Panama Hats are not made in Panama, like many other products the Panama hats take their name from the place they became famous and were commercialized. The Panama hat is actually hand made in Ecuador, these hats are hand woven from the toquilla fabric which are fabrics from a palm tree of the Ecuadorian coast.
This toquilla fabric is boiled to remove chlorophyll and dried for bleaching. Using this fiber, weavers produce the pattern, the crown and the brim of the hat and complete the process by washing, bleaching, oven treatment, ironing and pressing. Weaving a hat can take from days to eight months, depending on its quality and finesse. This hand woven of the Panama hat was added by UNECO to the "Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity ".
In Cuba guayaberas and hats had always been hand by hand in the early 20th century many these hats were called Jipijapa hat, the name was given because the hats were usually imported from the Jipijapa Town in Ecuador. These Jipijapa Hats or Panama Hats were the favorite hat worn by Cubans at that time, these hats are super light and very stylish plus it was a hand woven item.
Start weaving the toquilla fabric to make a Panama Hat
Women weaving the Panama hats
This is an art that may be lost if there is not enough market for these hats. At Mycubanstorec.om we are proud to support local weavers and marketers from the small town of Cuenca Ecuador. We pay fair prices and sell the hats are very good price points to make it more accessible and promote this dying art of hand woven toquilla fabric.
MyCubanStore Panama Hat
When you buy a Panama Hat from Mycubanstore you can rest assure its 100% authentic, and you are helping promote and preserve this one of a kind traditional.
Gracias! Muy interesante!! I greatly enjoyed the video. I believe that I mentioned before that I bought 3 Panama hats when I visited Panama in 1999 but now only have 1 left. The video has inspired me to make a purchase soon. They were a lot less costly in Panama, but seeing all the work that goes into making them and the cost of importing them I understand better. Thanks again.
Hi Mr. Davis, Thanks for your comment. These hats are a work of art not to mention the livelihood of many hard working people depends on it.
HOW ARE YOU ABLE TO SELL YOUR PANAMA HATS AT SUCH A LOW PRICE?
Hi, These Panama hats are made for us, we have been able to find a local source and pay them fair prices and at the same time we are selling the hats are a lower price to help promote and move more inventory. Every one wins when we sell these Panama hats, they are a dying craft and we feel its important to support them.
BY THE WAY, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF MISSPELLINGS IN YOUR COPY … MAY I SUBMIT THE CORRECTIONS?
Hi Chris, Thanks yes please let me know of any error you found.