Pick up a Panama hat from Decus Artisans
Traditionally a straw hat of Ecuadorian origin, Panama hats were worn by the workers of the Panama Canal to shield them from the tropical sun. Passing foreigners mistook the hats as a local product and since then the world has known them as Panama hats, while the ancient crafters from Montecristi in Ecuador know them as ‘sombreros de paja toquilla’.
These skilled craftsman made the hats from the plaited leaves of the toquilla palm, which is the secret to its light weight, flexibility and durability. After donning the heads of the likes of Humphrey Bogart, Winston Churchill, Vincent van Gogh, Ernest Hemingway and Theodore Roosevelt, Panama hats attained the enviable position as the most fashionable summer hat in the early 1900s.
Today the Panama hat is enjoying a revival that is attributed to its appearance in period films and television series, reminding us just how elegant and good looking the Panama hat can be. Authentic Panama hats from Ecuador made by hand in Montecristi can be found every Saturday at the Powerhouse Farmers Market at Decus Artisans. The perfect addition to your market basket, ready at the door for your trip to the local markets this weekend.