Where Palm Beach elegance meets an ancestral craft
TESH® unites the refined spirit of Palm Beach with the artistry of the world’s finest handwoven straw hats. Each piece is a singular work of art — woven by hand in Ecuador, then hand-finished in our boutique with exquisite embellishments — for men, women and children.
Individuality
No two TESH® hats are alike. Each is finished with embellishments chosen from an ever-evolving collection of rare and beautiful treasures — an expression of individual style that honors the timeless craft behind it.
Responsibility
Woven from natural toquilla straw, a renewable fiber, every TESH® hat unites sustainability with elegance, so that true luxury may be enjoyed with a clear conscience.
Partnership
Each hat is handcrafted by skilled artisans in Ecuador, some taking months to complete. We are proud to support these communities and to honor a craft passed down through generations.
Tea & Shannon
TESH® was founded by Tea and Shannon, who met through the equestrian world and share a vision rooted in craftsmanship, nature and timeless style.
Shannon brought more than a decade of design experience in equestrian apparel; Tea, a scientist devoted to ocean preservation, saw the opportunity to unite artistry with sustainability. Together they set out to celebrate and preserve true handwoven craftsmanship in a world increasingly given to the machine-made.
Palm Beach — with its appreciation for heritage, elegance and individuality — became the natural home of TESH®.
Why the Panama Hat Comes from Ecuador
Despite its name, the Panama hat has always been woven in Ecuador. In the nineteenth century these hats were shipped to the Isthmus of Panama before sailing on to the wider world, and travelers, from Gold Rush prospectors to the builders of the Panama Canal, named them for the place they bought them. When Theodore Roosevelt was photographed wearing one at the canal in 1906, the name was sealed.
The true name is toquilla. The straw comes from the toquilla plant, Carludovica palmata, which grows along Ecuador’s coast. Split by hand into fine strands, it is remarkably light, breathable and supple. No other straw combines these qualities so beautifully, which is why it has been prized for centuries.
In 2012, UNESCO recognized the traditional weaving of the Ecuadorian toquilla straw hat as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, a craft passed from one generation to the next, with the finest hats taking months to weave.
Beautiful goods that replenish the earth
Renewable by Nature
Toquilla straw comes from the fast-growing toquilla palm, which can be harvested again and again — a gentle alternative to synthetic fibers.
A Lighter Footprint
Harvested locally and woven by hand, toquilla straw is crafted without the factory processes of mass production.
Artisan Communities
Every hat sustains traditional craftsmanship and artisan livelihoods in Ecuador.
“Sustainability is no longer enough. We cannot simply maintain what is broken — we must regenerate.”
By choosing toquilla straw, we honor the ecosystems that provide it — returning to materials that grow, renew and biodegrade, while safeguarding the cultural heritage of the artisans who have passed down this craft for generations.
329 Worth Avenue
Experience the full TESH® collection, private fittings and the Bespoke Hat Lounge in the heart of Palm Beach.
Our new home in Via Roma opens Monday, November 2.