Straw and Panama hats are the ideal hat for the summer. Light and breathable, they are either machine made or in the case of hats of the finest quality, hand woven. They tend to be wider brimmed as they were originally designed to keep the sun off of one’s face and neck. Wool and fur hats are often very hot and uncomfortable to wear during the summer. The advent of the Panama hat was a blessing to hat wearer’s worldwide. Good quality Panama hats are still hand woven in their home country of Ecuador. They are woven flat and blocked like a fur or wool hat. These hats are often very intricate, requiring months of work to weave just one.