Panama hat of the first towns to start weaving the hats in the Andes is Principal, part of the Chordeleg Canton in the Azuay province. Straw hats woven in Ecuador, like many other 19th and early 20th century South American goods, were shipped first to the Isthmus of Panama before sailing for their destinations in Asia, the rest of the Americas and Europe, subsequently acquiring a name that reflected their point of international sale—"panama hats"—rather than their place of domestic origin. The term was being used by at least 1834. The popularity of the hats increased in the mid-19th century when many
Hats (album) to Buchanan, "we knew exactly what we were doing. We actually recorded the rest of "Hats" super quick ... Honestly, half of "Hats" was, like, a week." In a 2012 interview with ClashMusic.com, Buchanan reflected on the time lost trying to make the album: The album was released in October 1989 simultaneously in both the UK and the US: since The Blue Nile was essentially unknown in the United States in 1989, the cover artwork for the US release of "Hats" was slightly modified for marketing reasons, with the band's name in larger letters. As a promotional tool, A&M Records—who