Custom wigs become rare as readymades take over

People are buying synthetic wigs from China, leaving in the lurch those crafting personalised wigs from human hair

The art of making handmade natural hair wigs is slowly dying in Bengaluru, with salons and beauty services opting for readymade wigs.

Marishetty Kumar has been crafting wigs with natural human hair for 25 years. “Nowadays people want everything immediately, and handmade wigs take time. This is why, despite the lack of quality, people prefer readymade synthetic wigs,” he says. He runs Natural Wig Works in J C Nagar, Kurubarahalli.

Four years ago, Kumar used to get 20 to 25 orders every month, but now gets two or three. “I weave wigs only for cancer patients and I want to give them the best possible quality. My goal is not to get rich, and I started the business to help cancer patients to live with dignity. But, since the pandemic, even surviving on this business has become difficult,” he says.

Wigmaker Veena too faced the same problem and closed her business in 2020. “It was not at all possible to keep the business going, especially since we were a small business running out of a home in RR Nagar. Bigger companies with their imported readymade wigs have taken over,” she says.

It takes three to four days to make a handmade wig, says Vedhashree Venkatesh, co-owner of Natural Wigs Centre, Vijayanagar. “It is a lengthy process and there are quite a few steps involved, like washing, sterilising, stitching and getting the texture and feel right. There is also the waiting time between each step,” she explains.

The hair for the wigs is usually bought in from Tirupati, where devotees consider it auspicious to have their hair tonsured.

“We source the hair from the temple every six months. The hair is then cut to the needed length, then cleaned and polished to give the clients what they want,” she says. The price for a bundle of hair starts at Rs 18,000. It takes approximately three bundles to make one wig.

“Since the hair isn’t cheap, the profit margins are also low. A handmade wig can usually cost between Rs 6,000 and Rs 25,000,” says Kumar.

Many are moving away from the profession as the process can take a toll on health, he says: “If you’re not careful, it can cause eye problems as the process strains the eyes.”

The only way to survive in the market is to tie up with hospitals, adds Vedashree. “That is mostly how we’ve received a lot of our orders. Also, it is very important to network if you want to survive among the big corporate giants,” she says.

Natural hair vs synthetic hair

Synthetic hair is most commonly made from polymers and plastics. While it is less expensive than human hair, it is also less durable, say experts. “When customers, especially patients, wear wigs, they need to feel good about themselves. You don’t get a natural feeling from wigs made from synthetic hair,” says Kumar.