Hat is a light straw hat which quickly won the world popularity and became very popular. Sometimes there is a confusion concerning its origin as it is possible to think that this headdress was invented in Panama. Though this country really is related to the name of this hat, the homeland of its production is one of the countries of South America.
Hat is a hat from Ecuador
The real hats — handmade traditional straw hats — it is from Ecuador. For their production use leaves of the plant growing there - karlyudovik palmlike. The bound soft, flexible and strong fibers serve as ideal material for headdresses in hot climate.
History of hats can be tracked since the 16th century. Inca are considered as the first who invented these hats. When in 1526 Francisco Pizarro and his Spanish conquistadors arrived to the territory of modern Ecuador, many aboriginals of coastal areas carried the headdresses weaved from straw.
Traditional woven Ecuadorian straw hats were announced on December 6, 2012 by non-material cultural heritage of UNESCO.
As the hat received the name
Much later, in 1835, the enterprising Spanish businessman Manuel Alfaro lodged in the small town of Montekristi in the province Manabi. Its purpose was to organize export of the straw hats of the highest quality made there. However for satisfaction of the growing demand for these products it was required to increase production therefore in 1836 in the city of Cuenka located in the province Asuay the factory on production of hats was open.
Manuel Alfaro created an effective commercial system thanks to which straw hats began to enjoy wide popularity. In the 1800th years Ecuador was not the lively trade place, however rather nearby there was a thin isthmus connecting North and South America — Panama where it was possible to find desired buyers. At that time people from the West or the East of North America could reach an opposite part of the continent in several ways. It was possible to overcome huge distance by land; to get on the ship and to round South America; to reach on the vessel Panama, to cross a narrow strip of the earth and again to get on the vessel on the other hand. As the last way was the fastest and safe, many people migrated through Panama, buying fine hats on the road. Also Panama was the place of international trade from where the South American goods were exported to the countries of Asia, Europe, North America. Also hats were not an exception. Alfaro's idea brought instant success, and the headdress from straw soon became very fashionable. However the name of the place of purchase, but not the place of production was assigned to it. So the world received "hat". The further popularity of a hat is connected with construction of the Panama Canal. In 1904 the building site was visited by the U.S. President Theodor Roosevelt where it was photographed in a hat. The photo became widespread not only in the USA, but also around the world.
Among celebrities the former prime minister of Great Britain Winston Churchill, the American actor Humphrey Bogart, sweet-voiced Frank Sinatra and the president of Venezuela Rómulo Betancourt liked to wear a hat.
Production of hats today
Though over time the hat lost former popularity, on it nevertheless there is a great demand. Today hats are made in many countries of Latin America. The leading exporter is Ecuador which hats have the highest quality. The headdresses having from 1600 to 2000 interlacings of fibers per square inch are considered as the most valuable. They are on sale at very high prices. Less than 300 interlacings mean that poor quality. Work on production of straw hats provides financially thousands of Ecuadorians, however only the few masters are capable to make hats of the highest quality.