Hair Collecting in Pakistan: Selling ‘human hair’ becomes a popular export choice

Did you know that people are earning a massive revenue by selling women’s combed-out hair? According to reports, the hair that falls out while brushing sells like hot cakes in the global beauty industry. As a result, several people have made it a valuable source of earning.

What is the hair used for?

Hair sellers export their collections to China, where companies use combed-out hair to make wigs. These wigs are then sold for Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 100,000 around the country. Speaking to a media outlet, Zubair Arshad, a hair collector, said:

Beauty companies prefer hair that falls out while brushing, as it creates the best quality hairpieces. I am always on the lookout for good quality hair, which companies or dealers purchase for Rs. 4,000 per kg.

Zubair Arshad further shared:

I usually sell hair to dealers for Rs. 7,000 per kg, and later these dealers sell the hair to the custom clearing agents for up to Rs. 10,000 per kg. The custom agents then supply the hair to China at Rs. 15,000 per kg – boasting large profit margins for all those involved.

Another hair collector, Nadeem Khan, said:

I don’t collect the hair cut at beauty parlors or salons, as it is useless for us. Instead, hair that naturally falls out from follicles constitutes my bread and butter.

Scope of Hair Collecting in Pakistan

Hair collecting has become a popular business in Pakistan as the demand for wigs has gone up. To cater to this rising demand, approximately ten consignments are sent to China from Islamabad International Airport (IIA) three times a week.

Mushtaq Khan, a hair dealer, said:

I have been involved in the business for the past three years. It is becoming more popular with each passing day. Earlier, women used to dispose of hair, but now, they prefer to save it in shopping bags.

According to Mushtaq Khan, beauty salons are critical players in this business. Workers in the beauty parlors manage to collect around one kg of hair per month by acquiring 25 grams of hair per customer. They secure the hair fallout in separate bags and sell them to dealers for a massive profit.

It is hard to process that the strands of hair women casually dispose of in the dustbin every day can be a reliable source of income for them. Now that people know about this business, it’ll be hard to resist selling hair for good money.

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