Panama hat

A Panama hat, also known as an Ecuadorian hat, a Jipijapa hat, or a toquilla straw hat, is a traditional brimmed straw hat of Ecuadorian origin. Traditionally, hats were made from the plaited leaves of the Carludovica palmata plant, known locally as the toquilla palm or Jipijapa palm, although it is a palm-like plant rather than a true palm. Ecuadoran hats are light-colored, lightweight, and breathable, and often worn as accessories to summer-weight suits, such as those made of linen or silk. The tightness, the fineness of the weave, and the time spent in weaving a complete hat out of the toquilla straw characterize its quality. Beginning around the turn of the 20th century, these hats became popular as tropical and seaside accessories owing to their ease of wear and breathability. The art of weaving the traditional Ecuadoran toquilla hat was added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists on 5 December 2012.

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