The straw hat we know as the "Panama Hat" is actually native to Ecuador, not Panama. 

The name "Panama hat" gained its popularity in the 19th century, with travelers and workers passing through Panama during the California Gold Rush and the construction of the Panama Canal. 

​The hat gained further attention in 1906 when President Theodore Roosevelt was photographed on his visit to the Panama Canal construction site, wearing a "Panama hat".
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​Straw  hats have been woven in Ecuador for centuries.  In 1526, when the Spanish arrived in South America, specifically in the region that was to become Ecuador, the inhabitants were observed wearing a brimless hat woven from the fibers of a palm tree.  The Spaniards came to call the material paja toquilla or "toquilla straw".

 Beginning in the early to mid 1600's, hat weaving evolved as a cottage industry along the Ecuadorian coast as well as in small towns throughout the Andean mountain range.  Hat weaving and wearing grew steadily in Ecuador through the 17th and 18th centuries.
The most finely woven hats can take 3 to 8 months to weave, and in some cases, even up to a year.  Some master weavers, especially those producing museum quality hats, may dedicated 3-4 hours per day for 8 to 9 months to complete a single hat.

​Unfortunately, the future of Panama hat weaving is uncertain.  It faces challenges like declining artisan numbers, low wages and competition from mass-produced imitations.
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​Toquilla straw hat weaving survival requires addressing these issues through increased support for artisans, fair trade practices and promoting the value of authentic hand-woven hats.  The prices for a genuine Panama Hat can vary from around $90 (US) for lower grade hats to around $25,000 (US) for the highest grades.

In 2012, UNESCO recognized the art of weaving the toquilla straw hat as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, highlighting its cultural and historical importance. ​
The hat on the left is an example of the high art of toquilla weaving, feeling almost like fabric, the weave is tight enough to hold water.  The hat on the right is an example of the faster produced and  today, more commonly made "Panama Hat".
We spent hours immersed in Panama Hat (Toquilla weaving) history at Cuenca's Panama Hat museums.  Several of the museums not only chronicle the development of the weaving of straw hats in Ecuador,  they also provide examples of the various qualities of weaves and provide demonstrations of how the hats are formed and finished. 


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They also will sell you a hat and Teri now boasts a beautiful and very fashionable Panama Hat.
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