Why Authentic Panama Hat Weavers Are Abandoning The Craft | Still Standing

[@karinag9398]

The key to preserving the craft isn't making teenagers connect to it more. The key is paying the artisans more, that's literally all there is to it.

[@schimaMon3]

❤

[@schimaMon3]

I totally agree!

[@devilhunterradio8395]

Pay your workers!

[@wiscgaloot]

True. If I make a trip to Ecuador I'll be happy to pay good prices for several hats to bring back. These are amazing craftsmen.

[@DoctorJammer]

You going to pay them?

[@rishishenoy]

Middlemen are making money without breaking any sweat. These weaver unions should sell directly to the retailer.

[@Richie016]

skilled and hardworking craft of Panama, has been a popular fashion wear.

[@felipeary]

They're not from Panamá, they're from Ecuador!

[@xavierpozo286]

Correct, there is a bit of history behind the name. Funny enough the history is explained here. zinglife.co/the-panama-hats-origin-and-the-oxymorons-of-history/

[@felipeary]

@@xavierpozo286 The article is quite interesting, although it doesn't mention some other interesting facts like it was an Ecuadorian who taught Colombians how to make hats using reverse engineering

[@xavierpozo286]

@@felipeary wasn’t aware of this

[@Nathan-mx8zx]

Maybe the distributor who sells the bodies of the hats should pay.a fair wage to the weavers? Brands don't necessarily are dealing with the weavers directly, but through a middle person who bought it from them and making a deal. So it is up to the distributor to pay a fair wage. Do you think that other industries are dealing directly to the person who made, grown, the materials ?

[@deepika2644]

They need marketing!!!

[@manuelfcorpas]

Panama hat 🇵🇦 made in the sista land of Ecuador 🇪🇨

[@LuizFelipe-lk1hs]

Before getting younger people interested, weavers now should get a larger cut of the product.

[@camonlococamon]

Yeah, nobody it's going to want a job paying $5 a day unless you're not able to find something else to do

[@trader2137]

its idiotic, if you cant improve quality of your product or quantity produced, you should go bankrupt as others do, if its not profitable JUST LEAVE IT for somebody who can make it profitably

[@trader2137]

@Business Insider hhashashah crypto is overpriced bullcrap, you donkey, waterfall is coming

[@LuizFelipe-lk1hs]

@@trader2137 You are ignoring the fact that the amount the weavers make per hat is fixed, while the amount the hat is sold increases each year. Why does only the latter make sense? The store selling the hat has bills that increase each year, but so do the weavers. Which means that if the hat is increasing the price, the store is getting a higher margin of profit and that isn't passed on to the other members of the chain of production. That is idiotic.

[@trader2137]

@@LuizFelipe-lk1hs they are the producers, so they set the prices at which they sell, if they agree to sell for 5$ then the worth of it

[@dimitragiannouli6860]

I feel sad when i see this series, so many underrated arts are gettin lost

[@mastersplinter5966]

Any idea how to purchase these hats?

[@xavierpozo286]

I got one not long ago at zinglife.co. Beautifully crafted hats.

[@chaitanyadivate4551]

@Business Insider no

[@mastersplinter5966]

@@xavierpozo286 Thank You sooo much Xavier!!! Much Love!

[@alexisjoza4308]

@@mastersplinter5966 I recommend these three stores, they have reasonable prices, they sell Panama hats woven in Montecristi, which are superior to the Cuenca. I have bought hats in these stores so I recommend them, they have good prices, the quality is the same, it depends if you want a leather or cotton sweatband. www.panamahatsdirect.com/ has the highest prices but they are still reasonable. www.panamahatcollection.com/ send the orders faster, the prices are similar to the previous page, a little lower compared to the first option. www.viatoremspirit.store/en/ has best prices than the previous ones, they are a little more handmade. Here I bought my last hat.

[@Steve-bv1to]

I like how the retailer, who's probably selling these hats for $50+ to tourists while buying them for $15 from the Weavers Association, isn't saying that there's an issue with the payment structure for the Weavers who are the most necessary part of the supply chain, but instead that they need to get the younger generation involved. All so he can keep his fancy store running while he's selling the product at 300% - 1,000% markup, without a care that the Weavers are probably getting 1/10th if not less of the retail value for creating the product he's built his business on.

[@apdroidgeek1737]

You do realize the seller will not 100% sell the product so to make it worth, they had to charge 3x more than how much they paid for it. The seller is on bad spot just as the makers.

[@gary4936]

300% is a fairly reasonable markup. Clothing is an odd industry where markup can go up to 100%, which is about 3 times the original wholesale price. You just don't make enough profit margins usually with anything less.

[@RehabProjectSRCB]

@@apdroidgeek1737 That may be true, but their point wasn't that he should make less. It was that he doesn't seem to care that the weavers who give him a livelihood are being paid less, and instead of saying pay them more, he's saying just get more weavers to replace the lost ones.

[@martin11844]

The weavers should hire someone to finish the hats, and then sell these by themselves instead of selling to importers

[@user-cz3bf6cb4c]

@@apdroidgeek1737 if he does not sell he's losing 5 per hat, which is easily covered. If he's worried about not selling, all he needs to do is order less. Hats don't go bad, so this rule you speak of do not apply at all.

[@starcherry6814]

They deserve to be paid more

[@MUGUPWITHUS]

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[@markw5805]

Well, sure they do, but unless someone farther up the chain is making an unreasonable killing there isn’t money too.

[@LucidDreamer54321]

They deserve to be paid whatever they will accept. The fundamental business concept known as the law of supply and demand also applies to labor.

[@LucidDreamer54321]

@Annette Charles Apparently you don't understand the business concept known as the law of supply and demand. The weavers will get paid more when they refuse to work for the amount of money they are now getting paid.

[@markw5805]

@@LucidDreamer54321 Self advocacy and being your own agent. It’s hard, but they are adults. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@WhosJayB]

Designer brands would advertise this as hand crafted an bump up the price for crazy amount of $$$

[@unknown81360]

That's the smart thing to do

[@weysorprendio]

Don't listen to them, they are a fake account

[@WhosJayB]

@@weysorprendio yeah I know already report them 👍

[@kannavsharma2]

And people will blindly buy it

[@angelinimartini]

A lot of designer brands take these kinds of things and sell them at high prices but then pay the workers miserably.

[@JM51CASTILLO]

I'm here at Ecuador and even though I'm from the coast I can recognize that the problem of those artisans is that they earn way less money than the middleman, so the solution is not to get more young people engaged in the tradition. Today's youth refuse to live with a daily $5 payout (if they sell a hat), and we should consider that this amount of money is not even enough to buy your three daily meals. Also, most of the weavers are old people living in a country where even young ones struggle to find a job that offers the minimum wage of $400, that's why they don't look for other jobs (cause they lack education to work in any other occupations and won't be hired because of being too old). So, maybe the last resource of these people is to become their own intermediaries although it could be difficult considering that implies additional expenses.

[@KRYMauL]

Honestly I think to make a factory where you can make 100s of hats a day and get paid an actual hourly rate. I bet youth would flock to that seeing as that’s how most countries have become industrial.

[@JM51CASTILLO]

@@KRYMauL that's the idea but to start that kind of entrepreneurship some investment is needed. Also they gotta find a way to keep the hand made hats and to avoid a full factory product if the idea is to maintain that special feature.

[@KRYMauL]

@@JM51CASTILLO Okay, then go the sweatshop model, and weave each one with the help of machine. This would allow for multiple hats to made in an hour and for better wages. Say what you want about sweatshops because they're better than only being able to make a few a day and not even covering the cost of materials.

[@JM51CASTILLO]

@@KRYMauL I agree with that, maybe it is not the best option but is better than their actual way of working. They rather find some kind of sweatshop that boosts the hat production.

[@KRYMauL]

@@JM51CASTILLO I say sweatshop because that’s how you industrial people.

[@tinotaco9281]

They should just pay the weavers more instead of keeping the markup

[@michaelgallagher3640]

Shit runs downhill My Man

[@jacobbwalters8133]

I wish that BI would add a link to buy some of these items they talk about. I would definitely buy a hat to support these local craft people.

[@shravani165]

They didnt gave any links ......😔

[@AudioSpaceGeek]

I actually am skimming the comments right now to see if anyone else did...huge oversight on BI's part

[@Donteatacowman]

I am trying to skim around the internet to see, but I don't see an online shop directly from the weavers. The weaving group (as seen at 3:26) is Asociación de Toquilleras San Martin de Puzhio. There are some email addresses floating around for them if anyone wants to reach out to them directly.

[@OneFlyingEye]

So maybe if the weavers can't afford to live on $5 from an $80 hat they should get more than $5, seems simple to me. If I knew I couldn't afford to live off a job I wouldn't think it worth doing either

[@apdroidgeek1737]

The video said that people are leaving this practice and getting a new job but obviously you cant just find a new job, not everyone have the skills or money to afford education to get a proper job.

[@chinookh4713]

that's the issue they aren't getting "Paid" they are selling them to companies to sell them again china has this their factories that make shirts for multiple brands each shirt might be sold for 1 dollar to the company then the company will put their logo on it and sell it to a stores which will then sell it to you and each time it sold to someone the price/ value of the shirt increases their knockoffs that come form the same factory but cheaper because they cut out the middle man. the truth is they should start selling them online directly to the consumer

[@Gebriel]

Ecuador needs make it a heritage export and invest so they could directly sell online b2c. So many designers do “inspired” versions but can never get the authentic version

[@ariannaastudillo6569]

I am Ecuadorian and I am not a person that is that knowledgeable about the topic but the problem here is first that name, they are internationally know as PANAMA hat and that name is kinda difficult to erase from people's mind, and they are mainly manufactured by indigenous people (adults or elders) so is difficult to talk about technology and online selling as a small producer when you lack the education, money and skills on technology. I agree that the state or the Minister of turism could approach this in a different way but it is what it is sometimes. Also indigenous people get "robbed" because they sell the hats for really cheap prices like 3 dollars a hat, then they are bought by foreigners and sell internationally for over $100. :)

[@anthonylemkendorf3114]

@@ariannaastudillo6569 Panama is easy to say in many languages and has prestige,it’s great marketing ( most people now know the hats are made in Ecuador (if not- time to educate buyers). How long would it take for makers to agree to-stop sales to under-cutters and cheap “backpackers”. The Panama hat is one of the world’s culturally true luxury products and should be sold with pride. Keep “ young people” out unless they demonstrate determination to respectfully learn, this alone should increase prices.

[@ariannaastudillo6569]

@@anthonylemkendorf3114 I agree partially to your comment, Is great marketing for Panama i must say. And while I do agree that it takes skill to make, keeping out the younger generations is how a good tradition ends just look at Japan and how such beautiful crafts are dying because they keep out the younger generation. Sometimes is good for change and fresh ideas. Also Ecuador is easy to say in many languages too. Just because a country has "prestige" is ok to let that country take and own a tradition of your country. For me there is no excuse for it to be called Panama hat. Start saying Ecuadorian hat if you truly believe that they are a luxury product and if you respect the country that I am from. This coming from a Ecuadorian

[@gull5604]

@@ariannaastudillo6569 Te apoyo hermana, la gente de pueblo es muy allegada a sus costumbres, a sus tradiciones y solo la gente joven se habre a las nuevas tecnologías. Hablemos del nombre, sigue siendo conocido como sombrero de Panamá, los jovenes no saben el enorme patrimonio que tenemos, desconocen nuestra historia y lo nuestro. Eso sin olvidar el mal que hacen los medios. Por ejemplo, al poner semejante título, debieron poner sombrero ECUATORIANO Solo queda que las generaciones venideras tomen las riendas, mientras que las viejas le despejan el paso para llevar el nombre de Ecuador a lo alto.

[@LargeHadronAnusCollider]

See this is where i'd love to buy direct from the source. Where i'd buy a hand crafted hat for $50 or $100 if it went back to the artist.

[@MoooseGaming]

Three months and still no way of finding out how to buy them from these amazing artisans. Shameful

[@spacecatboy2962]

the people that work the most get paid the least. if i owned the store i would pay them half the sale price if i could make enough to keep myself afloat

[@KRYMauL]

You would be broke

[@ffic4life]

Spoken like a true person who has no idea how business actually works. Lol

[@spacecatboy2962]

@@ffic4life haha, yeah, for many good business is screwing others as hard as they can for every dime they can get

[@johnm91326]

The video says the unfinished hats sell for $14. How generous of you to give them an extra $2 a day lol.

[@spacecatboy2962]

@@johnm91326 it also says the same hat would sell between 80 and 150 in america, thats the numbers i was going by

[@mell2012]

I am from Ecuador, and yes, this is really sad😔 Thanks for sharing a part of our awesome culture!🤍🙏🏻

[@matefamily7883]

I hope your artisans can find a way to sell directly to the customer as they should receive so much more for their art.

[@francoisgervais1]

You know of a way we can help these weavers? If one of them would open a paypal account or something I would gladly send a tip for the hat I just bought.

[@miriammeenattoor2952]

Am I the only one who is surprised at the difference in design between the ‘unfinished’ and ‘finished’ hats, the finished one straight up looks like something out of Coachella.

[@evelynyoung3234]

I live in Guayaquil, Ecuador currently and now me and my family are planing a road trip to the mountains to buy hats.

[@ShashaRavacio]

Thank you so much ❤️ These could sell well on Etsy, too...

[@chrissinger24]

If Hermès suddenly started selling these hats with funny stamped designs, then each one would cost over $1000

[@logical_evidence]

So why hasn't the information for the weavers association where you filmed this ?. So we can support these people and not big corporations. Thanks

[@thornyback]

Hey Business Insider - please provide links in your episodes so we can buy directly from the makers themselves.

[@nicholasgrijalva5842]

im really sad I didnt buy one of these. I visited ecuador a few weeks ago and saw a bunch of these at the airports and artesanal shops. hoping they're there next time I visit.

[@PHlophe]

those at the airports are made in china..

[@starcherry6814]

It wouldn't have mattered, they wouldn't have been paid fairly

[@sirgerald6846]

Virus ?

[@abyssstrider2547]

Those are fake synthetic s****, you should go to their village and buy from them directly

[@nicholasgrijalva5842]

@@abyssstrider2547 haha yeah that's why I hesitated when I saw them in the airport. sad i didn't buy them from the market though, all the stuff there is locally made.

[@CodeSkylette]

Easiest way for them to continue is to diversify and become the retailers themselves opening chains in other countries and deny sales to big corporation. It'll be harder to get out their name, but appealing to social media would garner sympathy and increase outreach

[@Jun_0128]

I would pay for an art that I can wear than a art that is just a banana on a tape on a canvas.

[@mastersplinter5966]

Where can i buy these hats

[@xavierpozo286]

@@mastersplinter5966 I got mine at zinglife.co recently. Superb quality and finish.

[@mastersplinter5966]

@@xavierpozo286

[@xavierpozo286]

@@mastersplinter5966 thank you. Likewise!

[@uiobuitronveronica]

I am from Ecuador, I have worked with artisans all my life. There is a problem with why these hats are bought so cheaply. The artisans out of desperation, without the right guidance on how to market their products, enter into a vicious cycle of offering lowering prices and damaging their own source of income. Now buyers got used to paying low and artisan making way less. Artisans want to compete with mass-produced hats and that is impossible. if the hats were made in with better quality (there are different grades of Panama hats, the hats on the video are not the finest) marketed with the right story (Panama hats are unique, only made in Ecuador), maybe the craft destiny would be different.

[@baze3SC]

They need to cut the middle men and sell online. Of course it takes a bit of help and expertise but it's a viable option. Also as you point out, people all over the world value these items because anything that's traditional and hand-made from natural materials has a much bigger perceived value than something synthetic or mass-produced. Maybe the artisans themselves think that what they make is "just a hat". No it's not. I assure you that anyone here, 7000 miles away, would be proud to rock such a hat, knowing that it's the real deal. Assuming of course that what the quality is there.

[@moosa9850]

The weavers should start their own online shop, buy direct from them, leave the middleman/woman out of the chain.

[@alcurtis93]

All it would take is one of their children to take an interest, establish an online presence and it could work out really profitable for them whilst ensuring the continued survival of the craft

[@rabaham]

Simple math, if the end sellers want to stay in business, they need to share more profit with the weavers.

[@alexandertsigaridas5411]

From the $5 they earn per hat, to the $80 that each one is sold in the US, there is a 160% profit margin. Their product has a large demand. So, the problem is in the implementation of the business model. Someone needs to teach these weavers to set up their own online business and sell their stock directly to the developed world.

[@BIZKITJODE]

They need to have control of the whole process including sales and export....🤫

[@darthganu]

I would like to buy two hats. But I want my money to reach the weavers directly. Where can I do that without me getting scammed?

[@secretagentmandanV2]

I wish to know too

[@joffrecueva5662]

You travel and buy it yourself. Best way to do it.

[@darthganu]

@@joffrecueva5662 Not possible with Covid travel restrictions.

[@dragonakyun]

This does not even mention that there are still some hat artisans like my uncle who still use the old way of finishing the hats which is by hand with a mallet and a hand-carved wooden hat mold. He used to make them custom for each customer when I was a child. All these artisans deserve more attention and better rates for their art and their tradition.

[@TXMEDRGR]

Beautiful hats, I hope they survive.

[@mikesuarez9615]

I am from Ecuador and it is a great video. Edit: I only saw the first half of this video but the 2nd half is really really sad but it is the truth

[@20_percent]

It shifted from being a documentary to a straight up AD for switch

[@alcurtis93]

Someone needs to go over there and set up a direct to consumer website to keep the guys afloat and let them thrive and then come back here and send us all the link

[@AS-du6zr]

Time for vocal for local ! For all small and medium enterprises.

[@delrosario7453]

Sir, it's not about values it's about appropriate compensation!

[@glorygloryholeallelujah]

It’s heartbreaking to see *so many* time honored traditions and arts being lost, simply because it isn’t as financially lucrative as it used to be/should be.😞

[@chinookh4713]

I mean it wont be "lost" but it just own't be common if thier less artist their less supply less supply makes them harder to get and if the demand is higher they can definitely make a living the other issue is the quality it last very long time as a result those that own one already don't feel the need to buy another companies nowdays know this footwear may only last a few years at most I had sneakers last less then 1 year there we will keep coming back to buy new ones to replace the others

[@TSemasFl]

Very simple, time for the hat makers to either come together and create their own company and cut our the middle man. Or unionize and sell the hats for a set price. If they all stick together and charge the same price, they may make it work.

[@thefool789]

Yo entiendo que las personas quieran que sus tradiciones perduren Pero muchas veces no puede ser así Es triste pero es un proceso necesario las cosas siempre tienen un fin Porque las civilizaciones siempre van cambiando Y las tradiciones pasan a ser parte de los libros de historia y nada mas

[@ataletold4772]

The big problem seems to be that they are wholesaling to retailers who add a huge markup to their product. They need to retail on their own, charging appropriate retail prices. Sites like Amazon, Etsy, etc. make this possible, but the transition will be a challenge. I wish them the very best luck!

[@marthacarrion7679]

The Key is.... RESPECTING the talent of this beautiful women. RESPECTING ECUADOR... Recognize their Talent, pay them what they deserve. Stop exploiting them. Compensate them with dignity. Profits are only designed by foreigners who trade for their own benefit , obtain their absurd unrealistic projections that benefit only them, without consideration of the invaluable work of this Millennial Artisans.

[@michaelbannerman-roberts1518]

Considering the price of a genuine Panama hat - someone's makin a buck!!! Like many native peoples, they're getting screwed over this one.

[@cameronjamesandersen]

This is absolutely disgusting, these hand made hats sell for over $200 here in Australia. Wholesalers and other middle men need to stop being so greedy and pay these artists what they deserve......if not they will have no product to sell whatsoever in coming years.

[@jellyapan]

I'd love to buy the hats directly from the weavers!! Seriously, let me pay however much it costs in the US directly to the weavers! Cut out the middlemen!

[@ByDaniSimone]

Also what about getting some young person to set up an online store and start cutting out the middle man? Take more of the $50 plus for the weavers? No Panama hats without the weavers.

[@kennithlibby]

" cost of living has gone up" so raise your prices..?

[@rozenstarzfallz]

Where’s the link to a company website so I can directly buy a hat it would help there business also it would help me during summer time

[@hjisagirl]

They get paid five dollars, yet the hats are sold in exclusive stores for hundreds and even over a thousand dollars per hat. Sad

[@insertname7325]

Not that I agree with them getting so little, but a lot of that added cost is due to shipping, storing, etc. If you cut out the middle man they'd still be selling those hats for $5.

[@crispychaos6768]

Someone needs to teach these weavers how to set up their own business online, cut out the retail middle man, get it straight from the maker.

[@rachelnstephens]

Pay these people more! Those hays don't cost the buyer only $5.

[@cagonzal13]

Beautiful hats

[@barrykevin7658]

A decent online shop with only the finest hats and finish would help solve their problems. People will pay top dollar for authentic top quality along with the story.

[@alexisjoza4308]

It would be a good option but they are Cuenca hats, they are not the genuine Panama hat. Also it is difficult to create an online store in Ecuador to sell abroad, all payment processors sell nationally and Paypal is difficult to collect if you do not have a bank account in the United States. Most of the people who sell directly from Ecuador are foreigners, the only one I see who works directly with the weavers and has fair prices is this store, they are Ecuadorians. www.viatoremspirit.store/en/

[@barrykevin7658]

@@alexisjoza4308 .Thats sad to hear , but remember the US is only one market place in the world ,If you can not use it move on .

[@cnavarrete1999]

I reckon the best hats come from Montecristi, Manabí, in Ecuador. Some of the hats coming from Montecristi are called "Sombreros superfinos". Those are the finest of the finest, even water cannot get through them.

[@schimaMon3]

that's sad to hear it takes them all day for $5 and sells online for over $100...no wonder they lost interest in it 😞

[@georgewhitehead8185]

Folks the Weavers are the foundation, and the key to all of this. They should be paid much much more than they are. If this would happen, then they could have a "normal" life, and it would also attract other young people to learn this weaving skill. This is a must, because if it "dies out" then it will be forever lost. People need to get this "pay for work" concept in balance. These weavers are being cheated, and exploited. Lets remedy this, while we still can.

[@ShashaRavacio]

Someone tech-savvy living in that town could open an etsy shop for all of them to earn for their daily living ❤️

[@Kuukiet]

If there was an online course where the local weavers would teach this craft, I would take it immediately. That would be a great way to get the weavers extra income and also keep the craft alive. 😊

[@ShashaRavacio]

This is such an awesome idea ❤️ Now calling tech-savvy kids there who can set up a skillshare for them or something..

[@davidvianello5881]

They're are original from Ecuador, but other Latino American countries like neighboring Colombia make them as well. Aguadas, Caldas is a town that lives from El Sombrero de Toquilla; El Sombrero de Hiraca.

[@statlerwarldorf2583]

I bought a soft straw one yesterday from a neighbour I didn't know and was parking his Panama hat van whilst I was out walking. I went up to him asked him for a "cheap" hat. He opened the back of his van, there were hundreds and told me the "cheapest" he had was 80 Euro. I showed him my wallet which had 70 and he reluctantly agreed. Now I'm wondering if I bought slave labour even though I love my hat.

[@KingLouisII]

Interesting how they feel the best solution to save the industry is not to pay weavers a fair wage, but to push a cultural connection. Usually that's accomplished via propaganda to kids. How about splitting those $100s with the weavers? If they were to make 30-50% of the sale value, you might see a renewed interest.

[@christinearmstrong852]

Good for them leaving..who lives on $5.00 a hat in this century..that's struggling..hardships..low wages

[@theresewalters1696]

Tragic. Our monetary system snuffs out culture. These people deserve more than $5 a day. I've seen these hats going for $200 to $1000 on line!

[@joeblack8375]

No it's not the key. The key is the weavers make way more than 5 dollar. Simple.

[@saintracheljarodm.holy-kay2560]

They should be getting at least $15.00 to $20.00 dollars for each hat. Because without the weavers there are no hat's to finish. The pandemic will not last forever, and times will be good again. You will see it is better for all, God bless amen.

[@markw5805]

I’m not a big labor advocate, but crap they need to be getting 50-100% more for making the hat. Somebody is making a killing farther up the chain.

[@alejandroloor1226]

You really should call it Toquilla Hat, Panama Hat is a complete misrepresentation and appropriation of a true Ecuadorian product. Help preserve its true name, culture, and heritage. Sombrero de Paja Toquilla.

[@kalle911]

Seeing what I paid for one in Spain (supposedly woven in Ecuador), I'm sure they could receive way more than 5€.

[@LearningToLove..]

Why don’t fashion brands partner with these smaller craftswomen and craftsmen? $5 for something so intricate?? That’s crazy. Shop small!

[@humblehalfacre8464]

Shameful..... these hats sell for $300 + here in AZ. Pay these artisans! It's a beautiful craft and they last for a very long time!

[@woutervanr]

Why isn't this saved? Surely this is way better on a hot summer day than a bassball cap from China? Better looking, more durable and better for the environment.

[@martinbudinsky8912]

You want young people to take interest? Make weawing those hats worth their time by paying them more... Its really that simple. Then again theres question of demand for this product and if incereasing wages is plausible.

[@katieash4970]

Do y'all have a link so we could buy directly from them? I would definitely buy directly from them, but I don't know how.

[@diannenaworensky6698]

I truly enjoyed this video. The weavers need to band together to make their wages better. This is a craft that should not be lost. Absolutely beautiful hats

[@PozoBlue]

These hats are sold all over the tourist sector in Panama where they pretend they are panamanian and sell them from $70 to $100, and more to tourists. Horrible that the ppl weaving them only get 5$ for them. They should be the ones paid the most. 😑

[@matefamily7883]

How can we buy the hats directly from them. Sweet grass baskets in Charleston SC the weavers and artisans got together and they weave and sell their arts.

[@annevchen]

I would pay $50-60 from them directly instead of buying it from the those big companies

[@wickandde]

Young people aren't going to be interested if there isn't money, pay the artisans more. Someone who will pay 100 + dollars for a hat won't mind paying more or even double knowing the artisans are paid well.

[@tinkermouse-scottrussell3738]

Consider a weaver's collective E-store and sell directly to the public to eliminate the middleman. If someone wants to resell your hats have a contract you buy at X amount of $$$ and can not sell for more than X amount of $$$ If this is not reasonable just sell on the E-store.

[@Macgyrl64]

I bought a Panama hat in Hawaii for hundreds of dollars, was assured the weavers are paid top dollar, and far more than $5. My had came from Montecristi Ecuador, and looks nothing like the weaves they showed in this video. Mine is more like linen.

[@xavierpozo286]

You probably have the superfino or pile. Those could take months to finish. In my opinion this is the real dying part of this woven art. Only master weavers can get these done and there aren’t many anymore. The ones in the video are more commercially available, more affordable but great option nonetheless. I recently got mine via zinglife.co. Superb quality.

[@KRYMauL]

@@xavierpozo286 I think they should be teaching kids how to do it like the Leather schools in Florence then make some factories that pays an hourly wage.

[@xavierpozo286]

@@KRYMauL That is a progressive idea, I agree, there should be an institution that finances and promotes the learning of this art. However, many people live happily with this income considering the cost of living they have. Also, I believe there are some unions that protect the interest of the weavers but many families prefer to negotiate under their own terms. With that said, it will be hard for them to be controlled under a new set of rules and maybe get paid the same after all.

[@KRYMauL]

@@xavierpozo286 I was mainly thinking of using a sweatshop type of set up where you can have many weavers working on a ton hats a day. The leather making thing like in Florence would just be a bonus.

[@alexisjoza4308]

Probably you bought a fine hat or extra fine, the Panama hats you see in the video are not genuine Panama hats, besides being low quality. That the hat is woven in Ecuador only means that was made in that country, if it says woven in Montecristi it is a different product. Even the hats that are woven in Peru many people like more than the ones woven in Cuenca because they look more like the Montecristi. The only recognized product is the Original Montecristi, the rest are copies. Also fine hats are woven in Cuenca and from Peru, they are sold as Montecristi, in these times, everything is possible.

[@alexiboris6937]

5 DOLLARS. That's less than minimum wage in most countries. It's insane that this craft hasn't died yet (not that I want it to).

[@SassyTesla]

they should just skip the middleman and start selling the hats directly online and finish the hats themselves. currently their market relies on foreigners to have compassion for them, and they need to take more authority for their craft. and since they're likely going to have to deal with climbing prices paying the quantitatively more isn't actually going to solve the problem especially with hyperinflation on the rise worldwide. they need to take authority or their craft will shift into obscurity

[@Nathan-mx8zx]

And never heard if they are able to make a hat in one day, if you see all the weaving in a standard panama hat, it will take at the least a couple without finishing it with a design. Then you have graduations with each quality fino, superfino and then Montecristi where it is also starting from a Montecristi standard, fino and superfine. The video has a lot of information skipped or exaggerated,. Except for the fact that indeed it is hard to find new young people (they want something that earns mroe without the long labour), but there is high demand for them, so it is more on the people who sell the bodies to the brand to be fair with the weavers.

[@andylee7862]

14 dollars for the hat, the craftman and the man selling the hat gets 126 dollars... Yeah find the unfairness...

[@brettrichardson7924]

The problem isn't the demand, but rather the chain itself. If they sell a hat for 5$ and someone exports that for 105$ none of the 100$ ever sees the weavers.

[@christineperez7562]

You want them to weave your hats but you ccx an not even give them a more comfortable chair to sit in or a table to work on. How about a raise when you are selling hats for 40, 50, 60+.

[@MsProsperity.]

It’s so sad to see this kind of stuff especially when it’s part of the culture. If I can help I would but only if there are NO middle man!!

[@thelittlejennie]

Pay them more, that's how you preserve the art

[@hydroaegis6658]

Online retailers sell these for $135 to $250 and they can't pay for than $15 per hat to the weavers? What a joke

[@thedearjohns]

Cortez is to blame for their poor conditions and the dying trade! Tell AOC to do something about it! After all, her descendants are to be held responsible!

[@clave26]

Could the weavers sell the hats directly to the consumers? Do what European countries are doing to keep the artisan work and wages.

[@GinHindew110]

The local middleman is the one profiting the most, so he could try to sell them internationally himself, to increase the markup and pay the weavers more, frankly, its hard to blame the old people because they dont know how to break into a bigger market, but the middleman guy is at the right place to do so, thus i blame him

[@NomadicBrian]

That's ridiculous that the hat weavers make so little. I was thinking about buying an authentic Panama hat. I thought the price was much higher for the very close weaves. If there was a way to get these that were more fair to the weaver I would be interested.

[@malcolmnicholls2893]

Expensive in the stores - F. A. for the makers. Should be able to buy direct.

[@moonbear5929]

If these weavers want to make better money, they've got to cut out the middle man, and even the last man. They've got to get the end customer to buy from them directly. Open a website.

[@alexponce7062]

I wish I could go over there, and pay them more than $5 for the hat.