Is It Truly from Europe? – Good Locks

Have you ever ever heard of “European hair”? Many hairstylists and their shoppers consider that European hair is sourced straight from Europe, with photos of glamorous Europeans promoting off their luscious tresses dancing by means of their minds. However the reality about European hair is way more complicated – and deceiving – than many individuals notice. On this weblog submit, we’ll discover precisely what “European Hair” actually means and uncover the stunning information behind its origin, false advertising and marketing, and alarming truths concerning the hair extension business.

Reality #1: European Hair RARELY Comes from Europe

At the least as soon as per week I obtain an e mail or am requested in our retailer if we supply “European hair” and I’ve to attempt to not snort, and cease to assume for a second about how our business has gone by means of some many waves of slick advertising and marketing. Right here’s a spoiler: that is one more one. I’m sorry, however 9 occasions out of 10 “European hair” extensions aren’t from Europe. 

Some hair extension firms make this declare and someplace small on their web site make clear that European hair doesn’t imply that it’s a product of Europe, simply signifies that it got here from folks of European/Anglo descent. Actually? That’s 16% of the world’s inhabitants…which is, you recognize, a reasonably broad internet. Individuals of European descent dwell all around the world. 

Reality #2: You’ve been lied to earlier than, you’re being lied to now and we’ll be lied to once more.

Simply 5 to 7 years in the past, there was an enormous advertising and marketing buzz about Russian, Brazilian, Malaysian, and Cambodian hair which took on the African American hair business like a wildstorm. With slick advertising and marketing evoking hair from distant lands as “pure”, “untouched”, folks believed they had been shopping for unique hair from these international locations. It was later found that these claims had been only a misleading advertising and marketing technique of hair collected in China and dumped by means of Alibaba and aliexpress. So as to add some phantasm of credibility to those claims, oftentimes the Chinese language hair  was shipped to Myanmar or India to be assembled into wigs, wefts and extensions in accordance with an expose accomplished by BBC Information. It took years for the “reality” to be revealed in message boards, information articles, and movies that it was all hair from India or China that had been processed to imitate Brazilian curly hair or bone straight Malaysian hair. Even then, typically the hair is blended with animal hair or artificial hair to drive down the price of items on the product and maximize income. The Mirror within the UK coated a narrative a few mom who spent £425 for “Russian” hair extensions that turned out to be handled horse hair.

“So what’s with the slick advertising and marketing? Why does the story hold altering?”, you ask. Contemplating the worldwide wig, weave and extensions market is a $7 to $10 billion market, it comes right down to cash and a number of it. The thrill of Russian hair has worn off, so now we’re seeing the story evolve into claiming the advantages and high quality of European hair. Generally prospects sensible up and ask if the corporate can hint the origin, so that they present you a batch quantity (which identifies the time/grouping/lot of when one thing was made or assembled, not the place it got here from). It’s false promoting and sadly our business is way from regulated. 

For the final decade the hair extension business has cut up the commodity of human hair down into nebulous ethnicities or international locations of origin to cater to a rising Caucasian group who’s embracing hair extensions and wigs greater than any earlier era for the reason that 1800s. New strategies and processes in the marketplace have made it simple to put in on folks with even the best hair texture, marking a turning level within the enterprise. The demand is there, cash is to be made and a few unscrupulous folks will go far to get hair at any price.

Reality #3: If “European Hair” doesn’t truly come from Europe, the place does it come from? Likelihood is it got here from China and infrequently at a human price. 

Regardless of Indian hair being recognized the world over, it might shock you that Hong Kong (China) exports nearly ⅓ extra of the world’s provide of human hair. 

Does some hair truly come from Europe? Certain! However at a really hefty price ticket due to rarity. Ask your self this query: the place in European international locations have you ever ever heard of girls lining as much as donate hair willingly? Are they being compelled and exploited to donate their hair for cash? In Europe, that’s unlikely. So how can there be an business sustaining, regular stream of high quality hair coming from Europe and not using a system of voluntary donations? Whereas some hair may be collected from hair salons, it’s typically what known as “brief lengths” and “fallen hair”, gathered from hair clippings and even from the ground but nonetheless is priced 4x that of different hair. 

So the place does all of this hair truly come from? The actual fact of the matter is, the hair in “European”, “Russian, and “Brazilian” extensions are donated or typically is collected unethically from international locations like Myanmar, Vietnam, Burma, China, and Tibet. This hair is taken into account to be near true European hair and is chemically handled, coloured and marketed as European hair due to the feel. As thoughts blowing it’s, america itself has cracked down on hair imports recognized to be unethical, having been collected from Chinese language prisons the place girls weren’t given the selection. Learn extra about the ethics of Indian hair vs Asian hair. I began this firm and our model out of the trustworthy want to provide girls the sort of confidence, love and hair choices I yearned for after I was youthful. It really saddens me to see how some firms have use unethical practices and crooked advertising and marketing methods to lie concerning the true origin of the product and the way it was obtained. In its purest sense, this hair that provides girls present process chemotherapy, who battle by means of hair loss a loving reward from girls have a world away in India throughout a non secular ceremony. We firmly and rigorously confirm the origin of our hair right down to the very temple it was collected from and that can by no means change.

So what can we do? Forewarned is forearmed and information is energy. Ask questions, listen and don’t be conned…solely when the nice majority demand extra transparency and regulation of our business will issues change.

Barilla pasta doesn’t come from Italy and there’s no such factor as “European” hair extensions. 

Keep attractive,

Priyanka Swamy