How Are Human Hair Wigs Made?

How Are Human Hair Wigs Made?

Human hair wigs are a popular choice amongst our beautiful customers and for good reason. They’re the most natural-looking wig on the market and will last longer than a synthetic wig, with proper care. Human hair wigs also feel and act the most like natural hair, which can provide comfort if you have recently experienced hair loss and are still getting to grips with this change.

If you are considering investing in a gorgeous new wig, you may be wondering how human hair wigs are made and what they’re made of. Our wig specialists explain everything you need to know about how real hair wigs are made in this guide.

What Are Human Hair Wigs Made Of?

Authentic human hair wigs are made of real human hair fibres from real people. Understandably, this means that human hair wigs are extremely natural in how they look and feel.

The majority of human hair used in wig production comes from Asia. According to Statista, the leading exporter of human hair in 2021 was India, followed by Hong Kong, Pakistan and Brazil. India is the largest exporter because many Indian pilgrims shave off their hair at Hindu temples as part of religious practice – a sacrifice and symbol of devotion to the gods.

Human hair wigs can generally be classified into three main types:

ONE

VIRGIN HUMAN HAIR

A virgin human hair wig uses hair that has not been processed or chemically treated (for example, the colour of the hair has not been altered). The hair should also come from one donor. 

TWO

REMY HUMAN HAIR

Remy human hair wigs are generally more premium and more expensive compared with non-Remy wigs because of their unique, intricate construction process. The cuticles on a Remy wig are laid in a unilateral direction, meaning each hair follicle follows one single direction, imitating natural hair growth.

THREE

NON-REMY HUMAN HAIR

Non-Remy human hair wigs are made from human hair that has been processed and/or chemically treated, but not laid in the unique Remy-style.

How Are Real Hair Wigs Made?

The hair will be laid out and organised to have all the roots at one end and tips at the other.

The hair will be washed and carefully disinfected to ensure that it is clean and safe to use.

Depending on the final human hair wig style, the hair might be permanently straightened or curled to prepare it for the cap. The wig might also be dyed at this stage to achieve the desired colour.

The human hair fibres are then attached to the cap. This will be done in different ways depending on the wig cap construction type.

HAND-TIED – As the name suggests, each strand of hair is individually sewn into a fine mesh cap, typically using a small hook. Our most luxurious wigs are hand-tied human hair wigs, as a single wig can take up to three days to complete – for more information, see our guide to hand-tied wigs.

WEFTEDWefted or open-cap wigs are typically machine-made, and the hair is sewn in wefts (strips of hair) to the base cap. The open wefts in a wefted cap make them breathable and perfect for summer; you can learn more about wefted wigs on our blog.

COMBINATION Some wigs are a mix of both of the above methods. Usually, for combination wigs, the sides of the wig will be wefted and the top will be hand-tied, allowing for a very natural look without the cost of a fully hand-tied wig.

LACE FRONT – Human hair wigs with a lace-front look extremely natural. The nearly invisible, sheer lace front creates the illusion of a natural hairline and gives you a variety of styling options.

Once the hair has been attached to the cap, it is ready for final styling. For example, the wig may be cut to a shorter length or be straightened again.

How Do I Know I’m Buying a Legitimate Human Hair Wig?

Unfortunately, with so many fraudulent wig companies on the scene, wig wearers can be duped into believing they are buying a real human hair wig, when in fact the wig is synthetic or made with a small proportion of human hair fibres. Here are our tips to protect yourself when buying a human hair wig:

  • Buy from a reputable wig company: We have lots of tips on spotting a fraudulent wig company. For example, do they have reliable and accurate contact details on their site and is their site secure?
  • Compare prices: Human hair wigs are known for being more expensive than synthetic wigs, so if the price looks too good to be true, that should be a warning sign. If you are comparing the same wig from different suppliers, be cautious of a supplier who is selling the ‘same wig’ for an extreme discount.
  • Read reviews: Read reviews for the specific human hair wig you are interested in, and for the wig supplier you are buying from. Check reviews on the company’s site, social media, Google and independent review platforms.
  • Get in touch: Human hair wigs are an investment, so it’s understandable if you want to ask the supplier for more information. The Simply Wigs team are more than happy to discuss our real hair wigs with you, and can even help you decide on the right colour for your skin tone, best style for your face shape, and the best construction for your needs. Get in touch!

Find Your Perfect Human Hair Wig

Now that you know how human hair wigs are made, it’s time to find the perfect real hair wig for you! At Simply Wigs, we have human hair wigs available in a range of colours, lengths and styles to suit any preference. Our wigs are high quality and designed to look very natural, so you can step out in confidence and own your look! We carry real hair wigs from the biggest brands in wigs, including Ellen Wille, Gisela Mayer and Jon Renau.

If you’re interested in learning more about human hair wigs, check out our blog for more wig tips, including how to make a human hair soft again if it gets frizzy and human hair wig care tips.

Our beautiful customers look absolutely gorgeous in their human hair wigs. Take a look at some of our community rocking human hair wigs and see why our customers love their comfort and superior feel. Let the good times roll.

LOVE THEM?

Shop our full range of human hair wigs today.


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