The word ‘straw’ covers materials with almost nothing in common beyond colour. Here is the honest map.

Palm and seagrass

The working braids: hold shape, take sun and the odd shower, and wear a season of daily use.

The right choice for resort stock, crew hats and anything wired-brim.

Raffia

Soft palm fibre that rolls up, takes a suitcase, and springs back with a shake.

The travel and gift-shop straw — relaxed by nature, never crisp, and honest about it.

Paper straw

Woven paper: light, cheap, convincing at arm’s length — and it dies in rain and humidity.

A legitimate budget option when it is sold under its real name, and a swindle when it is not.

Toquilla and the fine grades

The heritage braids of true Panama weaving — beautiful, costly, and usually wrong for bulk events.

We will say when a brief deserves them and when it absolutely does not.