One of the most famous hats in the world, the Panama Hat, with its deep ancestral roots, has a fascinating history. But did you know they are not made in Panama? This is a centuries old tradition rooted in Ecuador. The history of this legendary hat traversed the Atlantic from Spain to South America, to France, to Panama, to the U.S. Prepare to set sail on this adventurous journey.
The First Record of Straw Hats
Originating from the coast of Ecuador, the native inhabitants of the coastal area of Ecuador (South America) were known to wear a type of headwear made of woven straw to protect them from the strong equatorial sun rays. Evidence of these hats were found in several ceramic figures of different Ecuadorian cultures that dated back as far as 1200 B.C.
16th Century-The First Panama Hat
When the Spanish Conquistadores reached the coast of Ecuador, where the provinces of Guayas and Manabí are located today, they recorded the native Indians wearing straw hats that covered their ears and their necks. These hats looked like the headdresses worn by nuns and widows back in Europe which were called "Tocas" in Spanish. So, the hats were called "toquillas" or "little headdresses" and the straw was referred to as "toquilla" straw. Soon, the Spaniards started wearing hats of the same material.
17th Century - The Montecristi Hat
Spanish colonialists used native labor to produce European style hats, replacing the traditional Toquillas that covered ears and neck. Skilled weavers were in the towns of Jipijapa (pronounced “hippy happa”) and Montecristi (Manabí Province) and soon these villages turned into hat weaving centers and named their hats after their towns. Until today, the Montecristi Hat is recognized as the finest in Panama hats.
18th Century – Scientific Name of the Palm is Defined
Spaniards started to use the locally native straw to shape their own hats and they became popular with the colonial nobility. Soon, the King of Spain ordered several bolts of this straw for his wife. A botanist discovered that the straw that was used to weave the hats came from a palm species that only grows in the coast of Ecuador, between 100 and 400 meters above sea level, and they gave the palm the scientific name of Carludovica Palmata in honor of the King Charles IV of Spain and his wife Ludovica.
1835 – First Modern Hat Business and the Conception of the Name of the Famous Hat
After Ecuador gained independence from Spain in 1822, an entrepreneur named Manuel Alfaro settled in the mountainside town Montecristi (province of Manabí) in 1835 and established a hat production business using his own straw plantations and hiring skilled weavers. To reach an international audience he made Panama, a growing commercial hub, the strategic home base of his hat export business. After opening shops in Panama, Alfaro attracted the attention of buyers from around the world, who soon associated this Ecuadorian product with the country of Panama.
1836 – 1845 The Cuenca Hat
In 1836, the city of Cuenca in the southern highland province of Azuay opened a hat factory to boost the local economy. Cuenca hats differ from Montecristi hats essentially in the thickness (weaving time) and the color (bleaching) of the straw. Authorities established a modern workshop with plenty of wooden hat blocks, bleaching powder, tools and toquilla straw that was brought from coastal plantations. Some master weavers were brought from Manabí to live in Cuenca and training was given to anyone who was willing to learn. Soon, the hat industry in Cuenca became one of the most powerful economic activities in the region. Today it is the largest producer of the Toquilla hats.
1848 – The Gold Rush
In 1848 the Gold Rush fever spread to South America and people rushed to California by crossing the Isthmus of Panama. While passing through, they often bought hats on their way and spread the word about Panama Hats in the USA. Eloy Alfaro, son of Manuel Alfaro and later the President of Ecuador, took over the family business and in 1849 Ecuador exported 220,000 hats to California.
1855 – World Fair in Paris
A Frenchman who lived in Panama exhibited the hats at the 1855 World Fair in Paris and since Ecuador was not mentioned as a participating country the hats were baptized as "Panama Hats". The French fashion soon adopted the Panama Hat and even Emperor Napoleon III wore a Montecristi Hat spreading the trend to other European countries. In Great Britain, the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) also became a Panama Hat aficionado.
1906 – The Panama Canal Construction
During the Panama Canal construction both the US and Canadian governments purchased hats for their workers and engineers that arrived in Panama. The popularity rose all over the world when a photograph of President Theodore Roosevelt wearing a stylish Montecristi hat during a visit to the canal, appeared in the world press (The President is wearing the Optimo style).
1944 – Hollywood Golden Age
In 1944, Panama Hat exports from Ecuador soared, making it the country’s top export. This surge was partly due to a decline in cocoa exports. The Hollywood Golden Age played a significant role in boosting sales: many celebrities sported Panama hats both on and off screen, making them a stylish trend. These iconic hats even graced the silver screen in movies like Gone with the Wind, Casablanca, Key Largo, To Kill a Mockingbird, and The Man Who Would Be King.
2012 – Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
The traditional weaving of the Ecuadorian toquilla straw hat reached another milestone when it was recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) hat as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Today the Panama hat is celebrated as the most famous hat for its eternal classic style, soft luxurious texture, increasing usage by people around the world (not just fashionistas and Hollywood celebrities) and the growing awareness of its significant cultural history.
Have you traveled to Ecuador?
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