What are real Panama hats made of?
toquilla palm
Panama hats are traditionally summer hats woven from the toquilla palm found in Ecuador, and are still primarily woven there today. They are light colored, more often than not in their natural straw shade, breathable and blocked into a fedora or wide brimmed shape.
How can you tell if a Panama hat is real?
If a hat is hand-woven in Ecuador, using the Toquilla palm, it is a genuine Panama hat. The easiest way to tell is to look at the top of the hat. If the straw fibres flower out from the centre of the hat (like the photo above) then it is a genuine Panama.
How much does a genuine Panama hat cost?
between $200-$400
However, if you want a genuine Panama hat made of authentic, high-quality toquilla straw, you are going to have to pay for it. Though prices vary, the best Panama hats typically fall somewhere between $200-$400.
What is special about Panama hats?
The tightness, the finesse of the weave, and the time spent in weaving a complete hat out of the toquilla straw characterize its quality. Beginning around the turn of the 20th century, these hats became popular as tropical and seaside accessories owing to their ease of wear and breathability.
Why are Panama hats so expensive?
This simply means the finer is the hat the more expensive it will be. Then, there is the ‘scarcity factor’ due to the few people capable of weaving a real fino, superfino, extrafino and ultrafino hat, in fact, nowadays there are only a handful craftsmen left who still know how to make them.
How do you grade a Panama hat?
The most important factor to determine the quality and price of a hat is by looking at the fineness of the weave. If you look closely at a hat you can appreciate how finely the hat is woven by determining how thin the straws are. The finer the weave, the higher the quality grade of a hat.
How do you know if a Panama hat is good?
The easiest way to tell if it is a handwoven Panama is to look at the centre of the top. If the straw spirals out like the photo, then it is the real deal. If it is square, then it is not a Panama. Sometimes the hats will be hot iron branded inside the crown as proof of origin, but not always.
Where are the best Panama hats made?
Montecristi, Ecuador
Today, the legendary genuine Panama hat continues to be made of toquilla palm, and the very finest Panama hats are hand-crafted by artisans in the small town of Montecristi, Ecuador.
What is the most expensive Panama hat?
Brent Black, renowned authority and preeminent purveyor of handwoven straw hats, is now offering the world’s finest Montecristi Panama for $100,000. Simply referred to as “The Hat”, this one has been exquisitely woven from fine toquilla straw that too only in Ecuador.
What is the highest grade for Panama hat?
Usually, the vertical count is one or two more waves, and it also depends of the place of the crown you are counting, therefore, the grade of a Panama Hat will be (6-8 WPI), (10-12 WPI), (12-14 WPI), (14-16 WPI), (16-18 WPI) and so on.
How can you tell a good quality Panama hat?
5 important characteristics that you should know before buying an original panama hat made in Ecuador
- Hat fabric uniformity.
- Unesco Certification and Ecuador Origin.
- Color uniformity “Toquilla Straw”
- Points or Grades in an inch.
- Final Finish.
What are the different grades of Panama hats?
| Grade | Density mesh/cm2 | Examples of weaving |
|---|---|---|
| 5X | 100 | Brisa fine |
| 10X | 140 | Cuenca extra fine |
| 20X | 180 | Brisa extra fine |
| 50X | 250 – 400 | Montecristi fine |