Does The Global Hair Trade Exploit Poor Women? | The Stream

Hello, everyone - I am femi. Okay, more people are embracing hair extensions and wigs from human hair, but where does all that hair come from and are women being exploited to get it tell us what you think in our live YouTube chat or on Twitter, and your conversation? Could be right here in the stream ariana grande's famous ponytails Kylie Jenner's wig line, Nicki Minaj ease floor-length extensions. They were pretty amazing and they all contain human hair and have helped fuel a multi-billion dollar global industry. But not all extensions are created ethically a lot of these days. The hair comes from developing countries such as Myanmar and Cambodia. It belongs to impoverished women who give up their locs to hair traders for just a few dollars after processing. That hair is then sold for up to thousands of dollars to customers in much wealthier nations. This exploitation is legal because the hair industry is pretty much unregulated and more people are starting to push for ethical sourcing. But concerns remain about origins and costs. Have a listen to this. Consumers are very vulnerable. You don't always know what you're getting and you don't really have anyone to ask for help and well that you are asking our people that are selling what are people gon na take when you say like it here from India and how much people are cutting their Hair up for you and you think, that's okay, joining us to discuss the hair industry. Erica aec is a journalist based in boston, Erica's traveled to Cambodia to speak to some of the women who sell their hair to treat us also with us Margaux greer, founder of woven hair, a chicago-based ethically sourced hair company Margaux was inspired to start her business after Surviving breast cancer at a young age and losing her head to chemotherapy and finally, we have Valerie AG ok co-founder of ru now hair that is an ethically sourced human hair extensions company in Perth, Australia. Ladies, it's great to have you, I should say a full disclosure. I have over the years, participated in the hair industry, but I paid as little as possible because I'm so cheap. This is such a popular business. Now for for people of all different ethnicities, let me show you something here haha. This is our Kardashian's glamour wardrobe, and this is Khloe, Kardashian's, glam room and look at the hair in here I know it's like strawberry and then just before anyone maybe be thinking. This is just a woman thing right. These hair pieces are made out of real hair and guys are using them too and whoa. Look at that look how pricey that is human hair right there and then, of course, who can forget well, hairline, very nice. You could not tell even in the rain and the wind, alright and then one more who can forget. Chris rocks good hair if you're watching this and you're trying to work out what is extensions, what are we talking about there? We go. We two places here. You know, like extension, all right, so that's the whole idea of what a hair extension is. What do they actually look? Like I'm just wondering wondering Erika you set out on the journey to find out about Cambodia hair extensions. Why did you do that? Well, I was wearing hair extensions like many women around the world, and I really wanted to know where it was coming from. I wanted to know: did the label actually match the country that if I was buying Brazilian hair, did it really come from Brazil? In my research I couldn't really get to any harvesting in Brazil and that's when I really started to question this brazilian hair. What did it even come from here, and then I stumbled on Cambodia as an emerging market for human hair, and I wanted to go there and see women that were selling their hair. I really wanted to know their story and I deeply wanted to know it. How much they were being paid for it if anything at all mago, I see you nodding, go ahead, yeah and that's really interesting. I know a little bit more about the Indian hair industry, but I'm familiar. I know that women in Cambodia are in fact selling their hair and it's you know we don't know how much they're getting paid for it. It'S hard to track it's hard to trace, I'm just looking at the different places around the world where hair is sourced from and this pie chart gives an idea of where and mostly in Asia is where most of the human hair extensions from all over the world. But mostly in Asia Valerie, you started a business trying to find ethical, human hair. Why the emphasis on ethical? What'S going wrong in the human hair industry that it would be unethical, hmm? Well, it initially started with my own journey of self awareness, and I think that's commonalities that we all share. When we understand that we're all interconnected, then we begin to ask the questions of how did this product get into my hands like who was impacted in the production of this process? And I also noticed that when I would look online for different hair extensions, a lot of the messages and the core vision of a lot of his businesses just didn't resonate with where I was at in my journey. So I wanted to find something that really aligned with my personal morals Erica I'm just looking at your report that ended up being used on an NBC feature and then they they actually liked your reporting so much that they then used it made in Cambodia. How women in poverty are supplying America's market for hair and you meet some of the people who are selling their hair, that concept of selling hair? How does that sit with you and baby had comfortable and to go back to your last question about ethical sourcing, because in my report, when I was doing my research, I couldn't really find anything I couldn't find numbers. I think I saw one report that said some women in Cambodia are being paid $ 15 and - and that was very much all I had to go with. They decided that I wanted to dig further because there was no reporting because things weren't traced and I just wanted to know - I knew how much I was paying for it. Hair yeah. I knew how much my girlfriend's were paying for hair for human hair and to see anything that that said, $ 10 or $ 12 was just deeply disturbing. So you guys to me: does this be very: let's be very candid about this: paying $ 15 for hair. That sounds strange if you've never brought hair you've, never worn a hair extension. What exactly are the women doing? What are they giving over? Why would it only be $ 15? Well, you first as a woman think about yourself and your own hair, and why and to think about if you were going to cut your hair, no matter what texture, what length, what kind of situation would you have to be in to do that because of women? No matter the race, you like your hair or what your hair and I think, when the challenges when choice is taken away and when it's being as a way of survival that becomes the issue follow me go ahead. I completely agree with that. That'S exactly why I wanted it to be I'm an ethical business, because I think the common practices of collecting hair often remove choice from the table and the one conversation that we don't have, which I had with a lot of local Indonesian women. That'S where my hair stores from is that they are very similar to us in America and in Australia in their desired their beauty through their hair and when that is stripped away and then and we don't discuss their story and their desires, they have. They experience a lot of shame and embarrassment and a sense of unworthiness. Well, you sent us some pictures of our you nae hair and how you collect the hair and it's a very unusual way in which you do it and and most of the industry doesn't collect. Hair in this way, they will go around and and cut hair off. I mean Barto if women take their hair away from them. Obviously, there's some transaction that takes place, but not necessarily a fair transaction. So this is not how you do it. Let'S show the pictures, then you can explain what we're seeing go ahead. So I really believe that we don't have to continue to do the same things that we always do in terms of collecting hair. It is it's extremely detrimental to a woman's well-being to cut their hair, and I think that narrative needs to be highlighted. The way that we collect hair is encouraging women to collect single hair strands, so each woman has about 150 to 200 hair strands that follow their scalp every single day. So how beautiful is it for women to simply collect their fallen, hair and sell it to local Indonesian collectors? Let me show you something who are they yeah go ahead, mother ahead, mother! No! I love that you do that Valerie! That'S awesome! I think it's so important to consider that human hair there's a lot of different ways to harvest it and for what it will permit woven. Does we actually source our hair from temples in India and a lot of that hair is fallen, hair lose so much of it that you cannot be collected from actually shaving the head. So you know, if I think, there's so many different ways, and you know I understand that. I think that a lot of people will believe that tonzura or collecting hair from people that have willingly given their hair might be unethical. But there are a lot of ways that I believe that is actually ethical woven, make sure that we tonsure our hair, especially and and we make sure that we keep everything extremely involved within the industry within the Indian hair industry. So, my mother, let me ask you this, so I'm going to show a picture here of what tonsuring looks like so in the temples in India. People go to the temple and they were as a matter. Their religious tradition will take their hair off and you can see the picture here of this happening now. The workers at the temple may well then sell the hair to entrepreneurs who will then go off and then make hair extensions from that. There is a question of ethics in this because the people didn't give their denote the hair so that Mughal and can make hair pieces yes. So it's really there's it's interesting, because when people tonsor they here they're doing it for spiritual purposes, they're doing it so that they can do something for themselves. It'S not about anyone else. When I travel to India - and I talk to the women who tonsure their hair, you know they give they give explanations as to why they're doing it it's for them, and I ask them like how do you feel about your hair being concert? How do you feel about the fact that it's actually going to these places going to going into the cosmetic hair industry it's being sold as extensions and wigs and when I talk to them and ask them that they say you know, I you know. Of course, these people that I spoke to an interview cannot represent the entire. You know population of people that are doing this, but they said that they feel comfortable and the fact that this is about them. This is about their spiritual journey and if, if someone else can benefit from it in any way, especially if they're benefiting from it in a way where they are receiving hair because they have lost their own, they feel great about that and I feel pot. I through me that makes me more comfortable to be able to be involved in that part of the industry, but that's what the majority, the majority of the hair, is not made of going towards people that need it for for medical reasons. So someone is donating something at a religious purpose and then it's being it's being exploited for capitalism and then in turn, they're not benefiting from it. So they gave it for one thing and then it turned into another. So the question has to be as a supplier. How do you feel about it right, ask yourself: how do you, how do you, how do you feel about it and then is there? Is there choice, kind of being manipulated for really capitalistic gains along the way without their full consent of what's happening to this extension of their body? Mother yeah, I understand that I agree and it's difficult and you know what I think that when it comes down to it, nothing is perfect. I don't think that the way that I have chosen to organize my business and the values that I have, I don't think that it's all perfect, I'm aware that there's a lot going on that you know there could be better ways until you know. Lab-Grown hair is a thing. I think that the ways that both of us Valerie and a unit here moving here or doing our businesses is, is really positive. I really don't think that the strategy of tonsor in hair is negative in a way because, if we weren't using this hair, if the human hair industry wasn't this big and we weren't using the hair for wigs and extensions, it would be burned for thousands of years. This practice has been happening and, for you know, and historically it's been burned - it's been used for airplane seats. It'S been used to clean up oil spills. Typically, when men tonsure their hair, if they have shorter hair, it can't be used for extension. So it's used to any others. It'S it's used for um yeah yeah. I I actually completely agree with you, because I think that we need to step away from blaming or shaming people who are not necessarily being perfect, but because this is a journey of progression, not perfection. And as long as the intention is to move in the direction that is more empowering to people, I think that we should encourage that. So let me just - and I hear or your perspectives - let me just bring in the perspective from and it's difficult to have them in this conversation, but it's so important. The women who are doing the trading, the women who were selling their hair. So we go to Vietnam for this one and a report from refinery 29, which is an online publication focused on women, and they spoke to somebody who sold her hair for $ 100 into printing basis. I don't get it. Will you miss your long hair, exactly yeah? All my popular phenomena, Dan pate tweet a little over $ 100. The money is more than a month's worth of living expenses for her entire family. Enough to my livestock they'll bring in new income stream for years to come. Eric I've got a question for you: live on YouTube, our audience are watching and listening Craig says what was the most surprising thing Erica encountered while on the ground with the women in Cambodia excellent question, Gregg Araki thanks Greg. I think the surprising thing for me on the ground in Cambodia was making the link between the women living in the in the capital city of pen and pen and already living in a dire state due to the poverty there. But some of the women before and the lives there they were able to have some jobs working in hotels and their husbands were also able to have jobs when they were forcibly moved by their government to these remote places and at that point basically abandoned by their Government that was their element of vulnerability that allowed hair traders to come in and cut their hair for any price and sell it on an international market and also sell it there locally, so that connection of between there are in special in a vulnerable place. To a worse place - and you can see at the same time, that's when the hair trade industry, at least in Cambodia, really started to kick off, and is that the essence of exploitation of taking advantage of people who are in a really challenging place and the women That I only spoke to didn't feel very good about themselves after their haircuts Valery. You spent some time in Bali, and you say sometime with the women who are selling their hair, the traders as it were, for your research. What were you trying to find out? Does that make you trade in a very different way, sell hair, make hair in a very different way, because you spent time absolutely, I think when we take the time to listen to people's story, you feel a true sense of empathy and compassion for them, and it Really changes the way that you perceive anything sitting with the women really started with women welcomed me into their home's. I had ginger tea with them. There was definitely a language barrier, but they were so warm and welcoming, and what they expressed was that they wanted to just, I think, a lot of times. We exploit this a lot and a lot of women don't want to be on camera. They don't want to have to cut their hair, but they need an additional source of income, and that is why I chose the process of collecting single hair strands, because I believe that it brings choice back to the table and empowers them to have an alternative source Of income - and I mean that's just the reality of the economy as well - I will show you something here. Ladies I'm on my laptop, this is Krista diamond she Slains hair. My hair extensions were a big part of my identity, but after learning how exploited, if they are, I am giving them up forever. There'S a fantastic before-and-after picture. Her colleagues called this hair ratty and this hair defines you and beautiful and gorgeous, and then she found a little black strand in her strawberry blonde hair and that changed her mind about what she was going to do about wearing hair extensions, human hair extensions. This is what she told us here at the stream. Let'S have a listen, so I'm wearing hair extensions for four years, but I don't wear them anymore, because I think that the industry is inherently exploitative and the solution for that is to put regulations in place that dictate how women who sell their hair are paid and How they're treated, but really we should be prioritizing how women who sell their hair. Just this intimate thing that you grow from your body, we should think about how those people are so guess to me: yeah go ahead. Okay, I'm just I'm thinking about. Are we at the hair extension, a part of our awareness where we're now saying which we shouldn't be using hair that hasn't been sourced? Ethically? How are we there? I don't think we're there yet. I think the conversation is starting. It'S just now really in the last 10 years or so, especially with Chris Rock's, good hair that we're having multiple layers of conversation about hair. You know, we've talked about the leaves, the extensions, the wigs and all of that, it's just now with the work that we're doing as we're starting to get to okay, we, but where did that hair actually come from? So that's an extension of the hair trade industry or just the hair and beauty industry that we're not talking about and hopefully now that door has been open. But look at the countries that we're talking about I'm bringing a perspective. Cambodia we're hearing Indonesia, we're hearing India, we're hearing different countries around Southeast Asia and we're all telling different tales, we're all telling different tales and we're telling different numbers, because there is no regulation in this industry at all. And I do have some of the hair that I was able to buy in in Cambodia for those that wanted to take a look at it right in front of you. Thanks Erika there you go perfect, so is that that's unethical sourced hair right there that you're holding right. I bought this right in the in the local market in a non pen, so I bought this. This is about maybe 18 to 20 inches of hair um. So this is on a track or weft, and this is loose hair. You see about the same length. Do you have any idea where it came from? No, I don't, and because there are no regulations and there's no paper trail and that I definitely found in my reporting that they wanted to keep that see. It was very difficult to find, even just he even get to the woman was very, very difficult, but when I was in the market talking to people that sold it, you know publicly, it was very difficult. I would ask, but there's a trader coming, you know and they would have, and I would see bags on the floor and I asked if those bags of hair - and they said yes and but when it's okay, one I want to meet the person. That'S dropping off that bag of hair that was very difficult, so Marga, I'm just showing woven hair here. Your your website and part of your story is how you actually get that hair. What stops other people in the industry, the human hair industry, also making an effort to say we didn't take advantage of the women we pay them. The right amount for their hair, not pay them a few dollars and then sold it for hundreds of dollars. What are you stopping the industry for self regulating? You know, I think it's just tricky. I think it's hard. I think people don't want to go that route because it takes more effort. It'S not easy. You know I it took a lot for me to get to the you know the head of the human hair industry and figure out what was actually going on people. Don'T really, I think it's just it's hard and I don't really blame people, for you know not wanting to do that, but it's absolutely necessary. It'S. It'S really really important that we actually find of ethical sources and and make sure that we're doing things the right way. Ladies, it's not impossible, though ladies says on Twitter's he's watching the show. As long as there is demand for hair extensions in the beauty industry, someone somewhere in the world will want to supply and fill in for the demand. It'S unfortunate that poor people being exploited even for their hair ethical practices are much needed. It occurred to me synthetic hair. Why can't I use synthetic hair? I mean we're so good at coming up with ideas about what we put on our hair. What we wear! Why not with hair too, so is that where we are, is it? Is it just an issue? Is it not only just an issue, our fair trade, because it isn't really fair for people that don't want to sell it in the first place? So you know you have to start there and ask that question and then moving into forward. Why can't there be a synthetic distinguishable that works in the exact same way and so that these people that are selling their hair or donating their hair are looking at other forms of sustainable lifestyle of sustainable ways of taking care of their family rather than just cutting Their their hair is a way of survival, it can be, it can be. Can they learn something that that will take them further? One more so, and this one comes from Twitter from Gary Xu and she hid. The tweet here is really kind of sums up our responsibility as people who were using other people's hair. How does my freedom and pleasure affect another person's freedom and life? Women ought to be conscious of the consequences of their pursuit for beauty. Ethical business is essential to promote humanity, good thought, but I'm wondering if people wandering around with their fantastic human hair are thinking about that more work to be done. Ladies, thank you. So much Erica, Margo, Valerie appreciate you. That'S all for our show. For today. I'Ll see you next time take care.