Zeeshan Ali has been a towing artist for 10 years and has performed throughout India.
At the heart of his performance is a collection of about 45 wigs.
“It's a change of identity that helped me to transform from my everyday self to an exaggerated, charming or whimsical character. The right wig makes me feel more real and allows me to direct the stage,” said Ali, a Mumbai-based company.
But in the early days, it was not easy to look right.
He said: “When I started my career, in India, access to wigs was extremely difficult. Most of them were from abroad, otherwise I had made wigs from wool, fabrics (such as wool, fabrics) From any wig available.”
But now the situation is different.
“The trend is changing. Wigs are no longer just for procrastination or film artists, but many straight women look different in wigs. It's no longer just a hairstyle accessory, but a style statement.”
India's hair has always been about making wigs. The country is the world's largest exporter of human hair, supplying 85% of global demand.
Kolachi Venkatesh, located in Awadi, Chennai, has collected hair for 20 years. He started with pickers at the bottom of the industry – collecting hair from home and rescuing it from the garbage.
“My parents were pickers and I started doing the same thing,” he said.
Hair collected by pickers from homes, salons and barber shops is called non-Swedish hair.
It requires more treatment than Remy's hair, which is shaved directly from the scalp. However, it has value.
“It's just thrown away, but it's gold,” Mr Venkatesh said.
These pickers will usually sell their hair to local merchants for 10 cents to $1 (£0.80), depending on the quality and length of the hair.
Shorter or damaged hair is less acquired, while longer stocks bring higher prices.
For individual pickers, there is not much of that.
“A hardworking collector may collect 1-5 kilograms of hair a day and earn 59 cents to $6 a day. This income level is usually below the minimum wage, especially in rural areas.” Mr Venkatesh said he has 50 pickers worked for him.
“Although our work contributes to a billion-dollar global market, our revenue remains insignificant. Intermediaries control prices.”
Kolachi Venkatesh has been collected for 20 years [Kolachi Venkatesh]
Most of the Indian hair collected by merchants like Mr. Venkatesh is exported to China and made into wigs.
“China has a huge swing industry worth $500 to $600 million,” said Benjamin Cherian of PlexConcil.
He said that if India wants a profitable wig market, it has a lot to do.
“When we look at China, there are hundreds of factories across the country that add value to the hair industry, and in India, there is still a need to gain value.”
He said the government needs to help promote investment in the hair industry.
“It requires an automatic sorting system, a complex hair handling program for collecting hair, innovative production technology for making wigs, which will make India stand out.”
Mr Cherian said India should sell wigs worth thousands of dollars instead of exporting hair for hundreds of dollars.
“We've started to study it, but there's still a long way to go. We need to have research and training centers,” he said.
Diva Divine Hair has been making wigs and extensions since 2009 [Diva Divine Hair]
An Indian business attempting to invade is Delhi-based Diva Divine Hair, co-founded by Nidhi Tiwari in 2009.
The idea is to create high-quality hair extensions and wigs to attract a wider range of customers.
Ms. Tiwari said: “There is an increasing demand for these solutions due to the increase in hair loss and sparse problems in women in India.”
The company's attitude changed to help.
“Once a niche or taboo topic is considered, we’re openly discussing wigs and extensions now, thanks to evolving social norms and a shift to acceptance,” she said.
Wigs also see a lot of developments that make them more attractive and comfortable.
Ms Tiwari said: “Techniques like 3D printed wigs and digital color matching tools provide highly personalized options. Lightweight, breathable wig caps and improved adhesives allow customers to wear it for a long time without discomfort.”
George Cherien says demand for Indian hair “sky” [George Cherion]
At the top of the hair market is Temple or Remy hair.
Most of the supply comes from Indian temples in the south of the country, where hair is shaved in sublime and faithful conduct.
Raj Hair International is one of the largest traders of Temple Hair International.
Craftsmen at the company's Chennai factory classify their hair by color, texture and length.
“Remy's hair aligns the cuticle and the hair flows uniformly in one direction, reducing tangles and smooth texture,” said George Cherion, CEO of the company. This is high value hair .”
The company tries to waste as little hair as possible. To do this, it developed a machine to untie the hair. It enables them to work faster and have fewer employees.
“Our mission is to continuously upgrade the technology,” Mr. Cherion said.
The business is booming.
“The demand for Indians is soaring due to the high quality, natural appearance and thin demand of Indians.
Back to Mumbai Zeeshan Ali hopes to see more Indian wigs on the market.
In addition to making them more affordable, he also has a design suggestion: “A wig that can create a wow factor.”
