MONTECRISTENSE FAMILY

Montecristense family with entrepreneurial roots, fighters of excellent human values, we are innovators creating diverse products of toquilla straw, exporting our products to various countries, entering electronic commerce, whose passion for artisan crafts comes from three generations ago, born in these beautiful lands that have supported its growth contributing in one way or another with their artisan enterprises helping the growth of the Montecristi canton. . we present his biography to you.

 

Biography Mrs. Elvira López

Montecristi hat weaver

Mrs. María Elvira López Mero born on December 8, 1939, a citizen of Montecristi in the province of Manabí, a recognized weaver of the canton during her childhood, began to weave from the age of six for financial reasons to help her siblings because she is one of the Older sisters, in her school years she studied at the Natividad Delgado de Alfaro school in the Montecristi canton where she finished her primary studies having the necessary basic knowledge.

As time went by, she decided to leave school to dedicate herself to forming her home with Mr. Pablo Ignacio Franco Mero. As a result of her marriage, she had three children Nelly, Naty and Pablo; Shortly after the death of her husband, she decided to dedicate herself to perfecting the weaving of toquilla straw hats to bring her family forward, thanks to these she achieved great international recognition.

For this reason, with effort and dedication, she manages to weave a fine hat (Panama hat) worth 200 sucres, which at that time meant a large amount of money, time continued to pass and Mrs. Elvira wanted to continue innovating in the weaving of hats until He decided to weave a new style of semi openwork hat, it was thanks to this art that he became known, becoming an important character recognized for his fine hat fabrics which gave many merits to such a prestigious work of art as it was in 2009 being the image of the Ecuadorian postage stamp.

Elvira López came to weave until the age of 67 but she no longer had the same physical capacity as before, therefore she alone could not carry out the entire process, she had to seek help, it was from there that Mr. Rosendo Delgado began to finish the hats to take them for export, which had the United States, China, Europe, Brazil as destination countries, gaining popularity for being an elegant and subtle garment.

Mr. Pablo Franco López Biography

Pablo Franco master hat craftsman
He was born in Montecristi on August 9, 1972, the third son of Elvira López and Pablo Franco who was the only son who dedicated himself to continuing his mother’s legacy in the production of this art, an important figure in the canton specialized in finishing and marketing. of the toquilla straw hat.
 
In his childhood at the age of 6 he began to work after the death of his father Pablo Ignacio Franco Mero after this loss, his mother Elvira López taught him the important meaning of work was from those indications that he learned about the art of toquilla straw (carludovica palmata).
After several years of experience with the mentality of undertaking and having a different vision about artisan products with effort and dedication, he managed to create his enterprise which he named “Montecuadorhats” in which he is dedicated to carrying out a part of the process such as the completion of the Toquilla straw hat until today, together with his wife María Mero Pachay, following the tradition of hats until they are exported.
 
Thanks to God and to this business, they have been able to move their family forward feeling happy doing what they like with their three children, teaching them this legacy and thus not being able to tradition

María Monserrate Mero Biography

She was born on April 1, 1972 in Montecristi daughter Rómulo Aladino Mero and María Inés Pachay, married to Pablo Andrés Franco López, with whom she had 3 children Bryan, Jamileth, Pablo.
 
At the age of 17, she decided to marry Pablo Franco where they both formed a team that dedicated itself to following the family tradition of making and marketing toquilla straw hats with the prospect of creating a suitable place for the sale of this work of art, with the passing of time and with the experience acquired daily, they managed to fulfill their proposed goals that today are a reality by becoming one of the largest exporters of fine hats, having 25 years of experience providing safety and quality in each of our products .
Maria Mero artisan hat decoration specialist

Bryan Franco Biography

Bryan Franco commercial manager Montecuadorhats
He was born in Montecristi on September 11, 1997, the eldest son of Pablo Andrés Franco López and María Monserrate Mero Pachay, deputy manager of marketing and sales of the company MontEcuadorHats and technical director of a soccer team, graduated in foreign trade and international business at the Universidad Laica Eloy Alfaro from Manabí.
 
His initial studies were carried out in the “Calixto Quijije” garden in the city of Montecristi, in his childhood he was characterized by being a very hyperactive child, sociable and collaborative with people who needed his help, his first indications in the elaboration of the hat It was thanks to his mother Elvira López (grandmother) with whom he shared most of the time who left him very good teachings.
 
The school stage was carried out in the “Montecristi Educational Unit” at the time called “Montecristi Educational Center” where he continued his academic training until completing his primary studies where, in addition to studying, he dedicated himself to carrying out a part of the process of washing and smoking hat At the age of 13 he learned how to make low-end hats thanks to the teachings of his grandmother.
 

His adolescent stage was dedicated to studying the specialty of Computer Science applied to education in the city of Manta within the National Technical College “Tarqui” where he discovered his skills within the sport where he ventured into soccer highlighting merits that served him to continue his sports race.

After graduating from high school, he proceeded to specialize at the Universidad Laica Eloy Alfaro de Manabí in the Foreign Trade career where he has been acquiring a lot of knowledge of which he is practicing within his parents’ entrepreneurship every day, having a self-education in social networks, digital marketing, scientific content and web pages giving a different perspective to the entire venture.
 
In addition to that, he practices one more native language, which is English that helps him carry out international negotiations, his vision makes him exclusive and intelligent and he will seek to fulfill one of his highest objectives, the internationalization of the company, in order to help many artisans practicing fair trade and biodegradable packaging to support the environment.

ECUADORIAN ARTISANS

We visualize a gallery of professional Montecristense artisans, where there are also 60 families where each one contributes to the elaboration of hats, each one with their process where they give their dedication and passion to their work.

craftsman uncrowning a hat
weavers of panama hat pile
Manabi hat weavers
craftsman hammering fine hats
pile hat weavers
craftsman selecting toquilla straw
start of a panama hat
craftswoman washing toquilla straw hats