Behind the Scenes: Handwoven Panama Straws

In celebration of straw season, we would like to share the story of where our Panama straws come from and how they are made. Join us for a quick history lesson and behind the scenes footage of our latest trip to Mexico to visit our weaving partners.

Discovery

In 2021, Gem Hats owner Caroline set out on an expedition to find the best quality straw hats to offer our customers. The most famous type of straw hat is considered to be the Panama Hat, but the straw is not actually native to Panama. We did our research to discover the true story behind these infamous straw hats and meet the partner with some of the incredible artisans who make them.

Jipijapa

The Panama Hat is a handwoven straw hat that is known for its breathability, softness and light weight. The original plant used to weave the Panama hat is native to a small town in Ecuador called Jipijapa (pronounced hee-pee-ha-pa). Unlike other common types of palm, the leaves from the Jipijapa plant are incredibly fine, strong and flexible, allowing artisans to weave the palm 25X more than the standard palm. The tightest weaves creates the finest of hats, providing more sun protection, a long-lasting shape and a soft, comfortable fit.

Landing in Campeche

Caroline, Gem Hats founder, in front Becal's town center statue.

Thanks to our friends in Mexico (the idea for Gem Hats started in Mexico City), we learned that Ecuador is not the only place where the Jipijapa plant grows. In the late 19th century, the palm was introduced to a small town in Mexico called Becal. The Mayans began weaving the palm into hats, but had to weave them in caves as the palm requires high humidity levels for weaving elasticity. Fast forward to present day, Becal is home of the Jipi Hat where you can find an entire town of locals dedicated to the art of hat-making.

Most of the makers work in caves that have been in their family's backyards for generations. For those who want to work in the trade but do not have a cave in the family, there are communal caves available throughout the town.

Alma, known as the "grandmother of the cave" splitting jipi leaves.

The Prep Process

As fellow hat makers, we were (and forever will be) in awe of the process behind the creation of these hats.

First, the palm leaves are picked from the jipijapa plant, a seemingly plentiful resource across the town. The leaves are then split down the middle using a fine needle to create the thin pieces needed for weaving. The thinner the split, the tighter the weave.

Once split, the thin palm pieces are washed, smoked, tinted and hung to dry, a process that takes 6-15 days. Artisans use a variety of local grains, fruits and veggies to dye the jipijapa. Due to this very natural making process, the colors are always one of a kind, which we obviously love here at Gem Hats!

naturally dyed plants

straw hanging to dry

a bucket for dying straw hats

The Weaving Process

Once fully dried, artisans bring the prepped jipi palm leaves down to their workspace-family caves. The caves are typically around 500-1000 square feet in size and are equipped with lighting so the weavers can work through the day. It is humid, but actually quite cool and calming.

They begin weaving each strand by hand on a traditional millinery wooden block. Depending on the thickness of the palm, the hats take on average 10-15 days each to weave. The tightest possible weave can take up to 2 months to complete!

A community hat press in Becal.

The Final Steps

After weaving is fully complete, the hats are hung to dry again before heading to the steel press. Similar to the communal caves, there is also a community press that allows for shared use of the heavy duty machines.

Each style and size requires a different steel block. Pictured to the left is a large teardrop crown with a western style brim. Through heat, steam and pressure, the hats are shaped into the block shape and are ready to be worn.

Our Partners

Gem Hats is proud to work with and support the artisans of Becal to bring the Jipijapa Straw Hats to our customers. We have been partners and friends with a very special family of weavers for the past 4 years and plan to continue to support small batch, handmade production.

Design

Once we receive the Jipijapa Hats from our partners in Mexico, our team works with you to design your own panama straw. Gem Hats offers hat bands, gems, feathers and embroidery services to make each custom straw unique to you and your style.

To book an appointment to customize your very own panama straw hat, please visit our scheduling page. If you have any questions about our artisan partners or our sourcing process, please reach out to us at hello@gemhats.com.