- Shahad Bakerman
Panama Hats .. or Ecuadorian Hats?
"A piece of magic is a hat." - Martha Sliter
Did you know that the Panama hats have originated in the early 16th century? Despite the name, these hats were first made in the town of Montecristi in Ecuador, where they are locally known as the toquilla, or jipijapa, hats. .
The traditional weaving of the toquilla straw hats can take up to 4 months to finish one hat, and it is considered an art that is now an official Ecuadorian cultural heritage.
