A lot of retailers have expressed concern about inconsistency and delays and wonder if the popularity of “hair for life” programs with their accelerated hair system rotation patterns might be a contributing factor. Many of them have been propositioned by overseas factories promising easy solutions and wonder if they could do better striking out on their own.

But the hair business is not that simple, and salon owners who have attempted buy direct have encountered a new world of confusing hair terminology where nothing is at it seems. It may appear to be a simple matter to become your own buyer of human hair, but it quickly turns into a daunting task of sorting out trade names, trendy brand name and varying hair grades. Most people give up the idea in the early stages and admit a new respect for the wholesalers they had been taking for granted.
However, as an educational service… and perhaps a warning… I’d like to offer a brief primer on the advantages and disadvantages of each type of hair and explain the cost differences and the reasons for them. I’ll also answer the question, “As long as it feels good, looks good and doesn’t tangle, why do I care where the hair originated? When I’m done, you too will appreciate the behind the scenes negotiating and control that is provided invisibly day in and day out by your current importer.
 
The first question all new customers ask is where did the hair come from? They want to know about the geography. I am always happy to answer these questions and try to assist people who call me. One day, a customer said it would be wonderful if we could create some kind of information sheet that explained everything: So here it is and thank you for the suggestion.
 
We are going to classify human hair as follows. I will describe the characteristics of each variety and summarize its pros and cons.
 
·        Origin: China, Eastern Europe, Russia and India
·        Grade: Cuticle, Non-Cuticle, Processed, Remy and Non-Remy     
 
I- ORIGIN

European Hair: A fine to medium density fiber that is naturally straight to slight wave and available in a variety of natural colors, most commonly dark blonds to medium browns. The Virgin colors will often be streaked with lighter shades or the ends will be much lighter than the roots due to weathering.
Advantages: High Quality. True Caucasian hair, whether originating from Russia, Eastern Europe or even the United States, is the best quality for the European and American market. The fine textures and natural colors eliminate the need for extensive processing/dying and can often be sold as is.It easily matches the density of Caucasian customers so the hairpiece or extension blends in with their own hair.

Disadvantages: Low Quantity and High Cost. It has always been an availability problem and is becoming more difficult to source lengths longer than 15 inches and of a good quality. Limited availability makes the European hair a valuable item. The care that must be taken at the manufacturing level, as the fiber is fragile in comparison to Indian and Chinese hair, adds to the overall cost of working with European hair. Usually those that choose to work with this hair want it as close to its virgin state as possible, so much care and skill must be taken when ventilating a wig or hairpiece to keep the roots in one direction and properly trimmed to avoid tangles.

Common Use: High priced custom wigs, hairpieces and hand made hair extensions. Preferred hair type by production companies for the film industry.

Indian Hair (aka Asian Hair, Italian Hair): A variety of fiber types from fine and straight, medium thick with bodywave and curly to thick coarse hair. “Italian hair” is actually Indian hair that has been processed in Italy or Spain and then sold at premium prices.

Advantages: High Quantity, Good Quality, Variety and Low Manufacturing Cost. Indian hair is popular to use for custom made hairpieces because it can be made to resemble European hair. Although prices for remy Indian hair increase every 2-3 months, it is still available in the less expensive non-remy form. The Indian hair fiber is small in diameter compared to Chinese hair and after chemical processing can feel and look just like European hair. Finally, a great attribute of Indian hair is that it comes in a full range of textures and body.
Disadvantages: Low Quality and Higher Retail Cost. Indian hair still requires quite a lot of chemical processing to make it appear as European hair. And the efforts to maintain the integrity of remy hair and/or buy the best quality in India can increase prices closer to European hair. To reduce time and materials, many manufacturers choose to work with non-remy Indian hair, which must undergo the same processes as Chinese hair that results in a poorer quality. Indian hair is also known to have split ends; lice and most exporters handle the hair badly.
Common Use: The remy hair is often produced as European or Italian hair for custom-made wigs and hair extensions. The non-remy hair is processed for custom-made hairpieces and less expensive wigs and machine and hand made hair extensions.

Chinese Hair (aka Asian Hair): A thick and coarse fiber that is naturally straight and dark brown to black in color.
Advantages: High Quantity, Durability and Low Cost. It is the strongest human hair and is able to withstand multiple chemical and mechanical processes. It is easily mass-produced making it a low cost item. It is the most popular hair in the industry because it is comfortable to process at the manufacturing level and there is no shortage of supply. Ventilating a hairpiece does not require as much skill or care as with cuticle hair.

Disadvantages: Poor Quality. Chinese hair requires extensive chemical processing to output hair that simulates European texture, color and body. The majority of the hair is collected and processed as double drawn, non-remy hair that requires heavy-duty chemicals to remove cuticle layers. It is still at a high risk for severe tangling problems because the cuticles are large and the layers are dense. The thick strands reflect light differently and appear 3 times as large next to Caucasian hair.
Common Use: Inexpensive off-shelf wigs, hairpieces and machine made hair extensions.

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