Its origin is Ecuadorian and during the building of the Panama Canal it comes into fashion among the construction workers.
Who does not know the classic hat all heads wear when the warm weather arrives? It is called Panamanian, but it does not come from it. Everyone knows it as such but, beyond his acquired name, the famous hat was created and manufactured in its neighbor country Ecuador under the name of “Straw hat”.
There are different theories about its notorious name, but which has greater strength is that these hats achieved popularity during the construction works of the Panama Canal when thousands of hats were brought from Ecuador for workers to protect them from the sun. It is said that true fame came when Theodore Roosevelt visited the canal and used one of them.
It whatever the origin of the name come from, the reality is that the true Panamanian stands for quality and processing. It is made of palm leaves whose fibers go through a process of cooking, drying, washing, bleaching, baking and ironing which can last up to a year. Prices range from 100 to 5,000 euros, according to final characteristics and quality.
The Panama hat was declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2012.
