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Where do Panama hats come from?
One might just ask who was buried in Grant's tomb, except that the answer is not so obvious. Panama hats are made in Ecuador. For centuries, the very finest have been woven in and around the small town of Montecristi. In the town of Montecristi,Ecuador,the ultra fine Panama hats are woven over a period of several months. These ultra fine Panama hats are named after the town from which they came,and are perhaps the finest hats made in the world. The Montecristi Panama can take up to 6 months to weave and can cost thousands of dollars each.
The Panama Hat originates from the Toquilla Palm Leaf grown in Ecuador's coastal lowlands where the combination of fertile ground, cool weather and shading from taller plants combine for the perfect habitat. The seven to ten foot palms are shredded and woven by hand into a brimmed cone. It is then bleached and sundried high in the Andes where the mix of cool air and sunshine give it a pure milky consistancy. After grading it is shipped to hat makers where machines block and trim the hat into its final form.
What is Baku Straw?
Baku Straw is a very fine straw with a 1x1 weave and has a dull finish made from the young stalks of the Talipot palm from Malabar and Ceylon. When made into a hat, it is very lightweight.
| THE GRADE 8 PANAMA The Panama "Grade" is defined as weave density, or number of straws less 10 that run in a one inch measurement. The larger this number the higher the "Grade". The toquilla "Panama" palms are specially selected for their purity of color,fine texture and strength. Weaving a Grade 8 takes an average 10-12 days, a few hours each morning and evening, when the air is cool as the straw may crack in the heat of the day. Upon completion each hat will be logged in by the "collector" for Grading and then assigned to the "azocador" or trimmer. Afterwards the bodies are given to the "processador" for bleaching and finally to the "comicionista" where it is pounded with a wood hammer to gently stretch the crown. Each hat combines the finest choice of materials, generations of tradition and the evolution of manufacturing processes. The result is THE GRADE 8 PANAMA. |
The Ecuadorian Panama Hat Collection
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Christy of London Ecuadorian Panama Bulldog |
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Scala Ecuadorian Panama Casablanca Hat |
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BEST SELLER! Ecuadorian Panama Casablanca |
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Scala Ecuadorian Panama Bulldog |
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Stingy Brim Panama Fedora |
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Scala Ecuadorian Panama Safari |
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Best Seller! |
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Scala Ecuadorian Panama Bogart Hat |
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Scala Ecuadorian Panama Outback Hat |
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Ecuadorian Panama Shark Hat |
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Boater/Sailor Hat |
To order or for additional information:
Shushan's
536 Saint Peter Street
Upper Pontalba Building on Jackson Square.
New Orleans, Louisiana 70116
(504)586-1188
Fax: (504) 586-1188
Email: hatman@shushans.com
Order Form
Open 7 days a week
Store Hours: 10:00am to 6:00pm
© 1997hatman@shushans.com