What's Special about Palm Leaf Straw Hats?

Palm Leaf Straw hats are Tough -
rain or shine:
Sewn-braid palm leaf hats are about the toughest hats you’ll find. The overlapping layers of palm braid form an almost impenetrable sun block. And when they get wet, they stiffen and keep their shape-making them great in the rain or the river.

You can wet them and shape them:
They are easily re-shaped, too, with plain water-no steam is required. You can use a spray bottle, hold it under the faucet, or dip it in a bucket. They can be easily shaped by hand, but the sharpest creases are obtained using wooden hat blocks.

You can Crush them
and Pop them back into Shape:
A horse can step on one and if the hoof doesn’t cut completely through, you can pop it back out and keep wearing it. Packing them flat in a suitcase is possible, but will require some reshaping and is not recommended.

Five Different Palm Leaf Straw Hat Qualities

Guatemalan Economy Palms
5 strands of braid/inch. Used on the kid’s one-size hats and the Economy Cattleman. No stiffener added. Pressed in hot molds, hard to reshape the crown.

Guatemalan Standard Palms
7 strands of braid/inch. One of the most popular hats. No stiffeners added, shapped by hand on wooden molds. Easily reshaped using water. No steam necessary. May shrink a little if dried in the heat. Conform to wearer’s head. Repeated washings will result in a softer hat.

Guatemalan Fine Palms
10-12 strands of braid/inch. Like all of our Guatemalan palms, they can be reshaped with plain water and are flexible. The palm is bleached so that no whitener is needed. Hats are hand-creased (with cold water on wooden molds), or open crown.

Mexican Standard (green) Palms
7-10 strands of braid/inch. Pressed in heated molds, not bleached or whitened. Will darken with age. Hard to reshape.

Mexican Fine Palms
14+ strands of braid/inch, giving the hats a very fine appearance, nice dress hats. Stiffened and whitened with a chalky liquid. Pressed in heated molds. Hard to reshape. Water will wash out the stiffener and leave the hat with a rougher and darker appearance, but still very functional.