Source of Panama Hat

It originated in Ecuador. This kind of hat first appeared in Europe and North America at the beginning of the 19th century. It is called "Panama hat" because the hat was exported by ship owners stationed in Panama. In England, the Panama hat was chosen by the royal family as the perfect summer headdress, and soon became an indispensable decoration for sports and outdoor social activities. When Queen Victoria died in 1901, people put colored ribbons on her hats to show their respect for her. In the Americas, this hat is a symbol for workers digging the Panama Canal. When President Roosevelt visited Panama in 1906, there was a picture of him wearing a Panama hat, and the Panama hat became famous from then on. This kind of hat has a very long history. People once found pottery figurines with strange headdresses on the coast of Ecuador, and the time can be traced back to 4000 BC. Some archaeologists believe that the weaving technology used to make Panama hats was learned after contacting Polynesians in the Pacific Ocean. The linen weaving technology of Polynesians at that time was perfect. The Spanish who first came here were shocked by this translucent material, and even thought it was the skin of vampires. The history of modern panama hats can be traced back to the 16th century. It is woven from the fiber of 3-meter high palm trees. Its main production place is Kunka Town, but the best quality ones come from Montecristi Town and Bibilian Town. The time required to make a Panama hat varies greatly. The woven grass has only five days to harvest every month, at the last quarter of the moon. At this time, the palm fiber has little water content, which makes it light and easy to weave- An experienced weaver can refine grass fibers as beautiful as silk. A low-grade hat can be made in a few hours, while the top Panama hat may take five months to make, and the price can be as high as 1000 pounds.