Wide-Brim Straw Hats: Iraca Palm, Toquilla and Raffia Explained, and How to Wear One

The short answer: the best wide-brim straw hats are hand woven from natural palm fibre, have a brim of around 10 cm and are sized to your head, not one size. Iraca palm, the plant Colombians weave, is the same palm Ecuador calls toquilla, the fibre behind the hat the world knows as the Panama. Our pick is the Johanna Ortiz Song of the Gaucho Hat in Ecru, woven in Colombia from 100 percent iraca palm with tasselled ties. Shop all designer hats and the Johanna Ortiz page.

A straw hat is the one accessory that is both practical and flattering. It shades the face and shoulders, it finishes a simple dress, and a good one lasts for decades. The difference between a beach shop hat and a lifelong one is the fibre and the weave.

Straw types at a glance

What is iraca palm?

Iraca is the Colombian name for Carludovica palmata, a palm like plant whose young leaves are split into fine strands, boiled, dried and hand woven. In Colombia the craft is centred on towns such as Aguadas, known for the sombrero aguadeno. In Ecuador the same fibre is called toquilla straw. Because it is hand woven, an iraca hat is light, breathes well and springs back into shape.

How wide should the brim be?

Around 10 to 12 cm shades the face and the back of the neck without blowing off in a sea breeze. The Song of the Gaucho hat has an 11.5 cm brim and a 10 cm crown, a flat crowned gaucho shape that sits low on the head. Wider brims of 15 cm and more are glamorous by the pool, harder on a windy boat.

How to size a straw hat

Measure the circumference of your head just above the ears and eyebrows. Hats that come in S, M and L, like the Johanna Ortiz styles, will sit better than a one size hat with an elastic band. If you are between sizes, choose the larger and add a small strip of tape inside the band.

How to wear one

• With a white linen dress and flat sandals: the classic.
• With a one-piece and a pareo tied at the hip.
• With a tunic dress in town, ties loose at the chest.
• In black straw with a black dress for evening drinks, like the Song of the Gaucho Hat in Black.

Our picks

1. Song of the Gaucho Hat in Ecru

Natural iraca palm, hand woven in Colombia, with a wide brim and long tasselled ties. Sized S, M and L.

2. Song of the Gaucho Hat in Black

The same hat in black straw, sharper and easier to wear into the evening.

3. Solar Drift Object Pareo in Ecru and Green

Not a hat, but the piece we pair with the ecru Song of the Gaucho most often: a cotton pareo knotted at the hip over a one-piece.

How to care for a straw hat

Spot clean only, with a barely damp cloth. Store it on its crown, never on its brim, in a box away from damp. If it is crushed, steam it gently and let it dry on a rolled towel. For the rest of the accessory edit, read the Johanna Ortiz accessories guide.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best straw for a hat?

Hand woven palm fibre: iraca palm from Colombia, toquilla from Ecuador. It is light, breathable and recovers its shape.

Is iraca palm the same as a Panama hat?

The fibre is the same plant. Panama hats are woven in Ecuador from toquilla, which Colombians call iraca.

How wide should a sun hat brim be?

Around 10 to 12 cm shades the face and neck and stays on in a breeze.

How do I know my hat size?

Measure around your head just above the ears and eyebrows, then match it to the brand’s S, M, L chart.

Can you pack a straw hat?

Wear it on the plane. If you must pack it, fill the crown with soft clothes and place it crown down at the top of the case.