Ethically Sourced?
Mark Yudell
Posted on May 26 2014
What does it mean for hair to be “ethically” sourced? Why should you care? How do you know that it has been
ethically sourced? These are just
some of the questions we get asked every day. Let me begin by saying that the term “ethically” does not
have a universal definition. Like
any question involving “ethics” or “morals” there is no one right answer, and
it depends on who is answering the question.
For me, ethical means no one suffered as a result of the
sourcing and that no one was forced into providing their hair because of their
current social or economic standing.
Based on this definition of ethical there is only one source of hair
that one can use: Indian Temple
hair. Many women, even after being
told of where the hair goes after they donate it to the temples, are still
happy to donate again. For them,
it is the act of donation that benefits them, not what the Temple does with the
hair once it has been donated.
Now knowing what you want and getting it are two VERY
different things. While Indian
Temple hair is VERY desirable, it is also very expensive. Before it is ever cleaned or sorted it
can cost hundreds of dollars per kilogram. This is why many hair dealers throughout the world purchase
Indian hair by other means, then offer it to the consumer for less but claim it
is from the Temples. In fact it is
estimated that as much as 80% of the hair sourced from India comes from sources
OTHER THAN one of the Temples.
Bottom line, many large dealers buy from smaller dealers who
visit poor towns throughout India where women are forced to sell their hair for
a few dollars so their family can eat. Still others are attacked for their hair or have it removed
while they sleep. To me that is
not ethical sourcing. Take the
time to learn about the source of the hair of your extensions and make an
informed choice so that your joy is not based on someone else’s misfortune.
