The sombrero de paja toquilla (toquilla straw hat) is hand-woven from the boiled, dried, and bleached fibers of toquilla (carludovica palmata), which comes from a palm tree native to the Pacific coast of present-day Ecuador. The weaving process of these hats can take between 1 day and 8 months, depending on the quality. The weaving techniques are transmitted through observation and imitation, and likely build on both pre-Hispanic techniques and European techniques introduced by Spanish invaders with colonization.
How to cite (Chicago style)
Beltrán-Rubio, Laura. “Sombrero de paja toquilla.” The Fashion and Race Database: Objects That Matter. 10 December 2021. https://fashionandrace.org/database/sarape/.