How to Buy a Panama Hat in Cuenca, Ecuador: Weaves, Grades and Where to Shop

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Jet Set LatAM · Fashion Shopping Guides

The most famous hat in the world was never made in Panama. The Panama hat is woven in Ecuador from paja toquilla, the fiber of a palm-like plant that grows on the coast, and it earned its misleading name by being shipped and sold through Panama. The traditional weaving of the toquilla straw hat is recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage. If you want to buy one well, the city to visit is Cuenca, where hats are finished, shaped and sold.

Cuenca and Montecristi: two places, two reputations

Weaving happens in two main regions. On the coast, the town of Montecristi in Manabí is famous for the finest hats — superfinos that can take months to weave and cost as much as a good watch. In the Andes, the province of Azuay and the city of Cuenca are the commercial and finishing heart: weavers in surrounding villages make hats that are washed, bleached or dyed, blocked, trimmed and banded in Cuenca’s workshops. Most hats you will find in Cuenca are excellent everyday quality; truly fine Montecristis are specialist purchases.

How to judge a Panama hat

• Hold it to the light. A good weave is tight and even, with no gaps or thick, uneven strands.
• Look at the crown. Weaving starts at the center of the crown, the “rosette”; the more rings around it and the finer they are, the finer the hat.
• Feel it. Fine hats are lighter, softer and more flexible; coarse hats feel stiff and papery.
• Ignore the grade name alone. Words like fino, superfino or numbers are not standardized between sellers. Compare hats side by side instead.
• Be wary of “rollable” claims. Very fine hats can be folded carefully, but rolling most hats will crack the straw. Buy a hat box for the trip home.

Where to shop in Cuenca

Homero Ortega, on Avenida Gil Ramírez Dávalos, is the best-known name: a family company with a workshop and small museum explaining the process, and a large shop with every shape and grade. In the historic center, Barranco, on Calle Larga, has a hat museum and workshop with views over the Tomebamba river. Smaller hat shops around the center offer good everyday hats at lower prices; finer pieces deserve a specialist. Whichever you choose, try several shapes — fedora, optimo, boater — and have the band and size adjusted on the spot.

What to pay and how to take it home

Everyday Cuenca-woven hats are affordable; prices climb steeply with fineness, and genuine Montecristi superfinos are luxury pieces. Pay by card at established shops, ask for a hat box or a crushable case, and carry the hat on the plane rather than checking it. If your trip continues, our guide to independent shopping in Quito and our story on Sensi Studio, the Ecuadorian label that reinvented the toquilla hat, are good next reads.

Shop Panama hats and Ecuadorian craft

If you cannot get to Cuenca, these toquilla straw hats from our ShopMy edit are the next best thing:

• Artesano Sevilla toquilla straw hat — the classic fedora shape
• Quince toquilla straw wide-brim hat — sun protection with a fashion edge
• Linen shirt — the natural partner to a Panama
• Raffia pochette — straw-season evenings

Where to stay in Cuenca

Cuenca’s historic center is compact and walkable. Mansión Alcázar, a restored nineteenth-century mansion with a garden courtyard, puts you a few blocks from the hat workshops.

Read reviews for Mansión Alcázar on Tripadvisor ↗ · Check availability on Booking.com ↗

Flying in? Compare flights with LATAM Airlines ↗

Frequently asked questions

Are Panama hats made in Panama?

No. Panama hats are woven in Ecuador from toquilla straw; the name comes from their history of being exported and sold through Panama.

Where is the best place to buy a Panama hat in Ecuador?

Cuenca is the main center for finishing and buying Panama hats; Montecristi, on the coast, is known for the finest superfino hats.

How can you tell a good Panama hat?

Hold it to the light to check that the weave is tight and even, look for fine, numerous rings around the center of the crown, and compare weight and flexibility side by side.

Can you roll a Panama hat?

Most Panama hats should not be rolled, as the straw can crack. Very fine hats can be folded carefully, but a hat box is the safest way to travel.

Keep reading

• Peruvian Alpaca and Vicuña Buying Guide
• How to Buy an Authentic Wayuu Bag
• What to Buy in Latin America
• Quito Independent Shopping and Ecuadorian Design

See all our Latin America fashion shopping guides →

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