Werent Panama Hats once shipped to this county in balsa wood boxes?
Yes but back then in the 50s and earlier, every town had a hatter who blocked Panama and felt hats. When purchased, these unfinished Panama hat bodies were blocked in the style of the customers choice. Unfortunately, all those hatters have retired or closed down. So if you are rough with your Panama Hat, there are very few qualified hat blockers in the country who can help you fix your damaged Panama Hat. So por favor be careful.
