Straw Types

[Nick Charles]

I don't now if this has been discussed before. What are they primary types of straw for hats. I know palm straw and , the good panamas. But what is milan straw and sisal straw? Are there benifits to any?[huh]

 

[Aaron Hats]

There are very few actual straws but most people put these materials into that category: sisal, milan, paper, seagrass, shantung, panama & toyo. Comes down to personal style, taste & budget.

 

[Nick Charles]

thanks aaron, I was really looking to find out what the differnt ones are made of. I know one is just twisted paper but which is it? And how many are actually made from plant material?

 

[Aaron Hats]

Sorry, that's a government secret.

 

[Pilgrim]

I have read in an auction that Shantung is actually paper, but I can't swear to it. however, here's the word from Biltmore's website at: http://www.biltmorehats.com/descriptions/straw.htm

Shantung: (China)

Commercial American term for glazed manmade paper yarn made in Japan and handwoven in China. Any hat made from Shantung yarn.

it is my understanding that about the most flexible, long-lived fiber is toquilla fiber, generally made into hats in Ecuador - and the hats are called panamas. I've always found that an oddity. But there are others here who know MUCH more about that than I do!!

 

[SHARPETOYS]

Some more information

This includes Milan



Ninety-nine percent (99%) of the straw hats we manufacture are actually handwoven using a man made fiber. The fiber is a twisted paper product that is coated with a plastic resin. The completed fiber is called "yarn." If the yarn is made in Japan, it is called Shantung. If it is made in China, it is generally referred to as "Toyo." Either way, the resin coated paper yarn is delivered to the weaving areas in Mainland China, where it is handwoven into the bodies we use to make the straw hats you find in your local store.

The other 1% of the handwoven straw hats we make are made of natural Toquillo straw fiber woven in the Monticristi and Cuenca regions of Ecuador. These are referred to as "Panama" hats.

Contrary to what you may see in the marketplace, there is no such thing as a "Shantung Panama." Our hats are handwoven in China using either Shantung or Toyo yarn (manmade) or handwoven in Ecuador using Toquillo straw (natural fiber).

The only real Milan Straw in the USA or Canada is sold by Optimo Hat Co.

 

[Pilgrim]

Hey Sharpetoys, that's very helpful.

If you would, then, please diagnose the material used to make this hat, which I bought primarily because I was in the mood! (Isn't that a good enough reason to blow $25.30?)

Beaver hats "Milanette"

And yes, I know it's not a Panama, but is a "straw" hat.

 

[SHARPETOYS]

I would say from the picture it is a paper product covered with resin or a plastic hat.

Just a note for $30.00 you can buy a real Cuenca Panama hat from Robert Weber and its real straw.

http://www.panamas.biz/index.html

He gives us a much better price than even his web site.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

This includes Milan

Ninety-nine percent (99%)...
...The only real Milan Straw in the USA or Canada is sold by Optimo Hat Co.

Perhaps a dumb question, but I have a vintage Knox 5th Ave in Milan weave, so it is a type of paper and not a natural fiber?

 

[Aaron Hats]

Not to take anything away from PanamaBob but you can also get Brisa & Cuenca hats for a reasonable price at nearly any hat shop.:cheers1:

 

[Nathan Flowers]

.

HJ: Most of the old Milan straw hats were actual plant material. 99% of new "milan" hats are paper or plastic, but if you get one from Optimo, it's made from a wheat/grass straw like the old ones. I'd have to look at yours to tell if it's a real straw.

Bring it to NYC! I'll try to bring my Optimo Milan to compare an old one to new.

 

[SHARPETOYS]

Tim,
If your hat has a resin feel its not real Milan straw. Here is Zohar Milan straw from Optimo.

http://images4.fotki.com/v47/photos/9/98066/525912/1090956_IMG-vi.jpg

 

[SHARPETOYS]

Milan straw is...

Leghorn/Milan straw

A straw plaiting used for bonnets and hats, made from the straw of a particular kind of wheat, grown for the purpose in Tuscany, Italy;

 

[Hemingway Jones]

Thanks for the information, gentlemen. Either way, I will still love that hat!

I will definitely be bringing it to NYC. I'll be driving, so I can bring a lot of hats.

 

[Rick Blaine]

Very Helpful

Many very helpful replies. Answers many unknowns that I too had been curious about... many thanks for both the answers & the question.

 

[carter]

Update

Thanks to PanamaBob for the link to this older thread. Here's some more information regarding types of material used in making straw hats.

"A wide variety of natural and synthetic materials are used to make straw hats which give maximum comfort and pleasing style. Some of the better known soft straws are Open-weave Panama, New braids, Hanoki, Hemp, Peanit, Leghorn, Baku, Bangkok, and Madagascar.

Panama straws are body hats made of toquilla fiber, which is woven in Ecuador, Colombia and Peru. Quality depends on fineness and evenness of fiber and weave, cleanliness of fiber and firmness of brim edge. The finest Panamas are woven in Monticristi, Ecuador.

New braids are too many to enumerate. Originally most all came from the Orient. Today, an increasing number of new and sturdy weaves are coming from South American and the West Indies. Some are coming from Ecuador, and made of the Panama toquilla fiber, some from the coconut palms of the Bahamas, some from the Virgin Islands, and many from other tropical countries. Most have fine natural color, others are dyed in desired shades.

Hanoki is a lightweight, open-weave body straw hat, made of a Chinese wood fiber twisted into fine, ropelike strands, and woven. It is offered under a variety of trade names, can be blocked in a variety of felt hat shapes, and has a fine, mellow color.

Hemp material is light and resilient, and originates in Manila. It is machine-woven into open-weave, porous bodies. Close to 600 strands, each consisting of two or three twisted fibers, go into the finished hat. The Sisol Hemp is hand-woven in the interior of China, using Manila hemp.

The Split-Peanit is a body straw hat, hand-woven of split fibers obtained from leaves of the pandan tree, a palmata-like shrub that grows in Java. It is porous, light in weight, made of a strong, durable fiber and moderately priced.

Leghorn is a featherweight, open-weave hat made of specially cultured and woven wheat fiber, shipped from the port of Leghorn, whence it gets its name. The finer, upper portion of the the wheat stalk is plaited into Leghorn braid. This straw hat is light, durable, clear and bright in color.

Baku is a body straw hat made of Philippine fiber which is exported to China, and woven by Chinese experts. It is an extremely lightweight, porous, fine-woven hat, having the appearance of a fine mesh screen. In better weaves, it is also called Shantung.

Bangkok is another straw body hat made in the Philippine Islands. The fiber is obtained by stripping strands of the Buri Palm leaf into straws. The Buri Palm also supplies the fiber for Balibuntal hats. Balibuntal fiber is extracted from the stem and mid-rib of the leaf.

Madagascar is one of the lightest straw hats made, and is produced from a porous, water-resistant cloth made of split palm leaves, on the Island of Madagascar. Cloth is cut and sewed in various hat shapes.

Although the above constitute the better-known straws, there are many more."

http://www.hathistory.org/western/straw.html

 

[Lefty]

There's more info. on milans in this thread.

 

[St.Ignatz]

Biltmore Hat's has a real nice primer on straws on their web site.

 

[Lefty]

So as not to hijack Bolt's new thread, I found one to suit this topic.

I know I can get the definitions from various hat sites, but I think we should do this with photos. There are plenty of Cuencas and Montecristis in the Panama Canal thread, but Buntal, Parabuntal, & Balibuntal are just words to me right now. I think I've only seen 2 leghorns.

Let's see some examples of these less common (at least on the Lounge) materials and/or weaves so that we can learn to identify them more easily.

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

Got this from somewhere in TFL in the past

Straw Qualities

Baku (China) > Very fine natural straw fiber from rice stalks; expensive handwoven straw for use in millinery and dress hats.

Bangora (org. Japan, also China) > Machine-made hat woven from toyo paper yarn initating bakou.

Bankok (Philippines) > Natural fibre straw usually handwoven into expensive, light weight dress and Western hats.

Brisa ( Ecuador) > Panama hat in 1x1 weave from toquilla straw.

Bu (China) > Method of designating the fineness of yarn fibers used in making straw hats; one bu is approximately equal to one millimeter. The smaller the bu number, the finer the weave and the more expensive the hat.

Cappeline> Hat industry term for a generic straw of felt hat body.

Chinese Paper Yarn (China) > Twisted, coated paper yarn used in inexpensive straw hats, often made from recycled materials. Also Chinese twisted paper.

Cuenca (Ecuador) > Panama hat in 2x2 weave from toquilla straw.

Formosan (Taiwan) > Manmade yarn hats woven in Taiwan, aka Formosa

Formosan Marcus paper yarn (Japan) > Manmade yarn produced in Japan and woven into hat bodies in Formosa (Taiwan). Designed to imitate Bankok straw, Marcus yarn is noted for its round fiber and uniform colour.

Glaze (Japan, China) > Lustrous finish put on yarn used in straw hats that also adds body and strength to the fiber.

Hemp (Philippines) > Straw fiber from the hemp plant producing a coarse, rugged hat body. Hemp is usually handwoven in Taiwan and expensive.

Hood > Hat industry term for an unblocked, cone-shaped hat body.

Jute (China) > Natural fiber from the hemp plant but finer than hemp fiber.

Lacquer >Transparent varnish applied to a blocked straw hat body to strengthen the body. Each hatmaker has a proprietary lacquer formula

Montecristi Panama (Ecuador) > Very fine high grade and expensive straw hat handwoven from toquilla on the island of Montecristi.

1X1 > Straw or yarn weaving pattern in hats of one stand on one strand producing a smooth , even weave.

Paribuntal (China) > Bakou straw in a wider, looser weave often used in millinery and dress hats.

Polyhemp (Japan) > Polyester yarn designed to imitate hemp straw.

Panama hat (Ecuador) > Hand-woven hat made from toquilla straw; very expensive, but the standard for finely-woven straw dress and Western hats.

Raffia (Madagascar) > Natural fiber of a Madagascar palm used in coarsely-woven hats. Straw is prized for pliability, ruggedness.

Rice Fiber (China, Southeast Asia) > Natural straw fiber from the stalks of rice plants.

Shantung (China) > Commercial American term for glazed manmade paper yarn made in Japan and handwoven in China. Any hat made from Shantung yarn.

2X2 > Straw or yarn weaving patterns in hats in which two strands are placed on two strands resulting in a herringbone pattern.

Seagrass (China, Southeast Asia) > Natural straw fiber from ocean plants used in producing a coarse weave in plants.

Sisal (China, Southeast Asia) > Coarse rich fiber used in straw hats.

Toquilla ( Equador, Andes Mountains) > Palm plant source of natural straw fibers used in Panama hats.

Toyo (Japan) > Twisted manmade paper yarn similar to Formosan Marcus paper yarn but with variegated colouring. Used glazed or unglazed in less expensive Western straw hats.

Twisted Paper Jute (China) > Manmade fiber resembling jute fiber.

Weave > Twisting and interlacing of yarns in manufacturing straw hat bodies either by machine or by hand. Typical weaves in Western straw hats are 1X1 and 2X2. Fancy weaves produce distinct patterns and open or vented weaving creates open spaces in the final hat body.

Yarn > Filaments or strands spun from natural or manmade materials used in weaving straw hats. In Western hats, yarn usually refers to manmade materials.