The Panama Hat Company

Led by Ecuadorian-born Jenny and her daughter Mavi, we combine heritage craftsmanship with modern style to offer one of the UK’s largest ranges of authentic Panama hats. A genuine Panama hat should never be described as simply a straw hat! By virtue of its name, it is in fact a very unique hat, skillfully handwoven in Ecuador over several days or even months. Panama hats are woven from Paja Toquil

la straw, a member of the palm family indigenous to the coastal regions of Ecuador. Their history can be traced as far back as the Incas who were the first to weave hats from this fibrous plant. Since then the extraordinary Panama hat has had a wonderful and varied history. There are different qualities of Panama hats, depending on the fineness of the weave, and therefore can suit every pocket – from the exclusive Montecristi Panama hat, which can take up to 4 months to weave, to the standard woven Panama, which can take only 2-3 days. The weaving process is just a small part of the fascinating journey of a Panama hat, from straw to finished hat. Dependent on shape and weave, some Panama hats can be rolled up, making it a desirable feature for travel. Today the Panama hat, ever-known for its classic style and quality, has retained its charm yet has become ever more fashionable with new styles and patterned weaves to suit all tastes and pockets. See our fantastic selection of Panama hats on our website: www.panamahats.co.uk

Once you have a Panama hat, you will never look at a straw hat in the same way – at the Panama Hat Company we hope you appreciate this amazing piece of craftsmanship and keep this small but dying cottage industry alive for many more years to come !