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If you’re wondering where to buy a straw hat online, these retailers offer the strongest mix of selection, fit help, and sun-ready options.
Start with American Hat Makers for all-around variety, Stetson for classic straw cowboy hats, and Wallaroo if tested UPF 50+ coverage matters most.
Key Takeaways
The best straw-hat stores make style, sizing, and real sun protection easy to compare before checkout.
- Best overall for style and selection: American Hat Makers. It offers cowboy, sun, and fedora shapes in one place, with useful filters, a 50-year guarantee, and a handcrafted heritage dating to 1972. Prices run from $67 for entry styles up to $169 for genuine Panama fedoras like the Tulum.
- Best Western and cowboy straw: Stetson. This is the clearest pick for traditional crowns, classic brims, and a deep straw cowboy catalog.
- Best fashion buy under $100: Brixton. Its packable straw staples fit city outfits, festival looks, and first-time buyers on a tighter budget.
- Best UPF 50+ travel hats: Wallaroo and Eric Javits. Both focus on sun coverage and packability, though Eric Javits sits at a much higher price tier.
- Best lifeguard-style coverage: REI Co-op. Look here for wide brims, chin cords, underbrim liners, and customer photos that show real coverage.
- Best sun-safety baseline: Choose UPF 50+ and a brim of at least 3 inches, and skip open straw weaves unless an underbrim liner blocks UV.
How I Evaluated Stores
Each retailer earned its place through details you can verify before you buy.
Selection depth. Strong stores carry more than one straw type, such as toquilla, raffia, paper straw, palm, or seagrass, and more than one shape, such as fedora, cowboy, lifeguard, bucket, or rancher.
Sun protection clarity. UPF, or ultraviolet protection factor, matters most when you plan to wear a hat for hours at a time. UPF 50 fabric blocks about 98 percent of UV radiation, and The Skin Cancer Foundation requires that rating for its Seal of Recommendation.
Fit support. Clear size charts, how-to-measure instructions, and built-in adjusters reduce the odds of a return.
Material transparency. Better product pages tell you the real fiber, explain how stiff or packable it is, and note whether heat or water can damage it.
Price, shipping, and reviews. The best stores cover more than one budget and back that range with readable policies and buyer photos that show scale, brim shape, and fit.
What to Know Before You Buy
Get fit and sun coverage right first, then pick the material and shape that match how you will wear the hat.
Fit and Sizing
Wrap a soft tape around your head where the hat will sit, at mid-forehead and just above the ears. Measure two or three times and use the largest number. If you land between sizes, size up and fine-tune with adhesive foam strips or an internal adjuster.
Sun Protection and Brims
The CDC recommends a hat with a brim all the way around to shade the face, ears, and neck, and it specifically warns that hats made with open straw let sunlight through. For long outdoor wear, target UPF 50+ and a brim of at least 3 inches. Lifeguard styles can still work well when an underbrim liner adds real coverage.
Materials at a Glance
Toquilla, or Panama straw: This fiber comes from Carludovica palmata leaves in Ecuador. UNESCO recognized the traditional weaving of the Ecuadorian toquilla straw hat as Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2012. Optimo shapes, a Panama style with a raised center ridge, can sometimes be rolled briefly, but creasing is still a risk.
Raffia: Raffia comes from raffia palms and feels softer and more flexible than stiffer straws. That makes it a practical option for travel and casual daily wear.
Shantung, or paper straw: This is paper rolled into yarn and woven into a crisp, even material. It holds shape well, but it should stay dry and away from strong heat.
Palm and seagrass: These fibers are stiffer and common in lifeguard-style hats that need structure and broad shade.
When to Spend More
Pay more for a hat you will wear for long days, pack for travel, or rely on for strong sun. Better straw styles usually give you a tighter weave, a cleaner sweatband, steadier brim shape, and clearer fit guidance, which matters more than a decorative band.
Care Basics
Never leave woven hats in a hot car, where dry heat can make fibers brittle and cause cracking. Spot clean when needed, let the hat air-dry away from direct heat, and store it on a flat surface, a hook, or in a hat box.
The 10 Best Places to Buy Straw Hat Styles Online
These stores cover the strongest mix of style, fit support, sun protection, and buying confidence.
If you want one store that makes it easy to compare cowboy, fedora, and sun silhouettes without jumping across multiple brand pages, American Hat Makers is the most efficient place to start because its filters narrow brim width, color, and style quickly for different summer plans. For a fast side-by-side browse before you commit to a beach or festival look, the Straw Hats collection is a practical place to compare options and then check the size notes on each product page.
1. American Hat Makers: Best Overall for U.S. Shoppers
American Hat Makers has one of the widest mixes of straw cowboy hats, casual sun hats, and fedora shapes, so it is a strong first stop for most shoppers. The brand has been handcrafting hats since 1972 and backs every hat with a quality guarantee. Prices start in the mid-$60s for everyday styles like the Belle and Carly cowboy hats, with genuine Panama options like the Tulum fedora at the higher end. The filters help narrow brim width, color, and style quickly. Because sun specs vary by model, read each product page before checkout.
2. Stetson: Best Western and Cowboy Straw
Stetson is the clearest pick if you want a classic straw cowboy hat with familiar crown and brim profiles. The catalog covers dressier rodeo looks and more rugged vented options. Sizing guidance is better than average, but open weaves need extra sunscreen when no UPF rating is listed.
3. Brixton: Best Fashion Pick Under $100
Brixton works best for shoppers who want a modern straw hat at an accessible price and care more about outfit versatility than heritage details. Expect packable fedoras, ranchers, and neutral colorways that work with denim, linen, or swim cover-ups. Most styles use S through XL sizing, so built-in adjusters make a difference.
4. Wallaroo Hat Company: Best UPF 50+ Everyday Travel Hat
Wallaroo stands out for clear UPF 50+ labels and travel-friendly designs that pack more easily than stiff dress hats. It is a practical choice for beach trips, sightseeing, and long walks when glare and heat become a problem. The style range leans classic rather than trend-driven, which is a fair trade for dependable coverage.
5. Eric Javits: Best Luxury Packable UPF Straw
Eric Javits is the luxury option for shoppers who want dramatic shade and polished resort styling without giving up tested protection. The patented Squishee material packs better than traditional stiff straw, and core styles carry UPF 50+. The high price makes the most sense for frequent travel, special trips, or buyers who want one statement hat.
6. REI Co-op: Best Lifeguard-Style Coverage
REI is the strongest pick for lifeguard-style straw hats built around function. Product pages usually explain brim size, chin cords, and underbrim liners, and customer photos help you judge coverage in real use. Inventory shifts with the season, so the best sizes and colors tend to sell out early.
7. Nordstrom: Best Department-Store Variety
Nordstrom is useful when you want to compare several brands in one checkout and keep returns simple. The assortment usually spans affordable fashion hats and premium labels, which helps if you are still testing your preferred shape. Product detail pages depend on the brand, so material notes can feel less consistent than on specialist sites.
8. Etsy: Best Artisan Panama and Toquilla Options
Etsy gives you access to artisan toquilla and Panama-style hats that feel more personal than mass-market options. It is also one of the easiest places to find custom hatbands or smaller makers with handwoven stock. Read listings closely for actual fiber, weaving origin, size method, and return terms, because seller standards vary.
9. Tilley: Best Raffia for Travel
Tilley is a smart choice for shoppers who care about dependable fit guidance and travel-friendly wear more than trend-driven styling. The straw assortment is smaller, but its raffia and warm-weather options usually prioritize comfort and durability. Confirm which models are packable and which list UPF ratings before you order.
10. San Diego Hat Company: Best Value Wide-Brim Sun Hats
San Diego Hat Company is a good value pick for wide-brim sun hats that look current without luxury prices. You can usually find UPF 50+ labels on its beach and resort shapes, which makes it a practical budget lane for strong shade. Because materials vary from palm to paper, check care instructions before leaving one in a hot car.
Quick-Match Picks by Scenario
The right store depends on how you plan to use the hat, not just on how much you want to spend.
- Festival weekend: Choose a Brixton rancher or an American Hat Makers fedora with a at least 3-inch brim.
- All-day outdoor work or hiking: Pick a REI lifeguard hat with an underbrim liner and chin cord.
- Resort photos with maximum shade: Go with an Eric Javits wide-brim style rated UPF 50+.
- Western night out: Start with a Stetson straw cowboy hat in a vented but structured weave.
- Dressy summer event: Look for a handwoven Etsy toquilla hat with a brim near 3 inches.
- Budget beach and pool days: Try a San Diego Hat Company wide-brim sun hat with clear care notes.
FAQ
A few fit and material details will prevent most straw-hat buying mistakes.
Where Can I Buy a Straw Hat?
The strongest online options for most shoppers are American Hat Makers for wide selection across cowboy, fedora, and sun styles with a 50-year guarantee, Stetson for classic Western straw, Wallaroo for tested UPF 50+ coverage, and REI for lifeguard-style function hats. For artisan toquilla and Panama styles, Etsy connects you to smaller makers. If you want to compare several brands in one checkout, Nordstrom covers multiple price points. Start with American Hat Makers if you want the broadest style range, clear filters, and a direct purchase backed by a long-standing guarantee.
What Size Straw Hat Should I Buy?
Measure your head where the hat will sit, at mid-forehead and just above the ears. If your number falls between sizes, go up rather than down. A slightly larger hat is easier to tune with sweatband padding or built-in adjusters than a tight hat is to stretch.
Are Straw-Woven Hats Good for Sun Protection?
Yes, but only when the weave and brim do real work. Look for a tested UPF 50+ rating, a brim of at least 3 inches, and a weave tight enough that you cannot see bright pinpoints of light through it. Open weaves can still work if an underbrim liner blocks UV.
Which Straw Material Lasts Longest?
Longevity depends on how you use the hat. Shantung keeps a crisp shape but does not handle water well. Raffia is more forgiving for packing and casual wear. Toquilla offers a refined balance of breathability and structure, while palm and seagrass hold up well in broad, stiffer lifeguard shapes.
Can I Roll a Panama Hat for Travel?
Only certain Panama hats can handle brief rolling, and even then creases can happen. If a brand does not clearly say the hat is rollable, treat it as non-rollable. A travel tube or hat box is the safer choice for repeat trips.
What Is a Panama Hat, Really?
A true Panama hat is woven in Ecuador from toquilla palm fibers, not made in Panama. The name comes from trade history, but the craft is Ecuadorian. UNESCO recognized traditional Ecuadorian toquilla hat weaving as Intangible Cultural
