Borsalino Crochet Raffia Traveler Hat - Turquoise/Black Hat Band

Borsalino is the oldest Italian company specializing in the manufacture of luxury hats, famously worn by Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in Casablanca.

How Borsalino Hats are Made

The Panama hat was first created in 1835. The production of Borsalino straw hats begins in Ecuador, where the local straw is harvested from the stalks of the toquilla palm tree, boiled and dried under the sun. Then Ecuadorian artisans weave it by hand, making extremely fine semi-finished cloches. After careful quality control, the cloches are sent to the Alessandria Maison. They are again inspected before initial shaping: a hydraulic pressure machine creates the shape and size of the hat. The operation is repeated to create the traditional Borsalino shape. The excess straw is trimmed and the edge of the brim is sewn. The hat is then stiffened and left to slowly dry. Then the inner leather band is sewn, followed by a final shaping with the hydraulic press. The ribbon is added and the brim is stiffened before the hat is ready for the final steps: embellishments, stitching, final inspection and packaging - all completed by hand. This is the art of hat-making.