The Washington herald., 1911-10-15
WOMEN'S HATS OF NEW KINDS

mas nats are double, l. e., two separate
mats Joined around the br4m. The last
opeIaIlon Is to put the two together.
process requiring such special skill
that usually the hats are left unfinished
oy the makers, to receive the final touch
nom persons Of superior ATTITUDE In this
branch of the work
The object Of making a hat doubIa is
to give 1t greater stiffness and body"
sometimes three hats are Joined to-
gether to make one. Doubtless We shall
see some of these triple hats in this
country before long. During the present
year 100000 hats have been imported
from the Philippines into the United
otates' out these are very small frac-
tlon OF the quantity We shall soon buy.
Most OF the 100000 hats are bamboo
mats. Ihese up to the present time
h4Ve been the chief export hats from
the philippines, being sent IN increasing
numbers to Europe and the United
states, where they are known as lava
mats or Manila hats. great many are
worn by women in the United States
ana by men also. One disadvantage
they have is that hatpins damage them.
put this Is sometimes obviated by using
patent fasteners. attached underneath
the crown 1t is only very recently that
the superior grades Of bamboo hats have
peeh brought to this country. They are
most delicate and beautiful, and the
making Of a single one REQUIRES several
months
flner even than the best Of the bamboo
hats' however. and more expensive. are
the hats woven from the leaves Of the
nuri palm. already mentioned. This is
one OF the most valuable palms groun in
the Philippines, exceeding even the no.
coanut palm in the variety Of IT'S useful
products which include cloth. rome twine
baskets, fans, and bark for the soIos NJ
sanudIs. us trunk contains large uuan-
titles OF an edible and highly nutrftio,s
starch. and it's sap can be rermentad INTO
wine, boiled down to a slrup. or further
DolIed and crystallized into palm sugar.
What are called ''pototan" hats ara
maze from the midribs Of the unopened
leaves OF this PALM and are woven pref
erably by moonlight, the fiber being
seemingly best, because dryest, under
such conditions. To complete one of
them requires from six weeks to tbrsa
months They are considered mora sty
Ilsh than the bamboo hats. Besides, thev
are tougher, belach better, and hold the
bleach longer. They closely resemble
the Panama, and are the dress hats most
frequently seen in the streets of Manila.
BuntaI' hats are made from the leaf
stems of the opened "buri'' leaves The,.
u
ance on the head, and weigh almost moth
ing: They can be crumpled Indefinitely
without suffering any injury, and last
much longer than q Panama. All that
can be obtained are now being shipped to
Paris and New York. Those that have
reached this country have been much ad-
mlred' and demand for them is rapidly
growing. some OF the high-class gen.
tlemen's furnishing shops are selling two
''buntals" for every Panama. They are
seldom sold, however. with a name asso-
clating them with the Philippines, but
usually as Bangkok hats, East Indian
Panama" hats. or italian straw" hats.
Very recently the "buntaT' raw ma
terlaI has been brought to BaliwaR. and
mere woven into beautiful hats in the
8aliwag close" weave-hitherto used
'nly in the making Of bamboo hats. Thi~
ountaI hat Of Baliwag weave is the
1nest and most beautiful hat ever pro-
luced In the Philippines-eXQuisite In tex
.ure, of good color, and very durable
such hats are obtainable at present only
n very small quantities, and are ex-
remely expensive.
Likewise very beautiful are the rattan
hats, which are the strongest made in
he Philippines. The output OF them is
mall, because of the difficulty and ex
1ense attending their manufacture. As
llready stated. they run in price up to
100 or more. but even the lowest grades
ire beautiful and durable Like the bam-
300 hats. they are light and limp.
Our government expects that at no
'ery distant day the people of the Philip
'ines will mOnopolize to a great extent
he making of mats for the entire world.
important as the industry already is in
he islands, it is as yet relatively in its
infancy. 1t is distinctively a household
and the work is particularly
-dapted for women, being light and sed-
ntary. One often sees native women
Walking along the roads with great stacks
II unfinished hats on their heads, and
aking one of the top at intervals to
work. upon it. The wooden block for
haping the crowns of the hats, by the
way, are made in Manila by men who
evOte themselves to this branch Of the
business. They cost from 70 to IS cents
piece.
The American authorities have intro
uced into the Philippine schools the man.
facture of sO-called 'tikug'' hats. from
long. smooth, slender, jointless grass
hat grows in low places, especially in rice
elds. Its stem has no leaves, and reaches
height of six feet, a cluster of small
rown seed-bulbs growing at the top.
rom this grass cheap hats OF excellent -
udllly dI Llduc IOE SApOEls duu lTldl lOlS
Z them are to be sent to the United
tates. Inasmuch as the plant can he
rOwn in school grounds. so that the raw
Material costs nothing, and the straw
, easily prepared. such hats can he
Irned out for a surprisingly small price
he making of them affords good prac-
ce in weaving, and It is hoped that the
nterprise will prove of substantial use
illness, educationally as well as indus
rally. RENE BACHB