The art of making palm hats has been passed down for centuries within families of hat maestros. The K’iche are passionate about this art and very proud of displaying their craft to the world, because it blends all of the things that inspire them most; traditional K’iche art, the environment, and working together as a family. The art of Hat making has bettered the quality of life of many artisan families from this region in Guatemala. This type of craftsmanship is not just reserved for the women, but is a shared art form between parents, husbands and wives, their children and multiple generations of family members who all work together as an entrepreneurial team. Everyone in the business is considered an equal and has helped change the idea of gender roles within their communities. Mostly men have been the designated hat shapers and tailors and the women have been responsible for the weaving designs and braiding of the palm leaves.

Andeana Hats works with a group of over 200 Artisans who are a collective of about 20 K’iche families who all work together to produce the palm hats. Justo Reynoso is the leading craftsman of our collective. At 60 years old, he says that he started learning this art because his parents taught it to him since he was a child playing with making hats. His wife, Viviana Tavico, also was taught as a child the art of making hats. When they got married they both dedicated themselves to the art of making palm hats just like their grandparents did before them. Together they have more than 50 years of experience in the art of making hats, and have perfected designs passed down over the centuries to them. Now their children are the fourth generation of palm hats makers in their family and the tradition will carry on.