Portofino

Portofino is a hat Drop realized in Panama Fine, or a Panama Cuenca grade 20 and has the traditional herringbone weave. This type of Panama is particularly valuable and gives the hat a peculiar tightness, elasticity and refinement. The Portofino is white, the natural color of Panama, and is packed with the grosgrain and cotton belt in the colors of the green, gray and blue.

Panama grade 20 indicates a weave of very high fineness that is achieved by weaving the threads 2 by 2. The workmanship done by these artisans is exclusively by hand and covers all grades of chapel weave. Panama's of a lesser grade, thus with a less fine weave also turn out to be an excellent choice for those who want to approach the classic but cheaper one.

The next process after Panama weaving is forming. Steam and the dexterity of our craftsmen are the fundamental components of this process. In fact, at this stage, the hat is given its desired shape through the use of steam and ironing, carried out exclusively by hand on wooden forms. This process makes it possible to have a hat that is always elastic and malleable while the air helps to fix the shape.

Panama hat: the History

The material used for this hat is Panama and has an incredible history. It is a weave of strands of "paja-toquilla," a straw made from the leaves of the Carludovica palmata typical of tropical America. These threads are collected in the towns of Montecristi and Jipijapa by artisans scattered in small villages and then marketed as weaves in the city of Cuenca.

The tenderest shoots of the plant are washed, boiled, sun-dried and later kept exposed to the night breeze. This process allows for the natural color typical of Panama. The final step is to dye the straw in baths of natural tones, which allows the chaparral to have the desired color.

Panama craftsmanship is done entirely by hand and is an important part of Ecuador's cultural heritage. Its ancient production techniques were recognized in 2012 as an Intangible World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Depending on the type and degree of weaving given to the straw, Panama takes on different designations and qualities. The finest quality can involve up to eight months of manual labor by local weavers.