About
Warmi Panama Hats
This garment has its origin in the indigenous culture of the Ecuadorian region of Jipijapa, where they began to be manufactured from 1630. The Spanish conquerors began to market them in Europe in the same XVII century. But jipijapa is also the fiber that is used to weave these hats. In fact, its original name is “jipijapa hat”.
Why then are they known by the name of “Panama”? The answer is simple: its use became popular in the XIX century with the construction of the Panama Canal. Currently, Ecuador continues to be the main producer of these hats. These hats are known for their strong fabric and elegance. Among its characteristics, it stands out that they are resistant to water and can be stored folded without deforming. Today they are sold in haute couture markets and are considered a very valuable handicraft product, it is not strange, since some take up to eight months to be woven. Today this accessory is worn by both men and women and symbolizes status. Sean Connery, Paco Rabal, Jessica Alba, Winston Churchill, Teddy Roosevelt, Clark Gable, Humphry Bogart, Gary Cooper or Madonna are some of the most popular faces that have worn this hat. In addition, it is the official garment of the Roland Garros tennis tournament (Paris) and is given to the guests of the main grandstand.
History
Alpaca Wool
The textile history of Peru began five thousand years ago when the weavers of the pre-Inca cultures managed to masterfully handle the natural fibers of cotton and alpaca. Today these ancestral techniques, together with modern manufacturing processes, join designers, weavers and garment makers to produce modern, comfortable and original garments.
Peru concentrates 80% of the world production of alpaca fiber, a camelid that lives at an altitude of four thousand meters, in regions where antagonistic temperatures prevail. As part of the process of adaptation to the variability of climates, this camelid has developed small bags of air that, when it is cold, warm them, and when it is hot they contract, managing to cool the animal’s skin. That is, they have a natural thermal effect. In addition, it has 22 natural shades and a shine that resembles silk, it is antiallergic and its production has a sustainable impact on nature.
The highly developed Inca society that sprouted in the rugged Andes mountains prized the alpaca for its ultra-fine fleece, and were responsible, through separation and selective breeding, for developing the twenty-two natural colors of the alpaca fleece that we see today. day. Clothing made of alpaca was reserved for royalty or the elite class; the common man was not allowed to use it.
