Droplet

Designer Name: DORIA 1905

The Droplet hat is a Drop model made of precious Panama Brisa, a special weave of simple straw strands that lends the garment a light feel. These characteristics give the product a particularly fresh feel and a truly excellent quality/price ratio. Our Salento artisans work the shapeless semi-finished material from Ecuador with the aid of steam and heat, stretching it by hand over special wooden forms. This process gives the material the desired shape of the crown and brim.

The material from which the famous Panama is obtained undergoes several processing stages: it is a weave of "paja-toquilla" strands, a type of straw obtained from the leaves of Carludovica palmata, a plant native to Central and South America. The artisanal processing of these straw strands is done entirely by hand and is an important element of Ecuador's cultural heritage; in fact, these ancient production techniques have been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Depending on the type and degree of weave used to make the straw, Panama hats take on different names and qualities. The finest ones can require up to eight months of manual labor by local artisans.

Our Droplet, a small-brimmed Drop hat, represents the end result of this artisanal process: we offer it in olive green, finished with a lavender-purple grosgrain band and a gold-plated brass Doria logo.