A Colombian Hat Fans Trade Tensions With China
A handcrafted Colombian product faces a threat from China
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Everyone in Colombia knows the black-and-white sombrero vueltiao. Made in the Caribbean village of Tuchín, the iconic hat has been designated a national symbol. Artisans spend up to 15 days cutting, sun-drying, and braiding cane leaves to make one hat. Starting price: 40,000 pesos ($20).
Now Chinese-made imitations of the vueltiao are selling in Colombia for $10, and sales of the artisanal original model are plunging. “The Chinese are stealing our culture like the Spaniards did 500 years ago,” says Eligio Pestana, mayor of Tuchín, where 90 percent of the 34,000 residents depend on the handicraft trade.