There comes a time in everyone's life when they need a hat. For some people this has been avoided for one reason or another. Maybe they think they don't look good in hats, maybe it feels weird or perhaps it is just some traumatic experience that has kept you away.
Either way, it helps to have someone to talk to when choosing your first hat.
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For the past 15 years we have been shipping our Panamas all over the world. In the process we have become very good at it -
* getting the sizing right & double checking
* packaging for rough postal services (ie USA & Africa)
* helping with styling and choosing the right hat
Have a look here and see how we do it.
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Across the entire planet, there is no other hat that is better to wear in hot weather. It is an ancient 7000 year old artform that keeps you cooler than anything else, and is completely beautiful.
Find out why?
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When I first arrived in Ecuador in 2007, and bought a new Panama and was terribly disappointed. Within a week it had shrunk and no longer fitted. The brim was all wonky and fraying, and I was bewildered as to why all this was all happening.
I had collected Panamas for decades, but somehow these beautiful hats had fallen into disarray. I assumed it was the quality, so I bought a fino version, but the same thing happened.
Later that year a weaver told me why - all the best Panamas get exported, which is exactly what I was doing. There is a lot of engineering and design that goes into making a beautiful Panama that last and always looks good. Learn how this is done:
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Sometimes it's hard to know which is the right hat for you. After fitting tens of thousands of hats, I have a pretty good idea of what will work.
You can get lost in face shapes, builds, style, noses and an endless array of variables. Or just give me the chance to show my skills - submit this form and all will become clear.
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They are only made in Ecuador, specifically around Montechristi on the coast, and around Cuenca in the mountains.
Inferior versions, often using the same straw, are woven in Columbia, Peru, Bolivia and Mexico. They may appear similar, but they are by definition not a Panama hat. In our modern age, any white hat is called a Panama, whether they are made of plastic, paper or felt.
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Don't be fooled by this old tourist scam - selling rollable Panama hats in little boxes or tubes.. The answer is yes you can roll them, but it will crack and the brim will ripple. Sure they look good in the photos, but in a very short time they will look like crap.
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