Sustainability is a huge part of our brand’s ethos. We believe in creating as little waste as possible and supporting artisan communities during our hat-making process. Today we want to highlight our Panama straw hats, our canvas bucket hats, and our Colombian straw bucket hats.
Straw Hats
The Ralph Hat- one of our favorites!
A quick history on Panama hats- Ecuadorian natives have been weaving straw hats since the 16th century. The art of weaving was then taught in the provinces of Cuenca, Azuay, and Cañar, which are now the largest centers of hat production in Ecuador. Years later, buyers shipped the hats via the Panama Canal where they were worn by workers for sun protection- that’s how they became known as Panama straw hats.
Our Panama hats are consciously sourced from a family-owned business in Ecuador. Their mission is to celebrate the Panama straw tradition while focusing on quality, social responsibility, the environment, and supporting the rich artisan community around them. Each hat is handwoven by Ecuadorian artisans and dried in the sun to obtain a natural color or colored with organic dyes.
Canvas Bucket Hats
Our pink hand-dyed bucket hat
We are proud to be teaming up with two sustainably-minded producers to create our canvas hats in Guatemala.
Our beautiful bucket canvas hats are hand made with upcycled cotton and post-industrial textile waste. This process is chemical-free, dye-free, and uses minimal water and energy. No synthetic fibers are added to the fabric, making it 100% natural and compostable.
The canvas is sent to a small women-owned studio in Guatemala for the final phase of production. This studio was founded on conscious manufacturing principles with a heavy emphasis on the individual, fair wages, the environment, and reducing waste. They focus on small batch production and slow fashion designers. Our range of colors uses only natural dyes.
Straw Bucket Hats
Our pink straw bucket hat
Our straw bucket hats are handmade by a community of indigenous Wayuu artisans in Colombia. Each hat is handcrafted with Iraca palm straw and all dyes are derived from tree extracts and natural paints. We obtain these hats through a partnership with a Colombian nonprofit organization that provides work opportunities for the artisans. They also support the indigenous community by providing them with resources for their education, health, and overall well-being.
