The sombrero vueltiao or sombrero vueltiado (Colombian Spanish for hat with laps) is a traditional hat from Colombia and one of its symbols. It is made out ofGynerium sagittatum known locally as caña flecha, a type of cane that grows in the region. The word vueltiao is a Colombian regionalism from the northernCaribbean Region and the area surrounding the Magdalena River basin that originates in the word for "lap" (Spanish:vuelta), and arose due to the way the hat is made. Vueltiao is correctly spelled volteado; however, the altered spelling reflects the actual pronunciation. The quality of the hat is determined by the number of "laps" used and its bending flexibility. The more flexible the hat is, the higher quality it is.
The making of the hat originated amongst the Zenú tribes of Colombia. The Colombian delegation to the 2004 Olympics wore the vueltiao during the opening ceremony. It is also traditionally worn by cumbia dancers and vallenato artists.
The Quinciano is the most commercially available Sombrero Vueltiao and also the cheapest. These hats are made in just three days, are loosely woven together, and only use fifteen pairs of caña flecha strips to make the weave.
The Diecinueve, as the name suggests, uses nineteen pairs of caña flecha strips to produce a finer braid that will result in a softer and finer sombrero. They can take up to a week to produce by hand.
The Veintiuno uses twenty-one pairs of caña flecha strands per weave and is finer than the Quinciano and the Diecinueve. These hats are usually custom-made to order and take ten to fifteen days to produce by hand.
The Veintitres is made of twenty-three pairs of caña flecha strips. The Veintitres, like the Veintiuno, is very fine and notably softer and lighter than its predecessors. It takes from twelve to twenty days to make this sombrero from scratch..
The Veintisiete are the finest sombreros available and use twenty-seven pairs of caña flecha. They can be folded up and put in a pocket without being damaged. The weave is very dense, and is soft to the touch. The Veintisiete is the most expensive sombrero vueltiao and can take up to a month to produce by hand.
