Keep it long, treasure it long.

Cut the sun with a big brim

If you want to prevent sunshine on your face and neck, a bigger brim hat helps. Ecua-Andino's Ecuador Hat Hippie L B is very simple but has all the elements you need in the season when the sunshine is strong.

Natural Toquilla straw

Ecuador Hat Hippie L B is easy to wear and elegant for everyone. Toquilla straw fits well on the head and has good ventilation, so it is safe even in hot weather. The wide brim cuts the UV rays that get into your eyes. You can also prevent sunshine on your neck by changing the way you wear it.

Ecuador Hat Hippie L B is a hat without decoration, so you can see fine knitting. Each one is completed by a craftsman over a long period of time. Because it is carefully made, there is little worry about fraying or breaking, and there is a sense of security that can be used not only for one season but also for continued use. Ecuador Hat Hippie L B is convenient for walks with children, summer camps, and regular outings.

Ecua-Andino's Panama hats are made in multiple villages in Ecuador, depending on the production process. Toquilla straw is characterized by having large leaves, but Toquilla straw for Panama hats is cultivated in the shape of a stick, and when the leaves are harvested and processed, they become thin and supple. The material is transferred to the area responsible for knitting, and the housewife of the village uses the time between daily lives to carefully knit. Skilled craftsmen are in charge of finishing. And through the process of coloring, shaping and decorating, a beautifully shaped Panama hat is born.

Ecuadorian village hats

The Panama Hat was originally invented to protect people in Ecuador, directly below the equator, from intense ultraviolet radiation. It is said that many workers were wearing Ecuadorian hats at the time of the construction of the Panama Canal.

Alejandro Recaro, founder of Ecua-Andino, has experience as a tour guide in Ecuador. He founded Ecua-Andino in 1985 with his business partner, Edga Sanchez, in 1985 with the philosophy of sharing the wonders of Panama Hat with the world and contributing to the development of the country's industry.

The two go to an area that grows, knits, and shapes and colors the Toquilla straw, and establishes a manufacturing infrastructure. By creating a mechanism to move materials and unfinished hats from one village to another once a week, local people can work on production while maintaining their own lives. Ecua-Andino's products are gradually gaining attention as a new trend at Paris fashion shows and Japanese fashion shows, and are recognized as a classic summer hat.