Final Soc. 120 Presentation

How 50,000 Hindu pilgrims keep Victoria Beckham looking hot

The Globalization of Hair

Research Question:

How does the demand for virgin remy hair extensions in the US affect the hair industry in India?

From their scalp to yours• The trading of human hair in India is a $18 million

per year business• Consumers are primarily Western nations such

as the United States• In 2006 over 79,000 tons of hair was imported

into US• A large part of human hair used for hair

extensions comes from India.

Kinds of hair exports• Temple Hair• Brushed Hair

From their scalp to yours continued….• Hair collected from tonsuring halls at Hindu

temples is then bid upon by local buyers• Venkateswara temple took in $5.6 million in

auctions in 2002• Hair over 16 in long went for $193 per kilo this

year• Factory workers around India clean, separate and

fumigate through several tons of hair per year

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNPDgjDaHw0

Great Lengths International• After initial cleaning and sorting, hair re-sellers

ship product to wholesalers• One of the top wholesalers of natural hair

extensions is Great Lengths International• Great Lengths buys Indian hair locks of 16

inches for about 30 cents a strand from re-sellers• Each strand has about 200 individual pieces of

hair• Great Lengths processes the hair in its factory in

Rome

Perfection: strand by strand

• Every wholesaler has a different preparation processes

• Great Lengths International has a very specific de-pigmentation & pigmentation process

De-Pigmentation• Undergoes de-pigmentation process- special osmosis process lasting 15-20 days.• Black pigments are lifted from hair rather than bleaching• This does not damage hair, and makes for much better quality.

Pigmentation• Process a lot like Cashmere sweaters • Black pigment molecule gets replaced• Color does not fade • Bleached hair would lose color after several

washes

From Rome to Hollywood• Great Lengths sells to international distributors for about

$1.50 a strand• In U.S beauty salons, the cost for a full head’s worth of

high quality hair extensions from Great Lengths costs as much as $4000

Consumption of Hair ExtensionsPurpose For Hair extensions•Thin hair•Alopecia•Length•Color

Cost For Great lengths Hair Extensions

• Extensions can cost from $600-$3,000

• Includes hair extensions and the service to add the extensions

• Bundles cost $135

• One bundle consist of 25 pieces

• On average to complete a full head of extensions needs 5 bundles

Great lengths Target Market

• Caters to the upper scale audience• People that are expected to be able to afford Remy hair

extensions• Grade A – Best quality hair; most expensive• Grade B – of lower quality; less expensive to purchase

Why Huge Demand?•The media sets the trends

•Magazines

•Movies

•Television Shows

•Singers

The recycling of hair

• Used remy hair’s 2nd trip (or any other hair type)• Washed, recycled and reused on West African

coast

So what?!

• Only about 20 out of every 100 strands of premium hair sold abroad is temple hair