Sahuayo hats

[milandro]

A few years ago I spent a holiday in Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, and other places in the Yucatan ( visited Cichen Itza where one should certainly find the cheapest hats around and the cheapest souvenirs, if you haggle ) , I found that most hats were made of very good palm but they were generally too stiff to my taste and I had already a fair share of " western" hats (of which the majority were at the time) , but they left a lasting impression that Mexican palm leaf hats were worth exploring.

Later I found that many brands ( Stetson too) have hats made with Mexican palm perhaps even made in Mexico themselves .

So when I came across a sahuayo hat I decided to buy it and it was very cheap because the people selling it were surely looking more than the way the hat was or was made at the " made in Mexico" thing.

Well let me tell you this is a very nice hat, not only for the money but " per se" , the palm is nice , not too stiff, elastic and a great fit. I have another Mexican toquilla palm hat (so the palm they use for Panamas in Equador) good too, but the sahuayo hat is a great bang for your few bucks!


My hat looks very similar (I'd say is identical ) to this , I'd highly recommend it if you want a robust palm leaf hat which won't break the bank

 

[milandro]

should someone be curious about the manufacture of these hats watch this video (in Spanish, I am sorry). The hat is not woven as a Panama would be, they use the palm fiber in a strip sawn together, pretty much like a Shantung Hat is made , the difference is the fiber used, this isn't paper, it is palm.

This palm is both sturdy and and elastic , unlike rafia which is a palm too , is nice and smooth. It can certainly be shaped without too many problems. There are many western hats made of the same material. I think this fiber should deserve more attention by hat makers.


Compared to toquilla palm, Mexican palm hats are heavier and thicker but I think that they are more robust and can take more punishment than toquilla which is a more delicate hat.

 

[belfastboy]

Do you know of any online shops? A google search only turned up a crappy Etsy store.

 

[The Lost Cowboy]

So I got one of these just out of curiosity and the hat's palm fibers are okay. I would wear it except the "sweatband" is made out of cardboard.

I'm thinking to take the cardboard band out but i don't know how comfortable the palm fibers will be. I mean, it seems that the cardboard will just disintegrate with the first sweat, anyway, no? Or is there some kind of cardboard that one can sweat in?

 

[belfastboy]

So I got one of these just out of curiosity and the hat's palm fibers are okay. I would wear it except the "sweatband" is made out of cardboard.

I'm thinking to take the cardboard band out but i don't know how comfortable the palm fibers will be. I mean, it seems that the cardboard will just disintegrate with the first sweat, anyway, no? Or is there some kind of cardboard that one can sweat in?

I would look at picking up a cloth sweat on Etsy. It is fairly easy to tack stitch them in. Then at least you have an actual sweat band. Where did you buy the hat?

 

[deadlyhandsome]

If you are buying a new sweatband and accepting the effort/expense to sew it in, I have to wonder if there is any price advantage compared to SunBody?

 

[The Lost Cowboy]

I would look at picking up a cloth sweat on Etsy. It is fairly easy to tack stitch them in. Then at least you have an actual sweat band. Where did you buy the hat?

Thanks, I didn’t even think to look on Etsy for cloth sweatbands. I actually want one for another hat.

I got my Sahuayho on eBay for $15.00.

 

[belfastboy]

Thanks, I didn’t even think to look on Etsy for cloth sweatbands. I actually want one for another hat.

I got my Sahuayho on eBay for $15.00.

I picked up a bunch in a roll rather than precut. I have female clients that actually prefer cloth sweats in their felt hats.

 

[The Lost Cowboy]

If you are buying a new sweatband and accepting the effort/expense to sew it in, I have to wonder if there is any price advantage compared to SunBody?

I don’t have a SunBody so I can’t speak to that. But SunBody seems to have a reputation for being a very rugged palm leaf hat - kind of the Akubra of palm hats. I wouldn’t say this feels as durable. But honestly, it is hard for me to see past the cardboard sweatband. It is quite handsome though with some nice touches.

 

[The Lost Cowboy]

I picked up a bunch in a roll rather than precut. I have female clients that actually prefer cloth sweats in their felt hats.

The hat I want to put cloth into is a fur felt. It will be an interesting experiment. I have a modern Borsa with a cloth sweat and I don’t mind it - it rolls easily for travel.