The straw of Manglar Alto, as well as the forms, bleaching process and other indispensable expertise and instrument, took the road for Cuenca, accompanied by some weaving maestros who were given the task of passing on their art. Apprenticeship became compulsory throughout the Azuay province, for adults as well as for children, on pain of sanctions which could be as much as several days’ prison!.
With the pace of this development, the straw hat business rapidly became one of the most profitable economic activities of the region. The art of weaving was perfected, and, in keeping with the given hierarchical structures, the little district of Biblian was pre- eminent in the finest type of the weaving, to the extent of competing with certain “montecristi” and “jipijapas”! From that point on, the “cuenca” was a force to be reckoned with. Involved as it was in the hat trade for purely economic reason, the region organized and developed its production according to the markets that were to be conquered, little by outstripping the Manabí region, which leant more towards defending the perfection of the traditional craft, which it maintained with the proud knowledge of never being equaled.
