Ecuadorian hats are light-colored, lightweight, and breathable, and often worn as accessories to summer-weight suits, such as those made of linen or silk. ... Beginning around the turn of the twentieth century, these hats became popular as tropical and seaside accessories owing to their ease of wear and breathability.

What hats do they wear in Ecuador?

Visitors to Ecuador will undoubtedly notice the vivid colours of the clothes worn by the local people; less ostentatious but just as fine a tradition are Panama hats, made in Montecristi on the Pacific Coast.

Why are Panama hats made in Ecuador?

The Panama hat is made entirely in Ecuador

These hats became known as “Panama hats” due to their massive export from Ecuador to Panama during the 19th century, promoted by Manuel Alfaro y Gonzalez and his wife during the construction of the Panama Canal.