About the hat

A Panama hat is a hand-woven hat made from the fibers of the toquilla palm (Carludovica palmata), which grows along the coast of Ecuador. Despite the name, it isn't Panamanian. Never has been.

Why we call them "Panama" hats

In the 19th century, Ecuadorian weavers shipped their hats north through the port of Panama. Workers digging the canal wore them. Theodore Roosevelt was photographed in one. The name stuck — even though the actual making happens hundreds of miles south.

How they're made

Toquilla shoots are harvested, boiled, split, and dried into pale ivory fibers. Weavers — almost all in two regions, Cuenca and Montecristi — work the strands by hand, often in the cool early morning when the fibers are most pliable. A simple Cuencaweave can be finished in a few days. A true Montecristi Superfino can take eight months and contain over 3,000 weaves per square inch.

How to wear one

Roughly however you want. The hats are tougher than they look — the good ones can be rolled into a tube, soaked in rain, and bounced back into shape with a little steam. They get softer and more personal the longer you have them, like a leather wallet or a well-loved book.

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