracelets, toys and much more. Next time you are in Manabi, you can pick up many straw handicrafts as a souvenir but don’t forget to pick one Panama straw hats as this is perhaps the most wonderful straw handicraft in the country.

Buying a Panama Hat-Here Are Some Tips

To own a Panama hat is a great pleasure for anyone. The legendary straw hat is known for their fine artistry. Authentic Panama hats are made in Ecuador from the dried Toquilla palm straws. The Panama straw hats are the most expensive hats in the world. A very fine Panama Montecristi hat can exceed beyond $ 10,000 while a Cuenca Panama hat can be affordable.
If you are going to buy a Panama hat, here are some tips, which might help you out.

• Montecristi hats are the finest of all Panama hats. They straw is smoked with sulfur fumes so you will find them in natural light ivory colors. While Cuenca Panama are bleached to white or tinted to Montecristi alike colors. Cuenca hats are affordable but there are no less when it comes to quality. You will find many attractive colored Panama hats in Cuenca.

• The Panama hats are all hand woven by the master artisans in Ecuador. Do not get alarmed with the high price tag of some fine Montecristi Hats. They are the finest of all straw hats so the cost is more, but it is worth every penny.

• If you are looking for the finest Panama hat, you can do so by determining the quality of the weave. The best way is to hold them up on a light or sunlight. The fine weave will become obvious against the light. A super Panama hat will have a fine weave as compare to the rest. You can also count the rings inside the crown.

• A high quality Panama hat takes months to complete. They are soft as a silk and light as a feather.

• Panama hats mostly come with sweatbands. Better buy with one if you sweat a lot as that will prevent your sweat from contacting with the straw. If you travel a lot, guess what? The Panama hats are roll up hats. These roll up hats are easy to carry, and they come with a small wooden box to store.

The Cuenca Panama hat Weavers

The Panama hats are known to accentuate and magnify the personality of the wearers. These straw hats are a remarkable handicraft of the master artisans in Cuenca and Montecristi. The Panama hats are considered by many as a stylist accessory rather as an ordinary hat. The hat production in Cuenca is larger than in Montecristi.

In Cuenca, the Panama hats take less time to weave than a Montecristi hat. A Panama hat usually takes time from a day to months depending on the delicacy of the weaves or the weaver’s skill. If you visit Cuenca, you will see straws lined up in straw market days. Many weavers, especially women are seen busy with their hands weaving the straw into different patterns. This is very common in Cuenca. It is claimed that baby girls are often born with a toquilla straw in their hands. However, it is not known whether that this statement is true or not, but with the everyday scene of the women weaving the straw hats in Cuenca, anyone will believe that.

In Cuenca, hundreds of people depend on the Panama hats for their livelihood. The weaving is quite different from the Montecristi hats. The straws that are used here are mostly thick, and it takes only few days to complete one Panama straw hat. When they complete the weaving, the straw hats are passed down to the hat factories to complete the outer brims. The shapes are also given in the hat factories before shipping out.

Cuenca produces the Panama hats in all quality level. Though, they have less reputation than the Montecristi hats, but they are all straw hats of fine quality. The Cuenca Panama straw hats are produced in large numbers. They keep up the demands of the mass that is increasing day by day, something which the Montecristi hat weavers cannot compete.

Taming the Toquilla Straws

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.

Panama hat-A Hat for the Elites

The legendary ivory colored, light weighted Panama Straw Hat has been the most preferred straw hat of some of the most influential men. Historically, the international politicians and royalties have popularized the trend of wearing the Panama hat. This Straw Hat was worn by the rich and famous right from the olden days and it became a status symbol for men.

The reason why this straw hat became a must-have for the elite is that, it is beautifully and artistically craft from the finest straw. This straw hat is tightly weaved but remarkably, it is very light and airy. When you feel it, it gives you the smoothness of a satin. Not to forget, this straw is one of the most expensive hats in the world. Even though the price seems a little high but no one seem to mind as long they have the Panama hat. Wherever the straw hat went, it made a craze.

During the mid 1800, Napoleon III spread the trend in Europe when he wore a Montecristi Hat. In England the Panama Straw Hats became the most fashionable summer hat, much encourage by the royals. Prince Edward had to part with £90.00 and told his Bond Street hatter to get the finest Panama hat available. The Men's Panama hat during the old era represented a mark of high ranks. The world news photograph showed President Roosevelt hovering on a Panama Canal steam shovel wearing his Panama hat in 1905. That triggered the fashion for these straw hats afterwards.

Even today, the panama straw hat is still Men's Vintage Hats. The Panama hat is now a favorite among the celebrities. Presidents, movie stars, business tycoons all love to wear this straw hat.

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.

The Art and Crafts of Ecuador

In Ecuador, you will be amaze to find many handicrafts. The country has highly skilled artisans who can make anything from hats, to woodcrafts to paintings. Every place you go in Ecuador, there is always a thing of artistry to appeal you. Some of the handicrafts have made Ecuador famous in the eye of the world. These handicrafts are not only beautiful but also quite practical.

The Panama hat

One of the most exquisite and world-renowned handicraft from Ecuador is the Panama hat. Do not get fooled by the name. This straw hat was named after the place where it was sold, the name struck but the fact has been out that the panama hats are from Ecuador. The Ecuador Panama Hats are the most excellent handicraft straw hat. The texture, the smoothness and the weaving is so fine that it is also the most expensive of all hats. The Montecristi Hats is the finest of all and you will never find a finer and superior hat anywhere. Apart from the fine weaving, it is said the Panama hat can hold water if your turn upside down and at the same time be airy. The straw hats also serve as a Roll Up Hats where you can roll it for storage without breaking the original shape. Perhaps because this straw hat is both a beauty and very practical, it makes it the most expensive straw hat in the world. The finest Panama Hat takes months to weave and it goes through a long process to produce this satin like Straw Hat.

Woodcarvings

In Ecuador, you will find many wood crafted artifacts. In the churches woodcarving are in done in the interiors. San Antonio is the main center where you will find many woodcarvings figures for sale. Most people in San Antonio are skilled wood carving masters.

Bread figures of Calderon

The Ecuadoreans are very skillful that they even changed the shape of the bread. Often in the street of Calderon, you will find colorful figured bread. Do not get confused this bread with dolls as there are made in the shape of men, women and other figures.
Apart from these handicrafts, there are lots to discover in Ecuador. There are truly skilled and produce the best crafts in the world.

Spinning Straws into Gold

Do you remember the story of Rumpelstiltskin, where straws were spun into gold? This is exactly how the panama hats are weaved. It is weaved from one of the finest straws in the world into the most exquisite straw hats. Why we are comparing the panama hats with gold is that they are weaved into a flawless Straw Hat that feels like satin when you touch it. The Panama Hats are more than just a hat, it is a treasure that most people would love to acquire.

Acclaimed as the prince of straw hats, the Panama Straw Hats dominates over the hat world and is a favorite among the hat lovers. The Panama Straw Hats are not made in Panama but in the Ecuadorian coast since the year of 1600’s. The straw that the Panama hat is made of comes from the leaves of the Toquillo palm. Just like you heat up gold time over time to get its purest form, a Panama Hat takes up months to weave by hands and through different processes to make it to the finest Straw Hats. If you are lucky to have one, you will come to know the true value of the hat when you feel it with your hand. It is extra light, superbly weaved, thin as a cloth yet strong.

The Panama Hats comes from two main town of Ecuador-Cuenca and Montecristi. The Montecristi Hats are more finer in quality than the Cuenca hats. In Cuenca, the hats are produce in mass and the quality level is lesser. While in Montecristi, you will find a fewer hat but the quality is the most superior. Often a Montecristi Hat can cost you more than the Cuenca hats. In fact, the Montecristi Hat’s price can be quite exorbitant. When it takes much sweat, effort and time to weave, the price must credit the hard work. No one bothers about the price, as their only concern to have the finest Straw Hat on their head.

Panama Montecristi Hats-Legendary and Unique

When you hear the news that the price of the Panama Montecristi hats are sky high then, you would probably think people are exaggerating so much on the hat. But when you see and feel the extra fineness of the quality of the weave and of the Panama Montecristi Hats, you would think otherwise. Both the price and the quality of the Montecristi Hat are pretty and sky rocking.

The Montecristi Hat is a legend in itself. These Panama Montecristi Hats are woven painstakingly by hand and takes months to finish it. The making process is long and often tiring- From selecting the toquilla straws to the Panama Straw Hat blocking. Each step of making this legendary Straw Hat takes high amount of time and great efforts. When such efforts are taken to make a Panama hat then, obviously it is the most expensive Straw Hat.

In Montecristi where the Panama Montecristi Hats are made, the quality is very much fine then the Panama Straw Hats made from Cuenca. When the quality is more the quantity becomes less. The weave is so fine that the Straw Hats more almost look like a cloth and the feel of a satin. It is a fine example for great craftsmanship and artistry. Each Montecristi Hat differs from one to another since it is hand woven.

The comparison of the Montecristi Hats is baseless even with the Cuenca hats. All Montecristi hats are roll able and that adds up the extra value and uniqueness of the Montecristi hat. From the weaving to the colors to the duration, a Panama Montecristi Hat tops the rest in all aspect.

When it comes to wear a hat that defines class and elegance, the Panama Montecristi Hats comes as a top favorite among the elites till now. Often you see the Montecristi Hats on the head of famous people and in fashion. It is irreplaceable.

Panama Hat Was Ecuador’s Main Export Item

Ecuador has been known for its high quality headgear since years. In mid 1900’s the Panama hat was Ecuador’s main export item and until today it has been captivating many people around the world. This straw hat was weaved in Ecuador and sold within as well. Later the Straw Hats were shipped to Panama. As Panama was a major trade center, the name of the Straw hats from Ecuador was named Panama hats. Ironically, later when people came to know the fact of the Panama Straw Hat’s origin, the name didn’t change.This was the first time that the Panama Straw Hat was exported. In 1849, Ecuador exported the Panama Hats in more than 220,000 pieces. It was introduced to the rest of the world when a Frenchmen took the Ecuador Panama Hats in Paris and presented them in the World’s fair in 1855. Knowing the highly fashionable taste of the Frenchmen, soon the Panama hat was adorned for its beauty and it was unthinkable to replace them.

The popularity of the Panama Straw Hat was even higher in the 20th century when the then president of US, Theodore Roosevelt sported a Montecristi Hat. That picture got published in the world press. More demands were in and soon Ecuador began to export more of the Straw Hats to the world.In Turkey, the use of the traditional fez was banned in 1925 and the use of Ecuador Panama Hats was mandated. It was by 1944 that the Panama Straw Hat became the major export item of Ecuador for a short period. Till now, the demands of the Ecuador Panama Hats are growing and the straw hat still maintains its charm.

The main center of the Ecuador Panama Hat is in Cuenca and Montecristi. In Cuenca, the Panama hats are weaved faster and in mass to meet the demands but with inferior quality than the Montecristi Hats. Now, Panama is no longer the main country of export, today Ecuador Panama Hats are exported worldwide to countries such as United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Japan, etc, etc.

Panama Hat Blocking

An interesting part of making the Panama hats is the blocking. So, what really is the blocking. This is a process where a Panama hat is given its final shape. This method of hat blocking was done by hand but it is vanishing into extinction. But most of the Montecristi Hats are hand blocked unlike the Cuenca hats that are done through machinery.

Hat blocking brings out the real beauty of the Panama Straw Hats. And through blocking, you will get the different style of the Panama hats. Hat blocking is an art. When carefully done, it can give you the best Panama Hats, if not then it will spoil all the hard works done on weaving. The real recognition of the Panama hat blocking will be understood when you compare a blocked hat with an unblocked one.

If you want to put your hands on the real unique Panama Straw Hat, then the one that has been blocked by hand will be it. Hand blocking truly is a fine art. It is endangered but some few artisans are trying to revive the hand blocking method today. What is so important about hand blocking the Panama Hat is that it brings out the true essence of the whole process of the Panama Straw Hat weaving. The Panama Straw Hats takes a long process to weave by hand and finishing it with machine blocking does not pay full credit to the whole thing.

The process of hand blocking can take a lot of work and requires tools and techniques. The natural hand blocking is what makes the Montecristi Hats famous for its shape. It does have a lasting unique shape. It may be an old fashion way but when you wear the hand blocked Montecristi Hat, you will get a feel that can’t be expressed with words. Once the Panama Hats are hand block, it can be re-blocked again.

So hand blocking a Panama Straw Hat in a way gives full respect to the long process of hand weaving method. Next time you buy it make sure it is hand blocked.

Grade Your Panama Hats to Get the Best

Often people when they go to buy the Panama hats would get into great confusion when it comes to grade the hat. Well, to a layman, all the Panama Straw Hats seems equal. But when the price seems different from each hats the confusion adds more. Sometimes the locals cheat them when they sell the Panama Hats saying it to be ultra fino or super fino. Do not get entangled with the word ‘fino’. Best is you see if the Panama Straw Hats are indeed ultra fino yourself.

Of course the first thing you have to see when you grade a Panama Hat is the fineness of the weave. Anyone would know how the weavings are done. Even a child can make that out. When you go for Panama Straw Hat shopping, always take a closer look at the hat weaves. The finest Straw Hats will be the one that are weaved very thinly. When the weaves are finely done, the grading also increases and of course, the amount of work must also have doubled. The Montecristi Hats have always surpasses the Cuenca Panama hats. The reason- it takes only three days to weave a Cuenca hat while the Montecristi Hat takes months of careful work.

Do not take the grading system of the locals too seriously. There is actually no standardized system of grading. One local grading might differ from another even when the weaves are same. Most of them would grade their Panama Straw Hats as Fino, Fino-Fino, Super Fino, Ultra fino or Museum quality.

Coming back to grade the Panama Hats, all you need to do is see the fine quality of the weave. Second the color. While you view for the quality of the hat weave just see if the pattern of the weaves are homogenous and straight all through the hat surface. Though it cannot be 100% perfect but still the closest will do. The colors of the Panama Straw Hats can also differ from one to another. See if the colors are even throughout the hat surface. Sometimes you will find uneven colors. It is perfect to have slightly different shades but not the one that are too noticeable.

The traditional way of finding the finest quality Panama Straw Hat is by counting the number of rings and vueltas. You will find these rings on the inside of the crown when you view it holding it up to a light. The ring or vueltas are formed when the weavers add new strands of straws while weaving. The point is when you find large amount of rings, the weaves are tighter and finer.

A final tip that would help you to see the fineness of the weave is by counting weaves in number in a square inch of the Panama hat first horizontally and then vertically. By measuring the number of horizontal rows and multiplying it by the number of vertical rows. Usually the vertical count will be larger than the horizontal. The result will be the Montecristi Cuenta (Count). When the Montecristi Cuenta is more than 900 then, it is the most finest, a treasure so to say. If it is less than 200 then, it is not that worthy if you are looking for an original Montecristi Panama hat. Though this is a tedious job to count the weaves but it is worthy at the end.

Easy To Roll, Easy To Carry

Hats made out of clothes can be rolled up easily but with straws, it’s a bit difficult. With the Panama Hats it is not so. With a fine texture like silk, the Panama Straw Hats can be rolled up and store it in a wooden box. You often get the balsa wooden box with the roll-able hat. The Panama Hats are famous for its rich materials and durability but it is also known for its portability. You can get the Roll Up Hats, making travelling with your Panama hat easier.

The panama hats are basically straw hats. The toquilla straw, which makes the Panama hat, are prepared, weaved and made into such a way that the straws are transformed into silk like material. The fineness of the straw hat offers this flexibility of being rolled up like a cloth. All true Montecristi Hats are roll up Hats. You don’t have to worry about losing the shape, just reshape with your hands and you will have its original form fast and easy. The only thing it will give you is a slight crease on the middle of the hat. But that becomes a different style. Remember the panama Roll Up Hats will come without the leather head band sewn in. If the leatherhead band is sewn in then, it might restrict the effectiveness of the Roll Up Hat.

Tips for rolling up the panama hats:

The panama hats are Roll Up Hats but it does not mean that you can roll it up in any way you want. There is a certain technique of this Roll Up Hat. If you fold or roll the Panama hat in any way you like then, this treatment will eventually crack the straws or damage the weaves. Following the proper rolling technique will help you maintain the hat and sustain its durability. You have to carefully fold the hat in half and let one side curve into the other. It should be forming like the shape of a bowl. Then gently roll with your finger place inside the crown to avoid rolling it too tight.

One thing you have to remember is that roll your panama hat only when you are traveling and do not store it for a long period of time, otherwise it might take a long time to come to the original shape. Straws do crack when it is dry. The Panama Straw Hats are made from the finest quality straw but it is still a straw at the end. Do not roll the Panama Straw Hat when in dry climates. First, you should humidify it by either steaming it or misting it with warm water.

Panama Hats-A Graceful Accessory for Woman

Who says the hat makes the man? Even it can make the woman. Hat is of course a must have for men but women are not left behind. The Women's Panama Hats are a graceful addition to the dressing style of the sophisticated women. Fitted for all occasion, the Panama Straw Hats will add a new look to what women usually portray. There are many Panama Straw Hat styles for women. Women would love to wear them while going in the beach, for gardening or go out anywhere. These Panama Women's Straw Hats will really light up or enhance your style of dressing up.

So, which Panama Women's Straw Hat would be the best for your head and your taste? Well, there are many you can choose but if you need a tour of the Women's Panama Hats style then there are lots you can pass. The panama hats for women are weaved for different occasions. But most women finds it wearable with any wardrobe, less or more dressy. For women, the crown of the panama hats is usually round in shape.

The Breton is a classic Montecristi Hat style for the women. It has a simple round crown and the brim is gently scooped. Among the ladies, it’s the most popular. It is always appropriate for any occasion and gives an elegant look. The Colonial or Optimo is another style liked by many women. This style has a center ridge, quite distinctive. A very convenient hat for travelling as you can roll it up anywhere you go. The Panama Fedora Hat style is also another type where most women love to wear.

Most of the time women choose the lace crown Panama Women's Straw Hat. The lace crowns sure add a unique poise to the look. It also set apart the women’s panama hats from the Men's Panama Hats. The lace crown panama hats for the women also offer nice ventilation especially for hot weathers. The panama hats can give you the feminine look and can flatter most faces. Whatever it is, it is Panama hat. No matter what style you put on, it is a fashion accessory for most women and they love it.

How Panama Hats Are Made

The panama hats are one of the finest Straw Hats found on this earth. It is a work of art that most people would love to put their hands on it, actually heads on. People would often wonder why on earth the Panama Hats are so expensive, especially the Montecristi Hats. Well if they knew the long process that it takes to make a Panama Hat then, they would have understood why the high price tag is there. The Panama hats are made from straws and to weave to the cloth-like fineness from the straw is something that needs the hand of an artist.

The process of making the Panama hats starts right from selecting the right stalk of the Toquilla palm leaf, which grows in Ecuador. It is where the straws are taken. Usually it takes around 48 Toquilla palm stalks to weave one Panama hat. The next thing is to take the straws out from the stalks. When you peel off the stalks, you will find the strands of straw inside it.

When the strands of straw are taken out the next thing will be to boil the strands in water for some time. When it is properly done, the strands of straws are let to dry. The Cuenca and the Montecristi Hats are made differently. The Cuenca hats are bleached with chemical and the Montecristi Hat have to be smoked with sulfur. Here we will tell you more about the process of making Montecristi Hats as it requires adequate amount of time and carefulness. When all these are done, its time to start weaving.

The weaving takes some weeks and for each weave, you need special weavers to finish it-from weaving the whole hat to weaving the edge backward when the hat is finish to tightening the brim edge to cutting off the excess straws. After that, the Straw Hats are washed, bleached and dried. Next is to pound the hats to soften the straws and make it more flexible. Here you have to dusts the hats with the sulfur powder and pound. When the hats are finished pounding the extra straws are shaved using a razor. After trimming off the edges, the hat is given for ironing. The hats also have to be form into a specific Panama Hat shape and ironed. Finishing with the ironing, the hats have to go for blocking. This is a process where a hat is given the final shape. Unlike the Cuenca hats, the Montecristi Hats are blocked with hands. The former is blocked using machines. After blocking and readjusting the edges the hat is ready for giving a final touch-the ribbons. The ribbons are also sewn with hands for the Montecristi Hats.

So you see all these hard works are involved in making a Panama Straw Hat. Now you know why the Panama Hats can reach a price up to the sky. Its all the work of the master artisans.

Panama Hats

If you ever wish for a trendy gorgeous hat, then I think there is no substitution to the Panama hats. With its sporty look and lightweight, the wearer will never go unnoticed. Moreover, you will always be the center of attraction. Sport stars, top celebrities, singers, presidents, pop stars, equally love these hats. So it would not be an exaggeration if we say Panama hats are part of the fashion that never becomes old and out-dated. Despite its name, Panama Hats come from Ecuador exclusively; they acquired its name when commercialized during the Panama Canal construction in late 19 century. Today, Ecuador Panama Hats are the world finest Straw Hats available. Let’s have a look at what it is made of and how it came into existence.

Panama hat is made of very fine straws and that is what makes it so light just as a feather. The best thing is that it is hand-woven.

Depending on the texture quality and color tone, panama hats can be categorized in two types – Montecristi hats and Cuenca Panama hats. As the name suggests, the Montecristi hat is made by weavers from Montecristi situated in the coastal part of Ecuador. Being made by the finest straws of the world, the Montecristi Hats takes comparatively longer time to be completed. At the end, what we get is the natural-colored perfect hats ready-to-wear.

On the other hand, Cuenca Panama hat is crafted by the folks of Cuenca town. This hat is made by a little thicker straw. It is woven within a couple of weeks.

Original Ecuador Panama Hats are Roll Up Hats, you can roll them up when you need to store it when traveling. When you open it again you will get it in its original perfect shape.

During the construction period of the Panama Canal, hats were sold to the laborers, engineers and travelers. It became popular since that time and widely came to be known as Panama hats. In the middle of 20th century, it was in the zenith of popularity. You may find celebrities wearing this hat in the Hollywood movies like Casablanca, Key Largo, Gone with the Wind, To Kill a Mockingbird and The Man Who Would Be King. Remember the Gangster Hats. Whatever may be the reason, in today’s fashion industry as well Panama hat is one of the most desired accessories. This can provide you a look of sophistication and elegance.

What’s in a name?

You must have heard about the iconic Panama Hats. Yes then, as many others, you may think that the Panama Straw Hats are made in Panama. Is this true? Actually it’s not. The fact is the Panama Hat is not from Panama but from Ecuador. The finest of all the Panama Straw Hats comes from the town of Montecristi. All the authentic, skillfully craft Panama Straw Hats are made in Ecuador but why name it Panama Hats. Well the name got twisted with history and the story goes like this.

The Panama Straw Hats were crafted in Ecuador but were sold in Panama. The buyers didn’t know where the fine quality Straw Hats were made so, they named it after the place where it was sold. The Panama hat became popular and in great use during late 1800s. However, most likely responsible for the misnomer is the construction of the Panama Canal. The durability and high quality of the straw hat made it quite popular with the workers who arrived for the project. The name struck when President Theodore Roosevelt dubbed the name as the ‘Panama Hat’.

The main center where the Panama Straw Hats are traded is in Cuenca and Montecristi, in Ecuador. Scattered in the place are many Panama Hat weavers and shops. People from the small town of Montecristi are mostly all, involved in growing, harvesting, weaving and selling the fine Straw Hats. In Montecristi, there are very few master weavers who hand weave excellent quality Straw Hats. The finer the Montecristi Hats, the fewer will be the number. Since each of the Montecristi Hats is handmade, one by one, it takes months to weave a single hat. Hat aficionados look at the number of weaves per square inch of a Straw Hat in order to establish the quality of a Montecristi Hat. Though, the name does not give full credit to the people of Ecuador but they don’t seem to mind. They are more happy to meet the challenges of weaving the hat and finishing it with the finest touch.

Panama Hats and Hollywood

It is very common for the Panama hats to make an appearance in the Hollywood movies from time to time. Especially when the Panama hat was in its golden era, it made a frequent appearance. If not in the movies, the Panama hats are a favorite among actors and directors. Stars of Hollywood often wear the Panama Straw Hats on and off the screen. They have widely popularized the use of highly fashionable Panama Straw Hat.

The Montecristi Hats are quite famous with the celebrities. Mostly the hat is a way of representing a connoisseur or rich and sophisticated character and the Panama hats just fit the bill. From time to time, the Panama Hats has come into the light of Hollywood movies. You will find great actors donning the hat in the movies. Some great actors that had worn this panama hats in movies were The Naked Jungle, remember Charlton Heston and Eleanor Parker. Casablanca is another great movie where you will find the Optimo style of Panama hat don by Sydney Greenstreet and Paul Henreid donning the Panama Fedora Hat. In Fitcaraldo, actor Klaus Kinski wore the G ambler Panama hat style. In Hannibal, Antony Hopkins adorns himself with the Panama Hat Fedora.

Remember Gone With the Wind, where Clark Gable wore the Plantation panama hat style. Gregory Peck wore the Colonial model in the movie, To Kill a Mockingbird.

Perhaps the Panama Straw Hats has not accepted defeat and seem to survive giving grace and elegance to the people wearing it. Since it has never been out of the vogue for ages, it has become a favorite accessory of the actors both in the film and outside of it. Panama hats often are a style booster but more than that, it goes with every dressing so it’s a favorite whether in Hollywood or not.