OUR STORY
Sombrea is born from the interplay of sun and shade, where beauty and craft meet. Derived from the Spanish word sombra, meaning shade, the brand captures the quiet poetry of light and shadow and the lifelong love of hats that drove Martha Elisa Rodriguez, a Colombian living in Miami, to build something rooted in where she was born.
Rooted in Colombia's rich tradition of handwoven hats made from palma de iraca, each piece is shaped slowly by skilled artisans and finished under the warmth of the Colombian sun. Every hat reflects a deep respect for heritage, nature, and time-honored craftsmanship.
Inspired by the elegant shadows cast in light, Sombrea honors tradition while embracing a modern, effortless sophistication built on Martha's belief that a hat is never just an accessory. It carries place, memory, and the hands that made it.
—
IRACA PALM
—
Every Sombrea hat begins with the iraca palm, a natural fiber grown in the warm regions of Colombia and woven by hand using techniques passed down through generations.
The process starts with the careful harvesting of the cogollo, the tender heart of the palm. Each strand is prepared by hand, with the outer edges trimmed in a step known as ripear, allowing the fibers to be softened and shaped for weaving.
The iraca is then slowly cooked for several hours, before being soaked and placed overnight in a traditional sulfur kiln. This delicate smoking process gives the fiber its luminous ivory tone. The following day, the strands are laid under the sun to dry naturally, allowing the warmth of the Colombian climate to complete the transformation.
For hats in their natural café tone, the process is even more minimal. The fibers bypass the kiln entirely, keeping their original color untouched. They are dried only by air and sunlight, preserving the purity of the material.
Once the fibers are ready, they are carefully sorted and matched by hand. Only then does the artisan begin to weave — strand by strand, slowly shaping the crown and brim into form.
What begins as a simple palm becomes a hat through patience, skill, and time.
No two pieces are exactly alike, and each carries the mark of the hands that made it.