World's Largest Source Of Raw Hair, India Loses Billions To Hair Smuggling (Photo on X@lolitascak3)
New Delhi: Demand for natural and raw hair has been significantly increased over the past few decades, especially for making extension products such as wigs. Wigs and hair extension products made of natural raw are one of the highly sought-after items due to their durability, versatility, and natural appearance.
India, as the most populous country, is one of the world’s largest sources of human hair. However, despite the highest possibility of a billion-dollar industry with natural hair available within the country, India contributes a negligible share to the final product markets, with no production and only smuggling taking place.
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As per a report by Times of India, the country provides nearly 85% of the world’s raw hair supply. However, it is not using the industry’s potential despite availing the raw material, probably in excess from within the country.
As real profits are made from products such as wigs, wefts, and extensions made of natural hair, India only smuggles the valuable raw material to foreign countries, and then buys the final expensive extension products.
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Much of India’s raw hair is trafficked across borders to Myanmar, Bangladesh and Nepal, and then processed in Chinese-run factories in Southeast Asia and China. Chinese firms then turn the natural hair into high-value wigs and hairpieces using cheap labor from these countries, accumulating billions in revenue.
It is reported that Hyderabad is the epicenter of the smuggling of raw human hair. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) recently intercepted a consignment of temple hair from Tirupati headed to Myanmar via Bihar and Nepal. Usually, the smuggling takes place after being carried to Kolkata, then to Guwahati and then along the border routes.
The ED had earlier calculated the value of the smuggled hair as around Rs 8,000 crore. Despite all this smuggling, the profits from the works are negligible.
S K Mehbub Alam, an exporter from Chandipur, says he collects and processes 300 tonnes of human hair every year, and turns them into double-drawn hair and exports them to China. “But our profits are negligible,” The Times of India quoted the business executive.
According to several industry leaders, India has to implement a complete ban on hair smuggling and come up with robust policies to make use of large quantities of natural hair. With hair being smuggled, the country not only loses money, but jobs, innovations and dignity, according to experts.
