Okay, not the best shot of me but a decent one of the hat. Fact is, I like hats. Had a fedora that lasted around 20 years, a wool felt hat for hiking and such that lasted around 15 years, and a couple of others that gave decent use. Recently, I had the opportunity to wear a Panama Cuenca woven straw hat and loved it. So much so, I went online to find one.
While Amazon came up (of course) the second place in line was Modesto Hats in Ecuador. They had what I was after at a great price (shipping was more), and a nice variety of other hats to choose from. They do things by hand, using traditional methods by hand, and are glad – eager even – to show you how they do things. The customer service was excellent, you can use PayPal (even if you don’t have an account) so that your card is secure, and the hat arrived far sooner than estimated.
I’ve already identified a couple of other hats I intend to save up for and get. Frankly, rather than giving the money to Amazon or a big company that mass produces, I’d rather support a company that seems to be highly committed to doing it right and getting it right.
Rating this exchange: Highly Recommended