Rate of women’s combed-out hair goes up

Collectors say good quality hair fetch high prices in global market

RAWALPINDI:

Though seem strange and unorthodox, the rate of women’s combed-out hair has increased exponentially in the local market.

Collectors and buyers said that good quality fallen hair fetches a high price in the global beauty market and it was a valuable source of earning for them. The combed-out hair are mainly exported to China, where it is primarily used for making wigs.

Buyers and sellers said that the rate of women’s hair has increased from Rs7,000 per kilogram to Rs9,000 per kg.

Buyers walk around the streets and neighborhoods to buy the hair before selling them to wholesale dealers in Rawalpindi for Rs9,000 per kg.

The buyers said that they earn a handsome amount by selling the fallen hair to China, where they are used to making wigs for women and men.

A wholesale dealer, Yasir Raja, told The Express Tribune that women’s combed-out hair was being exported to China for the last seven years from Rawalpindi.

“We only buy women’s hair but we prefer hair that falls out while brushing, as it makes the best quality wigs. We are always on the lookout for good quality hair,” he said adding that wigs made of root hair are in high demand in Europe, the US and the Gulf counties.

He said that a wig made from Rs9,000 per kg hair is sold for up to Rs50,000. The wholesale dealer said that they also buy the hair from beauty salons.

Some primary buyers said they do not collect hair from beauty parlours or salons, as it was useless for them. They said that naturally fallen-out hair was in high demand and it constitutes their bread and butter.

People involved in the business said that it was becoming more popular over time as now women, who used to dispose of hair, now prefer to save it and sell it to vendors.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, April 6^th, 2023.