Bullhide Panama Hats are hand woven exclusively in the Andes Mountains of South America using fibers of 'Paja Toquillo' Straw. The Carludovica Palmato plant whose leaves provide this natural straw takes over 3 years to reach full maturity. The leaves are then cut by hand, bundled and transported to the harvester's villages, usually by horse or donkey. The Toquillo leaves are first split or torn into thin filaments of straw and then boiled or 'cooked' before being dried bleached by the sun. The bundles of straw are then transported and sold to the weavers. Weaving is largely a cottage industry, which takes place in the villages close to the coastal plantations or in the Andes mountains. The weavers can produce a coarse grade hat in two to three days, however to produce a superfine quality hat may take up to three months. Bullhide Panama Hats Are Extraordinarily Unique |
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