All You Need To Know About Hair And Wigs Production
As you probably know, a wig can be made using either natural hair or synthetic fibres. Obviously wigs created with real hair have a more natural look. Real hair has a texture and luminosity; its own unique colour (never homogenous but a rich tapestry of shades); a unique movement; it is softer than manufactured fibres; and can be styled in any way you want.
By hair movement, we mean the direction that the hair takes on, and how they wave and fall across the face and shoulders. When talking about natural hair, much depends on the length and thickness of the hair: generally, the longer and thinner the hair the more movement. But what actually influences the movement of the hair the most is the state of health. Porous hair appears lifeless and opaque, chemically treated hair can appear dry or “glassy”.
Needless to say, the condition and health of hair is extremely important in end quality of a wig.
A natural hair wig is well made when the hair is in an optimal state of health and correctly knotted in a way that creates movement and gives a natural direction to the hair, creating the effect of a full head of hair.
The type of hair used in wig production is one of the most important factors that distinguish the quality of one wig from another.
The more characteristics of natural hair that are preserved through the wig production process, the more the wig will seem like our own hair.
On today’s market, there is a wide choice of natural and synthetic wigs available, but even amongst natural hair wigs, there is a range of quality.
The quality of the finished product will depend on the quality of the hair used and the ability of the expert wigmaker in the crafting of the product.
Hair Structure And Characteristics
Before diving into the phases of wig production lets us reflect on the structure and features of natural hair.
The Hair Has Three Layers
If you take a cross-section of hair, you can see 3 concentric layers:
Medulla – the internal layer is made up of the cells responsible for hair growth.
cortex – the middle layer is made up of melanin rich cells – responsible for the hairs colour.
cuticle – the external layer is made of overlapping flat cells that protect the hair keeping it colourful, strong and healthy.
The Cuticle
The part of the hair that we can see and touch is known as the cuticle. The state of the cuticle is a key indicator to the actual health of the hair. The hair is healthy if the cuticle is healthy.
The flat cells that make up the cuticle overlap much like roofing tiles, always pointing in the same direction – with the open side pointing towards the tip of the hair.
The cells making up the cuticle (often referred to as cuticles) all lay in the same direction with the open end towards the hair tip. This particular feature of the cuticle is responsible for the shininess of our hair and allows individual hairs to slide one over the other without getting tangled and knotted.
When the cuticle is intact and healthy, our hair appears soft, shiny and elastic. On the other hand when the cuticle is damaged or consumed, the hair can appear opaque, exhausted, dehydrated and lacks elasticity
Chemical treatments such as bleaching and dyeing; excessive use of heat; and use of strong products can all cause the cuticle scales to lift off, damaging the cuticle.
The Importance of the Cuticle
So the health and beauty of our hair depends on the health of the cuticle.
True for hair, this is also true for the hair used in wig production. It is therefore important to choose wigs the use hair with an intact cuticle, especially for longer hair wig styles (30-35cm or more).
Hair used in wig production today are mostly of Indian and oriental origin. They are mainly dark hair that has been through a process of depigmentation before being coloured according to the requirements of the wig producer. But to create a natural looking wig, one must use natural, healthy, virgin hair that has never been chemically treated. If these guidelines are not followed, then the hair is not 100% healthy to start with, you risk ruining them further.
Processing Real Hair Wigs
Creating high quality wigs with real hair is a complex process. Precise quality standards must be observed in each phase of production, from sourcing of the raw material, processing of the hair through to the final packaging of the product.
Processing Real Hair Wigs
Creating high quality wigs with real hair is a complex process. Precise quality standards must be observed in each phase of production, from sourcing of the raw material, processing of the hair through to the final packaging of the product.
Sourcing Of The Hair
High quality raw materials are essential for high end wig production. We select strong, healthy hair that have never been chemically treated (hair that has never undergone bleaching or dyeing).
The hair must be Remy Hair – hair with the same direction from root to tip and intact cuticles.
During the collection phase the hair must first be tied into braids or queues to maintain the same root to tip direction (and so also maintaining the cuticles in the same direction). We then cut the braids or queues.
True Remy Hair are a minority on the market due to the strong demand and high sourcing costs.
Depigmentation
The processing continues with a careful and delicate depigmentation of the hair. The aim is to bleach the hair while keeping the cuticles intact and respecting the hair structure.
The time required varies depending on the desired end colour. For example, if you want a light blonde wig, the hair (usually dark in origin – brown or chestnut) will go through a gradual depigmentation process, which can take several days.
By hair movement, we mean the direction that the hair takes on, and how they wave and fall across the face and shoulders. When talking about natural hair, much depends on the length and thickness of the hair: generally, the longer and thinner the hair the more movement. But what actually influences the movement of the hair the most is the state of health. Porous hair appears lifeless and opaque, chemically treated hair can appear dry or “glassy”.
Needless to say, the condition and health of hair is extremely important in end quality of a wig.
A natural hair wig is well made when the hair is in an optimal state of health and correctly knotted in a way that creates movement and gives a natural direction to the hair, creating the effect of a full head of hair.
The type of hair used in wig production is one of the most important factors that distinguish the quality of one wig from another.
The more characteristics of natural hair that are preserved through the wig production process, the more the wig will seem like our own hair.
On today’s market, there is a wide choice of natural and synthetic wigs available, but even amongst natural hair wigs, there is a range of quality.
The quality of the finished product will depend on the quality of the hair used and the ability of the expert wigmaker in the crafting of the product.
Hair Structure And Characteristics
Before diving into the phases of wig production lets us reflect on the structure and features of natural hair.
The Hair Has Three Layers
If you take a cross-section of hair, you can see 3 concentric layers:
Medulla – the internal layer is made up of the cells responsible for hair growth.
cortex – the middle layer is made up of melanin rich cells – responsible for the hairs colour.
cuticle – the external layer is made of overlapping flat cells that protect the hair keeping it colourful, strong and healthy.
The Cuticle
The part of the hair that we can see and touch is known as the cuticle. The state of the cuticle is a key indicator to the actual health of the hair. The hair is healthy if the cuticle is healthy.
The flat cells that make up the cuticle overlap much like roofing tiles, always pointing in the same direction – with the open side pointing towards the tip of the hair.
The cells making up the cuticle (often referred to as cuticles) all lay in the same direction with the open end towards the hair tip. This particular feature of the cuticle is responsible for the shininess of our hair and allows individual hairs to slide one over the other without getting tangled and knotted.
When the cuticle is intact and healthy, our hair appears soft, shiny and elastic. On the other hand when the cuticle is damaged or consumed, the hair can appear opaque, exhausted, dehydrated and lacks elasticity
Chemical treatments such as bleaching and dyeing; excessive use of heat; and use of strong products can all cause the cuticle scales to lift off, damaging the cuticle.
The Importance of the Cuticle
So the health and beauty of our hair depends on the health of the cuticle.
True for hair, this is also true for the hair used in wig production. It is therefore important to choose wigs the use hair with an intact cuticle, especially for longer hair wig styles (30-35cm or more).
Hair used in wig production today are mostly of Indian and oriental origin. They are mainly dark hair that has been through a process of depigmentation before being coloured according to the requirements of the wig producer. But to create a natural looking wig, one must use natural, healthy, virgin hair that has never been chemically treated. If these guidelines are not followed, then the hair is not 100% healthy to start with, you risk ruining them further.
Processing Real Hair Wigs
Creating high quality wigs with real hair is a complex process. Precise quality standards must be observed in each phase of production, from sourcing of the raw material, processing of the hair through to the final packaging of the product.
Processing Real Hair Wigs
Creating high quality wigs with real hair is a complex process. Precise quality standards must be observed in each phase of production, from sourcing of the raw material, processing of the hair through to the final packaging of the product.
Sourcing Of The Hair
High quality raw materials are essential for high end wig production. We select strong, healthy hair that have never been chemically treated (hair that has never undergone bleaching or dyeing).
The hair must be Remy Hair – hair with the same direction from root to tip and intact cuticles.
During the collection phase the hair must first be tied into braids or queues to maintain the same root to tip direction (and so also maintaining the cuticles in the same direction). We then cut the braids or queues.
True Remy Hair are a minority on the market due to the strong demand and high sourcing costs.
Depigmentation
The processing continues with a careful and delicate depigmentation of the hair. The aim is to bleach the hair while keeping the cuticles intact and respecting the hair structure.
The time required varies depending on the desired end colour. For example, if you want a light blonde wig, the hair (usually dark in origin – brown or chestnut) will go through a gradual depigmentation process, which can take several days.
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