Sources of Panama Hats (newbie alert!)

[Burton]

I've wanted a good Panama hat for years and did quite a detailed internet store search and came away with way too many questions and concerns that could only be answered by actually seeing and trying on the hats. On a trip to Hawaii and a stay at the old Royal Hawaiian Hotel in Waikiki I happend upon the NEWT store in the hotel and ended up over a couple of visits buying several hats. Yes I paid a more for them but I was able to try them on and was given some great information from the owners Lee and Jim. I cant say enough great things about these gentlemen, their knowledge of the product and their love of fine hats.

I realize that this plug may only appeal to a few folks but if you are in Hawaii and love great Panama hats give them a try.

 

[Hereward]

Somehow, a hat shop is a place one hopes and expects to find good, old-fashioned service and these two chaps sound like they fulfilled that. Sadly not all hat shops do in my experience but most do perhaps.

Next time I'm in the USA I shall visit a few hatters. My last time was in Galveston and the man there was very pleasant and helpful once he realised we were not just browsing aimlessly as tourists; before that he wasn't unfriendly but reserved and distant (something us English types can get along with). That was a couple of years before I started wearing classic hats and all I remember is my wife pointing out a beautiful Borsalino. Being born in Austria and from the part bordering Italy, she has a taste for things Italian.

 

[DRB]

So, how does one contact Panama Bob? Seems his website is not operational. It attempts to put bugs onto your browser/computer.

 

[steur]

So, how does one contact Panama Bob? Seems his website is not operational without putting bugs onto your browser/computer. www.panamas.biz

I don't think that's the way to go, Dennis. From what I gather in the threads here, Panama Bob quit the business, leaving several buyers, who paid up front, high and dry.

 

[DRB]

I don't think that's the way to go, Dennis. From what I gather in the threads here, Panama Bob quit the business, leaving several buyers, who paid up front, high and dry.

Thank you! I was thinking that he fell into the Panama Canal as there was no word. I did see a video of a member warning not to purchase. I just wanted to look at his website. No worries. I already ordered a Montecristi Special Reserve from Panama Hats Direct last week. I think between PHD, Optimo, and Borsalino I should be able to quench my seemingly insatiable thirst for straws. Brands I know. I have been reading as many threads as possible here on the F.L. and I am still not done. There is some good information. It gets hot here in Florida.

 

[steur]

Thank you! I was thinking that he fell into the Panama Canal as there was no word. I did see a video of a member warning not to purchase. I just wanted to look at his website. No worries. I already ordered a Montecristi Special Reserve from Panama Hats Direct last week. I think between PHD, Optimo, and Borsalino I should be able to quench my seemingly insatiable thirst for straws. Brands I know. I have been reading as many threads as possible here on the F.L. and I am still not done. There is some good information. It gets hot here in Florida.

If you live in a climate for them, I'd say get them while you still can. From what I gather there's less and less interest in making them in Ecuador and who can blame them? Hunched over a tree trunk for weeks and getting paid very little money in the end would get you looking for a better way to make a living soon enough. The good ones are works of art and worth paying good money for, but there are way too few people prepared to do that. I think this craft and the hats resulting from it will become very scarce soon.

 

[jonbuilder]

If you live in a climate for them, I'd say get them while you still can. From what I gather there's less and less interest in making them in Ecuador and who can blame them? Hunched over a tree trunk for weeks and getting paid very little money in the end would get you looking for a better way to make a living soon enough. The good ones are works of art and worth paying good money for, but there are way too few people prepared to do that. I think this craft and the hats resulting from it will become very scarce soon.

+1 This is exactly what Brenet Black has told me

 

[Tukwila]

Well, minimum wage comes to about $400 a month so there's that consideration as well. If a weaver works a day job and weaves a hat or several every month then s/he can double their wages or better.

The only weavers I know that weave full time are the very best who supply Brent Black, etc, and those who have a spouse and/or other family members who work a day job.

A loose weave, low WPSI hat can be finished in a couple days; not 8 hour days, but 4-5 hours a day. If you come home from work, put in a few hours in the afternoon then you can sell your hats at the market or with one of the shops or distributors. I believe Ortega gives supplies to their weavers who then finish the hats at their homes... including the prepared paja toquilla (straw), wooden blocks, etc.

What I see is fewer and fewer really great weavers who will put a month or two into one hat. It's a big risk to put all that time and product into one hat that can easily be damaged or stolen. Imagine 60 days of work being lost because a line of straw broke, or your toddler decided to play hat weaving while you were out.... can you even imagine how big a blow that would be to a weaver?

About Panama Bob, if you haven't done business in a corrupt, often criminal, 3rd world environment before then please don't jump to conclusions about Bob. As I understand it, his man on the ground was robbed more than once. The last time bankrupted Bob, who - IMO - was doing good work for the weavers in Ecuador as well as the consumers on this end.

Panama Bob is the reason I refuse to take any payment up front when I look for hats to sell. I take the risk. I couldn't stand it if I lost clients' or friends' money and was then unable to repay it. Sandra and I had a guy follow us from a shop in Cuenca once. I had a martial arts type walking cane with me and I told Sandra, if he comes around this next corner I am going to drop him without saying a word and beat him silly. We went around the corner and waited, and waited. I went to check around the corner and he had stopped in a doorway, talking on a cell phone. Whew.

I wonder if Brent Black's agent has ever been robbed. Think about showing up in town with a briefcase full of cash to buy world class, super fino Montecristi hats. Word gets around fast and a couple guys with smuggled pistolas relieve you of your working capital. What's your recourse? File a police report that won't solve anything. Even serious crimes like murder, rape, kidnapping and aggravated assault are only solved about 2% of the time.

 

[mrwilmoth]

I picked up a couple from panama hat collection. Their superfino and ultrafino are magnificent!

 

[DRB]

Well, minimum wage comes to about $400 a month so there's that consideration as well. If a weaver works a day job and weaves a hat or several every month then s/he can double their wages or better.

The only weavers I know that weave full time are the very best who supply Brent Black, etc, and those who have a spouse and/or other family members who work a day job.

A loose weave, low WPSI hat can be finished in a couple days; not 8 hour days, but 4-5 hours a day. If you come home from work, put in a few hours in the afternoon then you can sell your hats at the market or with one of the shops or distributors. I believe Ortega gives supplies to their weavers who then finish the hats at their homes... including the prepared paja toquilla (straw), wooden blocks, etc.

What I see is fewer and fewer really great weavers who will put a month or two into one hat. It's a big risk to put all that time and product into one hat that can easily be damaged or stolen. Imagine 60 days of work being lost because a line of straw broke, or your toddler decided to play hat weaving while you were out.... can you even imagine how big a blow that would be to a weaver?

About Panama Bob, if you haven't done business in a corrupt, often criminal, 3rd world environment before then please don't jump to conclusions about Bob. As I understand it, his man on the ground was robbed more than once. The last time bankrupted Bob, who - IMO - was doing good work for the weavers in Ecuador as well as the consumers on this end.

Panama Bob is the reason I refuse to take any payment up front when I look for hats to sell. I take the risk. I couldn't stand it if I lost clients' or friends' money and was then unable to repay it. Sandra and I had a guy follow us from a shop in Cuenca once. I had a martial arts type walking cane with me and I told Sandra, if he comes around this next corner I am going to drop him without saying a word and beat him silly. We went around the corner and waited, and waited. I went to check around the corner and he had stopped in a doorway, talking on a cell phone. Whew.

I wonder if Brent Black's agent has ever been robbed. Think about showing up in town with a briefcase full of cash to buy world class, super fino Montecristi hats. Word gets around fast and a couple guys with smuggled pistolas relieve you of your working capital. What's your recourse? File a police report that won't solve anything. Even serious crimes like murder, rape, kidnapping and aggravated assault are only solved about 2% of the time.

Thank you for relaying an excellent perspective as to what occurs behind the scenes. It's easy to forget that many parts of the world can be like the Wild Wild West. All the more reason to cherish our works of art.