Commenting on the theft, the owner of My Trendy Place said, “Whoever did it knew exactly what they wanted. They didn’t even bother with the synthetic hair.” Around the country, beauty salons and beauty shop suppliers are experiencing a unique string of theft cases. In these cases human hair is the top prize. Despite the apparent abundance of supply, beauty shops are losing thousands of dollars in human hair.
A theft at a salon in Houston cost the business $150,000 in hair this month; in Missouri City, Texas a business lost $85,000; $10,000 in hair at a San Diego business; and $60,000 from a business in San Leandro, California. My Trendy Place in Houston lost $150,000 in human hair. Why is human hair so sought after? Like anything else recent demand, quality and scarcity has driven the price of human hair upward.
Weaves and extensions are no longer a specialized market and have become commonplace partly because of celebrity use. As a result, quality human hair is in demand at a greater amount than ever before. Prices have increased because the quality and scarcity of the most popular hair has risen. The most expensive type of human hair is called remy hair, and it is the most sought after. Unlike most forms of hair, remy hair is sold with the outermost cuticle layer intact. The result is that the hair looks more natural and lasts longer. Remy hair from women in India is the most popular.
Remy hair extensions costs around $200 per package and it usually takes two packages to serve a client. The theft of human hair is so new that many law enforcement agencies and police departments did not know it was an issue until recently. The experience of a Chicago hair supply store demonstrates how quickly things have changed.
Two years ago Beauty One hair supply store was robbed and thieves stole the money from the cash register. In April, Beauty One was visited again but the register was not disturbed and $90,000 of hair was taken.
Source: The New York Times, “Costly hairstyle is a beauty trend that draws thieves’ notice,” Timothy Williams, 5/16/11
