Production process
Each fiber of the hat is very short in length. However, in an authentic Paja Toquilla hat it is difficult to tell where one thread ends and another begins. Also, the weave is so tight that even water can't get through! When the Spanish conquistadors arrived in what are now the provinces of Guayas and Manabi, in the coastal region of Ecuador, they noticed native Indians using straw hats (pachas in Spanish) that covered their ears and necks. These hats resembled with Tokas, head coverings worn by nuns or widows in Europe. So they called them "Toquilla". Today, inspired by the material from which they are made, I named them Paja Toquilla.
The secrets of creating this hat are passed down from generation to generation and even today in our factory it is made entirely by hand.
Each hat is unique, exclusively handmade, which is why it needs care. In the Paja Toquilla factory we produce the classic Fedora, the Monte Carlo, the "Gulf of Panama", the Montecristi (hat designs). The quality is divided into standard, fino and superfino and the prices vary from tens to thousands of euros. Of course, there are also cheap imitations of the original "Panama", which are mass-produced. However, many of these hats break, while others do not "breathe". In contrast, the original Paja Toquilla hat is light, airy and timeless. Each hat is knitted by hand and that's why every piece is unique.
They are made 100% from the tokiya plant and do not contain paper or other synthetic fibers. The design is made in Greece, in harmony aesthetics through the culture of the hat's place of origin.
Our authentic Panama hats are completely handmade and made by locals artisans in my factory in Ecuador, which is why they are also awarded by UNESCO.
