This photo is from my first visit to Sig Sig. The woman by my side is Juanita. She told me about her experience with panama hats. “I like to design hats for couture, my hats were sold in Paris and other parts of Europe”, she said. I told her I would love to see her headwear designs.”Then, come back and I’ll show you”, she said.

Panama hat tradition is full of great stories about celebrities that wore the hats in the most stylish and glamorous environments. And all of these hats were hand woven by the ancestors of Juanita. The weaving communities of the panama hats still exist in Ecuador and they weave hard in order to keep the tradition. When i did my hat path back in 2010 in reality i just discovered the top of the iceberg. Family stories, secrets, hat trade, amazing experiences, people from glam lifestyles connecting directly to people from rural lifestyles trough a hand technique of making hats. Isn’t it amazing?

The community of Sig Sig is the one that first caught my attention. I listened to these woman from all ages that would talk to me meanwhile weaving. “We just want to sell our hats and improve our life conditions”. They really live in rustic homes. Most of these women raise their children alone meanwhile their husbands are working in North America to bring extra money to their families.

I found this story full of richness and my mind was blowing with creative ideas on how to communicate, innovate in design and bring light to this one of a kind human pass on knowhow. The hats are so beautiful everyone looks great on them. I wasn’t into hats until i discover the king of them: The Real Panama Hat that has always been made in Ecuador.

Panama hats are made from the finest straw in the world. This is not just a coincidence, this is is the charm of the panama hat. That is why Greenpacha wants to honor this people by bringing the best straw hats in the world to you.

There could be other hats on the market. But among the straw hats, there is no comparison with a good toquilla hat.

From Ecuador to the world: This people are sharing their ancient way of hand making hats. The panama hats are beautiful. And the people who make them are hilarious.

Feel welcome to share.

Gracias!