Given our base in southern California, we have always considered panama hats our specialty. We, in fact, are also panamas.com if you happen to forget our primary name. If you've visited our web site before, you probably know that panama hats are not from Panama but from the lowlands of western S. America, primarily Ecuador. You also may know that the hat is made from panama straw (Latin name Carludovica palmata or local common name paja toquilla), and therefore a panama hat is not a style but rather a hat from this particular straw material. Panama hats are blocked in virtually any style. The quality of panama hats can vary significantly. A novice buyer should be careful when buying a fine quality panama hat; the retail market is neither clear nor consistent regarding grading and pricing. Our selection on this page is organized to give you a comparative lesson of sorts. Hats made with grade 3 Cuenca bodies (Cuenca is a city in Ecuador) run about $60 dollars or so, hats from the grade 8 Cuenca or Brisa (another weave) bodies are priced approximately $95.
Additionally, you'll find both blocked and unblocked Montecristi hat bodies (Montecristi is a city in Ecuador's Manabi province). Montecristi is synonymous with the finest Panama hats in the world; but, again, be careful because qualities vary considerably even with hats from Montecristi. I hope this helps somewhat. If you buy one, know you're buying a hand made item with centuries of tradition..
Further information with regard to Panama Hats can be found at the HAT FACTS section of our site: Panama Hats: Determining Quality.
We send a letter to customers who purchase a Montecristi Fino in an unblocked state. This information may be useful to those of you who are considering such a purchase: Panama Montecristi Fino Letter.
Are you in the UK or Europe and looking for Panama Hats? Try our sister site - www.VillageHats.co.uk.
