Panama Hat - Michael

The key tip is to prevent the straw from drying out over time. You can lightly steam it occasionally, using a steamer or steam from a kettle, or by taking it into the bathroom while showering. Alternately you can lightly mist it with a spray bottle.

It is a mistake to pick up the hat by the pinch or the crown. Your fingertips will weaken the fibres over time and they will start to split and fray. Always pick your hat up by the inside of the crown. Set it down upsaidedown, resting on the crown to avoid bending the brim.

If the hat gets something on it: Spot clean using a damp cloth with mild soapy water or a wet wipe using gentle strokes following the grain of the fibres. Be sure not to rub the stain further into the weave. Pat dry and allow the hat to dry naturally. Do not use chemical cleaners as this may stain and cause discolouration.

Reshaping: over time, a Panama hat may need to be refreshed or reshaped. Dampen both inside & outside of the hat using the steam of an iron, holding it about 5 cm from the iron. Gently stuff the crown with plain white tissue paper to the desired shape. Leave in a well-ventilated place to dry with the crown and brim supported. If you  need to straighten the brim of your hat, you can iron it on a very low heat with a cloth between the iron and the hat to prevent the delicate fibers of the hat from burning.

Authentic Panama Hats are made only from the cogollo or heart of the Toquilla Palm (Carludovica palmata), indigenous to the coastal regions of Ecuador.

Despite their name, Panama hats have never been made in Panama. They originated in Ecuador where they are made to this day.

Ecuador's low tourism and international trade levels during the 1850s prompted enterprising hat makers to take their crafts to the busy trade center of Panama. There, they were able to sell more hats than they ever could in Ecuador.  Travelers would tell people admiring their hats that they bought them in Panama. So, the hats quickly became known as “Panama hats.”

After the 1855 World's Fair in Paris, Panama hats were featured for the first time on a global scale. The name "Panama hat" was further reinforced by President Theodore Roosevelt when he posed for a series of photos at the Panama Canal construction site in 1906, dressed crisply in light-colored suits and sporting Ecuadorian-made straw Panama hats.

After that wide-spread publication, the Panama hat became the most sought-after headwear in the world.