Gentle Elegance: The Panama Hat
Click Tracker | October 29, 2017
There is something truly beautiful about the process of hand weaving a Panama hat. Yes, it takes skill and precision but the patience and history behind the weaving process is the most romantic part.
Our Artisans in Cuenca, Ecuador live and breath this history. It's a living art that is past down from generations with unique weaving techniques at the core of the family tradition. Our hats take upwards of 10 hours to gently weave a single KIN THE LABEL hat body.
To start, the center of the crown is created using only a few fibers. After more straws are added to form the crown, they continue in this manner to form the hat body using a wooden mold to shape it and then finish with the brim.
The inter-weaving process is unique to Panama hats. The tied off fibers at the edge of the brim are tightened and excess fibers trimmed. The final stage requires the straw be ironed to smooth and flatten the fibers before the hat goes through blocking and shaping process in the USA.
The beauty of an individual artisan's technique in weaving a Panama, no one hat is alike. The patience to interweave every strand of fiber becomes an elegant work of art.
Size Guide
How to measure your head
We prefer that you measure your head in centimeters because it tends to be more accurate than inches. Measure several times to ensure accuracy.
step 1
To measure your head size where your hat will sit, gather a cloth measuring tape or a simple string.
step 2
Start at the back of your head by gently wrapping the measuring tape or string towards your forehead a half inch (temple area) above your ears. Meet both ends of the measuring tape or string at the center of your forehead above the eyebrows.
step 3
Mark where those two points meet and measure the distance between the start and end points. If using a string, measure the start and end points against a ruler to find your hat size. Use this measurement to determine your hat size. Hat sizes vary by style, so be sure to check the unique fit for each.