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Thread: Human Hair Extension Industry

  1. #1
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    Default Human Hair Extension Industry

    Hey ladies,

    For months I have admired the lovely hair of my workmates who have extensions. Seems like they are getting better and more realistic looking every day! Though I envy the luscious long locks, I can't get past the fact that the hair industry seems to yet another exploit for women of the global south in benefit for those of us living in the global north.

    This article, among many others, outline some of the conditions which lead to women selling their hair.

    http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandst...-trade-secrets

    I don't think I can ethically justify wearing a poor women's hair, so that I can make more money and feel better about how I look.

    Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Does anyone have any resources about hair that comes from women who are more fairly compensated or perhaps synthetic hair that is of really high quality?

    I don't mean this to come off as judgmental because I realize that in my day to day life I benefit from the labour of a lot of exploited workers from around the world or from industries that are really destructive to the environment but there seems to be something really personal about literally wearing this product of exploitation on my head.

  2. #2
    Veteran Member red.velvet's Avatar
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    Default Re: Human Hair Extension Industry

    I had always wondered where all that real hair was coming from. I knew it couldn't be good. I'm surprised no one has created a way to create real hair in a lab for cheap yet.

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    Featured Member Kitcatt's Avatar
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    Default Re: Human Hair Extension Industry

    "However, economic woes, and the recent rise in grassroots feminism could spell the end of extensions."

    .....*raises eyebrow*, yeah, no. The price of hair consistently goes up 6% every year, and has done so for over 10 years. Grassroots feminism isn't going to do jack shit. And the next statement makes it sounds like she's discussing ethnic clients, not white clients, which have become major stakeholders in the hair extension industry as well.

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    Default Re: Human Hair Extension Industry

    I don't feel bad. People in 3rd world countries suffer much worse due things than short hair due to a world that exploits their situations.

    My hair grows super slow so some people have a legit need for extensions. No hate.

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    God/dess whirlerz's Avatar
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    Default Re: Human Hair Extension Industry

    I can't remember the site's name, but there was a site for women to sell their hair..sometimes it was already cut & sometimes not. Some of it was really long, some not so much so.
    They had a minimum length to have to have, in order to sell


    MANY MEN WANTED TO LAY ME DOWN, BUT FEW WANTED TO LIFT ME UP

    -Eartha Kitt

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    Moderator charlie61's Avatar
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    Default Re: Human Hair Extension Industry

    In America, people sell their own plasma.

    Capitalism necessitates exploitation.

    Discuss.

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  9. #7
    Veteran Member red.velvet's Avatar
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    Default Re: Human Hair Extension Industry

    Quote Originally Posted by charlie61 View Post
    In America, people sell their own plasma.

    Capitalism necessitates exploitation.

    Discuss.
    I'm so glad you wrote this. I was thinking the same thing, but felt bad about it.

    I don't see anything wrong with someone donating their hair for money. You could have a short cute bob and chop off all the length and sell it for money. You'd still look cute. Hair isn't something you need to survive and neither is as much plasma as we have in our bodies. That article was implying that its harmful for women to cut their hair off for money. Well, that's how capitalism works.

    The posters on this board are not at the top of the food chain, so we definitely know what its like. Also, lots of people slave away in jobs they hate because they can't afford not to. That's all exploitation.

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    Moderator charlie61's Avatar
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    Default Re: Human Hair Extension Industry

    Quote Originally Posted by red.velvet View Post
    I'm so glad you wrote this. I was thinking the same thing, but felt bad about it.

    I don't see anything wrong with someone donating their hair for money. You could have a short cute bob and chop off all the length and sell it for money. You'd still look cute. Hair isn't something you need to survive and neither is as much plasma as we have in our bodies. That article was implying that its harmful for women to cut their hair off for money. Well, that's how capitalism works.

    The posters on this board are not at the top of the food chain, so we definitely know what its like. Also, lots of people slave away in jobs they hate because they can't afford not to. That's all exploitation.
    Agreed. Now, there are of course complications to what I wrote. Like, just because "capitalism -> exploitation," doesn't mean we should turn a blind eye to significant pain, indentured servitude, etc.

    There's a huge grey area in this "pain" category. How much pain is it okay for a person or animal to endure in the name of capitalism before we are compelled to stop consuming a product and supporting an industry? (Agriculture, beauty, etc.)

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    God/dess seashell's Avatar
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    Default Re: Human Hair Extension Industry

    I agree that it's a symptom of poverty and lack of other job opportunities. I wouldn't specifically blame capitalism, because exploitation can exist in any type of government. India is where most of the hair is taken, right? (I didn't read the article, just going off what I've seen in Chris Rock's "Good Hair" ) They're not a capitalist country, but they have plenty of problems with exploitation of the poor.

    I stopped wearing hair extensions for a while, partially because of this and also the harsh chemical processing that they go through. But I started using them again recently because my hair is severely thinning.

    Yes, it's sad that people do things like selling their hair for money... but it's going to take more than eliminating hair extensions to solve poverty. Even if people stopped buying hair extensions, you'll still have poor people looking for another way to make ends meet, whether that means selling their body, selling drugs, selling plasma/semen/eggs... the list goes on.

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    Default Re: Human Hair Extension Industry

    I'm against all kinds of hate! But many Indian women donate* their hair. And it's not like the majority of us on here are the 1%. If we don't look decent we don't make money to feed ourselves, children, pets,etc. Most of us aren't in a position to be concerned about the hair extensions we buy. I have gotten extensions from India and I can't stand them anyway. European hair looks much better on me. That's just a side note. But I appreciate your caring OP but when we're not on the top of the food chain like Red velvet mentioned we have more immediate things to be worried about.

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