Ecuador Handwoven Toquilla Straw Panama Hat - Classic Fedora Style with Gift Bag & Box - Perfect for Beach, Travel, and Summer Outfits

Kasa Style Toquilla Panama Straw Hat The fine Ecuadorian straw fabrics have been famous since the Spanish conquest in the 16th century, being the native populations of the coast in Jipijapa and Montecristi who were manufacturing Tocas (species of fine linen used in the head for sunbeam protection). The toquilla straw hats are original of the vegetable fiber extracted from the leaves of the palm, which scientific name is Carludovica Palmata.With the specialization and the development of this art, the name changed from Toca to Toquilla. The art of the toquilla straw fabrics was received by the settlers of the provinces of Azuay and Cañar. Nowadays, these fabrics make up the majority of the production in the whole country. Ecuador began to commercialize straw hats with Panama, which was influenced mainly by the "Panama Canal", and its name became popular as "Panama Hat" mistakenly, since its origin is Ecuadorian. The fabric of fine Ecuadorian straw hat, recognized by the UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, is appreciate worldwide by the exquisite work of it hand-made production. The Making of the "Panama Hat" There are two processes required to make the world-renowned "Panama Hat", weaving and blocking. The process of weaving includes two different styles of weaving, the Cuenca weave, or the Brisa weave. The hats that we process utilize the Brisa method which produce a square/diamond shape. The Brisa weave is considered a finer and lighter weave than the Cuenca weave, since Cuenca utilizes more straw (toquilla) than the Brisa weave. The quality of a Panama hat is usually assessed through the tightness of the weave. The goal was always to let as little sunlight in through the hat, so a tighter weave would prevent the UVA and UVB rays from the sun from reaching the person wearing the hat. The steam blocking process of the hats is done by running a hot steaming iron around the hat while it rests on a mold. When the process is done, the fibers will have settled into the shape of the mold and shrunk to make the weave a little tighter. The brims of our hats are very sturdy and will keep the sun's rays from hitting your face. Our hats are made with 17-18 weaves per inch, providing a very tight weave, and top quality solar protection. (UVA and UVB rays) All hats include a sweatband to keep your face dry throughout the day, in all kinds of situations. Our hats come very well-secured to maintain the shape of the hats, no matter where you decide to take them. (Includes Drawstring Bag & Carrying Case) How to Find The Right Fit 1. Find a piece of string, or a measuring tape. 2. From the middle of your forehead, measure the circumference of your head, keeping at least 1 cm of distance above your ears. 3. Measure the string, or measuring tape, and use our chart as a reference to find the right size for you.