The fanciest straw hat there is, named after the wrong country. Margo has opinions.
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A genuine Panama hat is hand-woven in Ecuador from the toquilla palm, Carludovica palmata, usually in a fedora shape. It's light, it breathes, and it's the classic summer dress hat. Quality depends on how tight the weave is, and the finest come from Montecristi. A straw hat labeled Toyo or paper braid can look similar, but it isn't a Panama.
The straw and the hands. A real Panama is woven in Ecuador from the toquilla palm, a palm-like plant botanists call Carludovica palmata. UNESCO added the weaving of the Ecuadorian toquilla straw hat to its Intangible Cultural Heritage lists in 2012. On a listing, look for “genuine Panama” or “toquilla” in the material line. American Hat Makers’ feed includes both genuine Panama hats and Toyo straw hats in Panama shapes, and the listing says which is which.
By the weave. Wikipedia describes the old method: lay a small square frame on the brim and count the rows of weave inside it. More rows mean a finer, lighter, smoother hat. The finest come from Montecristi. You’ll pay for every extra row, so decide how often the hat will leave the house before you chase grades.
Toyo straw is a coated wood-pulp fiber, originally developed in Japan. It’s smooth, even and cheaper, and it doesn’t mind a bit more handling. A Panama is lighter and breathes better, and it’s the one people notice at a summer wedding. If you want the shape and the look for travel days, a Toyo or paper braid fedora is the easy answer. If you want the real thing, the material line will say so.
Some. Brims in the feed run from a short stingy brim to about three and a half inches, so a Panama shades your eyes and nose more than your neck. For long days in full sun, the sun hats and wide brim straw hats pages have bigger brims. For dressing up in July, the Panama wins. Size it like any fitted hat on our size chart, and see fedoras for the same shape in felt.
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