Why the World Buys India’s Hair 🌍

The global hair wig and extension market was valued at $7.5billion in 2024.

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Hair is big business - especially in India, which is the world’s biggest exporter of human hair, supplying 85% of global demand. Some comes from temples, where people shave off their hair as an act of devotion to the gods. It is then sold at auction. The rest comes from hair pickers who collect it from women’s combs, salons and even rubbish dumps.

Priti Gupta, a journalist in Mumbai, talks us through the Indian hair industry. We ask why Indian hair is so sought after - and why it’s China that’s leading the wig export market, instead of India.
BBC journalist Nadia Gyane explains where this hair ends up - and if customers know or care where their hair comes from? And drag artist Zeeshan Ali in Mumbai tells us why wigs are so important to their act.

00:00 Intro
00:52 How much hair does India export?
01:09 How is the hair collected?
01:55 How much do hair collectors get paid?
02:41 How is the hair prepared for sale?
04:16 What happens to the exported hair?
04:41 Why does China make so many wigs?
05:22 How to spot a human hair wig vs synthetic
06:13 Why is Indian hair high in demand?
06:54 Drag artist in India
07:52 Do people know where their wigs come from?
09:25 Which countries use the most wigs?
09:40 Which countries use the most hair extensions?
10:00 What do people look for in wigs?
10:38 What is a lace wig?
11:15 Are people transparent about wearing wigs?
11:45 How much is demand for hair increasing?

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Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Mora Morrison, Elena Angelides and Julia Ross-Roy
Video Journalists: Baldeep Chahal and Kesewaa Browne
Editor: Verity Wilde

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