Do you know that Panama hats were made in Ecuador probably by the Incas in the 16th Century? Panama hats became popular in Panama during the construction of the canal when President Theodor Roosevelt visited the canal as popularizing these hats in Europe and the United States.There was a time when all well dressed men in the tropics wore a Panama hat.Light weight and airy straw hats were perfect for keeping the hot sun off your head when working or visiting in the tropics.
The hats made in Panama are woven from plant fibers.The most famous about the Panama hand-woven hats is, They are made in Coclé Panama and called a painted hat. These hats are made of junco or bellto plants and sewn with pita, and come in a variety of patterns and designs depending on the weaver.Plants to make these Straw hats grow close to rivers and have to be harvested stripped, boiled and bleached.The fiber is then braided and the braids wound, sewn and shaped on a hat mold. The color of the fiber and the pattern and weave of the braid is unique to each weaver.
The Fedora is perhaps the most famous Panama Hat model. This classic model is creased lengthwise down the crown and pinched in the front on both sides. It comes in 4 model, all of them in straw natural color. The finer the weave, the higher the quality of the hat, and it’s price.
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