The quality of straw hats

Straw hat: how to recognize a quality straw hat?

Straw hat: a bit of History

First and foremost, let's look back at the history of straw hats. Indeed, straw hats have been worn for centuries all around the world.

Its history truly takes root in Europe, during the Middle Ages. It was then the headwear of peasants. The hat was purely functional, straw was an affordable raw material, and the hat's wide brims allowed them to shelter from the sun.

It was in Tuscany, in the 16th century, that the straw hat took on a symbolic dimension. Under the influence of the Medici, it became a fashion item, a symbol of elegance in all European courts. Women loved this hat that protected their face from the sun and preserved the whiteness of their complexion, a symbol of beauty and nobility.

The straw hat has remained popular to this day. It has taken on different forms and aspects over time.

Straw hat: famous shapes.

The boater hat is a headwear created in the 1880s. It is characterized by its oval shape, with flat crown and brim. This straw hat is adorned with a ribbon. The enthusiasm for this straw hat was exceptional at the time. Just look at period paintings to realize this, such as Auguste Renoir's famous "Luncheon of the Boating Party". The boater is also Coco Chanel's iconic hat.

On the other side of the globe, Mexicans love the sombrero. This large straw hat is ideal for enjoying some coolness in hot regions thanks to its very wide brims. It's the straw hat of westerns.

Finally, the Panama is the most famous of straw hats. Originally worn by Ecuadorian workers to protect themselves from the sun, it quickly became a very fashionable hat from the 1900s onwards. It is now a symbol of quality and elegance.

Straw hat: what quality?

Measuring the fineness of straw hat stitches:

The most important point in measuring the quality of a straw hat is the fineness of the weaving. The smaller the mesh diameter, the higher the mesh density. The finer the mesh, the more resistant the hat. For example, the panama fedora hat made by Borsalino has an extremely fine mesh, which gives this hat exceptional quality.

One method to measure the quality of a straw hat is to observe the "vueltas" rings visible at the bottom of the hat. A large number of rings indicates the presence of many straw bands and therefore a very fine hat weaving.

You can also measure the fineness of the weaving of the straw using the Cuanta Montecristi method. This measurement was developed by the Montecristi Foundation and consists of counting the exact number of straws per cm². On one cm², measure the number of vertical weaves, then horizontal. Multiply the two numbers to get the Montecristi cuenta.

Weaving quality of straw hat:

The weaving quality is another indicator of the straw hat's quality. The stitches should be straight and uniform. However, they will always show irregularities, especially for hand-made straw hats.

The homogeneity of the straw color:

The homogeneity of the straw color is also a determining factor. The straw shade is not an indicator in itself, as it can vary depending on the straw's origin, but beware of straw hats that show very different coloring in one area.

Finally, there is no universal system today to measure the quality of straw hats. The only way is to evaluate the fineness of the weaving yourself and trust renowned hatters, like Traclet, Borsalino, Stetson, Mayser, …