As of 2019, India accounted for 33% of all human hair exports, the highest positive net export globally. However, the export value of human hair from India has gone down from 336 Mn USD in 2015 to 255 Mn USD in 2020.
Human hair is widely used to manufacture wigs, hair extensions and related products. Indian ‘temple hair’- donated at temples as a religious offering- accounts for a significant portion of the global hair trade.
Most ‘temple hair’ is donated by women from rural areas, who believe it is their most valuable possession. This unprocessed hair is the most sought-after globally.
Hair is classified as:
Remy: Minimally processed or ‘virgin’ hair. Expensive but retains natural shine longer
Non-Remy: Hair collected from various sources such as the floor of salons. Since the hair is not aligned in one direction, it requires more processing, leading to a dry texture
Exporters voice increasing frustration over smuggling and under-invoicing of hair to China. In 2021 itself, consignments worth over INR 7 crores have been seized by authorities.
Although India has a substantial competitive advantage in sourcing human hair, China is the biggest exporter of finished products (wigs), accounting for 72.9% of all exports globally. India figures nowhere in the Top 15.
The key players
Buyers (wig and hair extension manufacturers)
Sellers (hair exporters, including temples in India)
Donors (largely poor women who expect little to no payment. Often viewed as a religious offering)
Wigs made from human hair could sell for over $3000/piece, benefiting all players except for the women donating them.
Meanwhile, the black market is flourishing and reports of hair theft are not uncommon.
Perspective
Temples observe that hair donations are made willingly and under sanitary conditions. The funds collected from sales of this hair benefit society- running orphanages, schools, and funding various NGOs/trusts. Previously, this hair was used to stuff mattresses, benefitting no one.
Globally, there has also been a push towards ethical hair sourcing, i.e. procuring hair only from known sources. However, buyers admit that they have no way of knowing for sure.
Smuggling: modus-operandi
Smuggling of huge quantities is done via land routes to avoid Chinese import taxes
The hair is under-invoiced to escape income tax and other charges in India
In Myanmar, child labour is employed to process the hair at low rates
This results in loss of income and jobs.
As of 2021, the government has been cracking down on smuggling. The customs department of various states is working to seize illegal consignments, but the issue persists.
So who is the real loser?
The women who part with their hair willingly or unwillingly, gaining none of the benefits of the final price at which their hair is sold.
One school of thought pushes to boycott the hair trade industry altogether, saying NO to wigs and hair extensions. This isn’t practical. Instead, we need to emphasize and demand ethical hair sourcing by wig and extension manufacturers.
As the generation that has grown up observing rituals like hair tonsuring and the rise of modern beauty trends, it is essential that we understand the commercial implications of what we see.
If you’ve ever donated your hair (whether for religious reasons, to support a cancer patient, or just on a whim), do you know what happened to it?
If you’ve ever worn non-synthetic hair extensions or a wig, have you wondered where the hair came from?
Do you believe it’s a question worth asking?
Like what you read? Share this article with your friends and follow us on:
Instagram| Medium| Facebook