About Us
Some years ago, we came to the fascinating Ecuador in South America. On our trips through this country, we have come to know not only the natural beauty of this country but also th e cradle of the famous Panama hat - Montecristi. So, we came into contact with some of the very few Master weavers, who still know this legendary craftmanship. We maintain very close business contact to this families and we negotiate fairly, which is very important to us. We work without any middlemen and that is the reason why we are in the position to offer fair prices.
We work with unblocked hats. Once we have received these hat bodies from the weavers, our blocker gives them their shapes and defines their styles. Now it's our turn.. we cut off the fringe at the edge of the brim and little straw ends anywhere on the hat. Then we sew the sweatband into the hat. Our hat bands or bows are shaped and sewn by hand. That is how we guarantee highest quality and best possible processing of our Genuine Panama hats. We turn an unshaped hat into your favorite style of finished Panama hat. For those colder days we offer handmade woolen ponchos woven by Ecuadorian artisans.
The crafts of Imbabura have a history so old that dates back to the first civilizations of America. During the colonial era this place was the center of textile production for most of the Spanish colonies. In 1965 Don Alfonso, a young indigenous man, turned his dreams into reality with the foundation of his own craft workshop and begins weaving ponchos on a wooden loom. Today it is one of the favorite brands within Ecuador. We are proud to be able to support his and other families with the marketing and sale of their ponchos.