Long ...but interesting "100% Indian Hair "

[Lovelylocs]

the big deal it that these women are being exploited and paid next to nothing by billion dollar corporation who in turn sell the hair to black women who are buying it trying to have hair so they can fit in to white culture. I know this is something we don't want to face, I understand the need for weave, I wore it once. it's very powerful to be able to have the hair God didn't give you in birth. However, it's not all ok just because they can regrow their hair. The point of her post was that women of color are being exploited for profit and lies are being told to cover it up. It's not true that Indian women sacrifice their hair at their weddings. This is not a harmless practice where Indian women are willingly supplying their hair to feel a need. I'm just saying some, if not most of us are walking around with the hair of women who were in miserable situations when the had their hair cut. And yes, i see the other side because I live the other side. I have scarring alopecia on my scalp and while I have had some success at regrowing my hair, the fact is that one day, I may have to go back to the weave and the wigs. I already know that I will do this if I have to but I don't feel good about it. It kinda makes my heart heavy knowing some woman had to give up a source of her power so I can obtain some power for myself (cause hair is power for women, let's be real) And if I wear someone else's hair on my head, I am going to know where and how it got to me. So I'm not going to sit here and pretend like "we need to just stop wearing weave" no I understand the reality of WHY we wear it but we should know the reality of why and how they obtain it. But I do see your side of it too. In the end, there are millions of women on this planet who are desperate and poor and don't have hair that can be used as a source of money. But poor and desperate is still poor and desperate, no matter what hair you have on your head.

It's not that I just don't want to face it. Why would I care if I decided that it was wrong to wear false hair? I have my own hair. But after some of my own research, I did find what was really going on and a good reason for people to speak out against using Indian hair. According to this article, a girl was held down while some guy cut her hair off! That's ridiculous and hair IMO is not that serious and I'M A HAIR FANATIC. Here's the article:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/india/story/0,,1805462,00.html

Honestly, I'm glad that I have more info on the subject now. However, I think that it would've been more helpful if some of you guys just filled in the missing links that the article did not state. Instead of assuming that I am some big fake hair wearer who "can't handle the truth", why couldn't you just explain in better detail what the article did not. I didn't have the background info about false hair practices that u guys have.

 

[cutebajangirl]

I find it really odd that she doesnt know that Indian women cut their hair off at the point of marriage. I have had many indian friends tell me this is common practice, maybe her familial line has been in the states for many generations. I also dont understand why the indian hair trade is news. We (black women) started using indian hair around 2001-2002, it had already been used for decades in hollywood for pieces, wigs etc. since it was cheaper than european hair and a better match for caucasians than chinese hair. Although I think the market exploded in the past five years as anything does when it becomes commercially accessible, why does everything become bad when we use it?

BTW- The amino acid lysine that many here take is also made from indian hair.

 

[chavascandy]

I knew this thread was going to get interesting!

You just don't blast Black Women and Weaves.

We are not the only ones who wear this stuff in our heads!

 

[aloof one]

Wow... those womens' dignity is taken away just because others view what is coming out of their head as a commodity. Hair doesn't grow back fast enough to take away that kind of humiliation. Its not like they would want to go out and get a weave after being shaven--- now that they know where the dang things come from

Like sheep or something, getting sheared. And the husbands allowing it?

 

[Lovelylocs]

Uhhh... don't take my post as a personal attack. I never questioned your hair if it was real. I never questioned the length either. In fact, my response wasn't even directed at you.

Second of all- I only used tans as a comparison. Clearly Black women aren't trying to look Indian, and white women aren't trying to be black. BUT a lot of white folks ALWAYS have something to say about us being dark, then they turn around and tan to be darker. I never said they wanted to be black. But I am saying they value darker skin now, something we have, just like Indians have long straight hair, something black women here obviously value. Tan is "in" and pale is "out". And I am NOT encouraging people not to get weave (even though I feel like it really says something negative about us that more than half of black women are sporting fake hair and more than 2/3 of us have relaxers... I really do feel that it is a sick sad world when being natural has become the minority and artificial is the new real, but once again we'll save that for another thread). But I am expressing how sad it is that a lot of folks who wear extensions don't know where they came from or how they got there, especially if they are coming off of real people.

And I never said I liked false eyelashes either, so I still think its just as bad.

I think white people value their tans, but once they start getting too dark they stop.

My reference to false eyelashes is to show that false hair is not about trying to resemble another race for some people. Rather it's about enhancing what u already have.

I can agree w/u on the whole artificial is the new real thing. That's why I get sick of looking at Beyonce.

My whole pt about my hair being real or not was raised b/c why else would it hurt me that false hair is not a good thing to buy?

I don't take it personally, al00fone. Maybe my " " smiley came off a little harsh.

 

[chavascandy]

I'm am sure that all Indian Hair does not come from young Indian girls being held hostage.

If that is the case then all Indian children viewed by the public eye would be bald, and that would be a tell-tell sign that 100% Indian Hair would have been collected in an Inhamane fashion.

 

[Lovelylocs]

I knew this thread was going to get interesting!

You just don't blast Black Women and Weaves.

We are not the only ones who wear this stuff in our heads!

No we are not. This is why I have another problem with what she posted. I doubt that the author even is aware of the whole head shaving thing or else she probably would have added it to her little vent to make a more powerful plea. There are plenty of other kinds of women who where hair extensions, including Indian actresses. Why doesn't she boycott bollywood movies where the actresses use extensions? What about white women who wear hair extensions?

I'm not saying that this makes it okay to use hair extensions that were obtained in such a crazy manner, but what is really this woman's motive?

 

[aloof one]

lol Lovelylocs--- I hate that smiley, no wonder it had me confused

 

[Lovelylocs]

I'm am sure that all Indian Hair does not come from young Indian girls being held hostage.

If that is the case then all Indian children viewed by the public eye would be bald, and that would be a tell-tell sign that 100% Indian Hair would have been collected in an Inhamane fashion.

Not all Indian children give their hair away. There are a lot of people in India.

But you are right, not ALL Indian hair comes from young Indian girls being held hostage. So, maybe there is a list of safe companies somewhere on the net. :scratchch

Too bad the author, didn't care so much about her topic to add a list of reputable companies or even the bad ones to her vent.

 

[aloof one]

Can the OP please tell us where she found this article?

Cause if this was a blog or something that the girl just wanted to get off her chest, I think yall need to give her some slack.

But if this was an actual editorial or news article then I would be confused as to why she didn't provide more information.

 

[chavascandy]

I think what ruined it for this author was when she said This:

"I am reminded of a former African-American co-worker of mine every time I think of hair weaves."

And This....
"I was seriously grossed out by this thought. I likened it to using old nail clippings and glueing it onto someone else's nail."

And Lord This Too...
"I'm also totally aware that I have cream of the crop hair that is the envy of all,......"

She said these phraes as if, African-American women are nasty & ignorant for wearing weave.

And because she is of an Asian-Indian culture, she would never be lowered to the standard of wearing weave because, her hair is to perfect & gorgeous to stoop to that level.

 

[Lovelylocs]

Can the OP please tell us where she found this article?

Cause if this was a blog or something that the girl just wanted to get off her chest, I think yall need to give her some slack.

But if this was an actual editorial or news article then I would be confused as to why she didn't provide more information.

Good question! I'm not the OP. However, I did some of my own research and Tanzila Ahmed is an activist and a writer who lives in Los Angeles.

http://imaginingourselves.imow.org/pb/Profile.aspx?id=3839&lang=1&storyid=943

Now can we get mad at her?

 

[Lovelylocs]

I would also like to add that she is in grad school at UCLA. She has a bachelor's degree from USC. She should know better.

 

[chavascandy]

Well, that Activist author sounds a bit racist if you ask me.

She could have gotten her point across without pointing out Women of Color( African-America women) like that.

That was totally un-called for.

And She also need to be made aware that, All long hair on Black Women or Women of Color, is not a Weave! And LHCF is direct proof of that.

But let her be the judge of our LHCF and she would probably call all of us phonies. Then she would suggest that all of us are sporting weaves.

 

[MrsQueeny]

Right. And if the truth be told, Indian hair is in demand because its cheap. European hair is the most expensive, most prized hair because its rare and works better for the caucasian market (read: hollywood.)

I understand the concerns about wearing someone elses hair, but to each her own. It is like the PETA thing. Some folks cant understand why others choose to wear leather or chinchilla and others are grossed out by how many choose to eat dead animal carcasses.

Anyhow, off to fix me a rotisserie chicken sandwich, then apply my chinese remi lace wig

Girl you just made me choke!!! Q

 

[Lovelylocs]

And while we are digging up dirt on this author... How come she is trying to convince herself that it is okay to buy stuff that may or may not have been made in a sweatshop? When she finds out that one of her dad's relatives owns a prosperous Bangladeshi clothing factory that exports to Walmart, she becomes confused. Should she support Bangladeshi companies? ...
http://www.wiretapmag.org/stories/30764/

 

[Lovelylocs]

Well, that Activist author sounds a bit racist if you ask me.

She could have gotten her point across without pointing out Women of Color( African-America women) like that.

That was totally un-called for.

And She also need to be made aware that, All long hair on Black Women or Women of Color, is not a Weave! And LHCF is direct proof of that.

But let her be the judge of our LHCF and she would probably call all of us phonies. Then she would suggest that all of us are sporting weaves.

I agree. When you take into account some of the other articles she has written, she comes across as an opportunist and somewhat racist. Not to mention hypocritical... How are you going to ask us non-South Asian women of color to not support smthg that may or may not exploit some South Asian women, when u are considering something that exploits South Asians? I dont know either.

 

[aloof one]

Read this first
http://www.popandpolitics.com/

I could kick her booty in a debate... but I respect that she has an opinion and an @sshole like everyone else.

So yea, its OK to get mad if u wanna lol

Good question! I'm not the OP. However, I did some of my own research and Tanzila Ahmed is an activist and a writer who lives in Los Angeles.

http://imaginingourselves.imow.org/pb/Profile.aspx?id=3839&lang=1&storyid=943

Now can we get mad at her?

 

[aloof one]

I think shes just a young girl (ok maybe somebody in her 20s or 30s by now) developing opinions about the world around her.. Confused... but she is asking questions. A lot of people our age don't even go that far. I am surrounded by a bunch of fools at A&M and I have to admit that even on a college campus it is rare to meet someone who questions what goes on in this society, etc. Now she does remind me of some black people who are very afrocentric and don't even know enough about anyone else whos not black but want to constantly judge them... she doesn't know enough about us or hispanics to be saying what she did, however I respect that she wants to ask questions about where this hair is coming from. She obviously is very proud of being SW Asian, but I wouldnt go as far as to say she is racist. Probably hates white folks just as much as the next brown person, and keep in mind when she said women of color she didn't mean just black women, but rather black, asian, hispanic, indigenous, ANYONE not white.

 

[Lovelylocs]

Oooh ladies. Someone responded to her little vent. Here it is:

Indian Hair

First let me I like your spirit. You saw, what you thought was, an odd advertisement directly or indirectly related to you. You conducted an investigation (although minimal), had open dialog with a direct consumer and posted a blog. You appear willing to listen and also willing to share. For these things I applaud you. However, (as I am certain you knew was coming) you did not gain a complete understanding of how merchandising works. Nor did you gain an accurate story of why the 100% Human Indian hair is so coveted.
So in brief here are the facts: In the early 80s free flowing human was being marketed toward the African American community. It was limited in shades and quantity and it was expensive. The market was receptive. A niche was created and everyone wanted in. This first wave of "human hair" was from China. Once suppliers realized the demand, they tried to fill it with cheaper hair. Consumers embraced the variety and the market grew. However, the quality of hair got worse. There was no way to tell hair if the hair would last two weeks or ten. The consumers started researching and found that the hair labeled "human hair" was not always the truth. So they started only buying hair that said "100% Human Hair" as a way to eliminate hair disasters. This system started failing as well.
100% Human Hair from India is the latest craze!!! Supposedly, hair from India is not filled with the synthetic fibers (being passed off as human hair) and therefore is a better buy. This too shall pass. I am certain the quality of the 100% Human Hair from Indian will be diluted as well and the newest craze will be some remote island in the pacific.
I am sorry to inform you that it's not the wonderful hair from poor Indian women being exploited here in America. It is the naivety of the supplier that we were counting on. If you collected all the hair you had in your pillows, drains, and all other receptacles of your family members there would still not be a market. We would be afraid of germs -we believe in the process LOL. So if I were you I would set up a business plan and start importing from India before the bubble burst (smile).
Again, I applaud your personality. If you are really looking for a cause try bringing awareness to the mutilation of mind workers in Sierra Leone (Africa). They lose lives and the least sever lose arms, legs and feet,unlilke nonliving hair, for the chance to work in diamond mines. These people's only hopes are of finding a diamond that they will be paid 100th of a percent for (retail in America). Now doesn't the hair cutting scenario seem a little lame comparatively? Here is a link for further information: www.amnestyusa.org/amnestynow/diamonds.htm
Let's work on it together. I am Ardelia Austin and I can also help you real estate transactions in Atlanta, Georgia. I am an Associate Broker with Maxx Homes Realty and I am this detailed with everything!

PS I will be the one with 100% Human Hair (direct from India)-LOL.

Live your dreams,

Ardelia Austin ([email protected])

 

[Lovelylocs]

I think shes just a young girl (ok maybe somebody in her 20s or 30s by now) developing opinions about the world around her.. Confused... but she is asking questions. A lot of people our age don't even go that far. I am surrounded by a bunch of fools at A&M and I have to admit that even on a college campus it is rare to meet someone who questions what goes on in this society, etc. Now she does remind me of some black people who are very afrocentric and don't even know enough about anyone else whos not black but want to constantly judge them... she doesn't know enough about us or hispanics to be saying what she did, however I respect that she wants to ask questions about where this hair is coming from. She obviously is very proud of being SW Asian, but I wouldnt go as far as to say she is racist. Probably hates white folks just as much as the next brown person, and keep in mind when she said women of color she didn't mean just black women, but rather black, asian, hispanic, indigenous, ANYONE not white.

True. She probably is.

 

[Lovelylocs]

Then someone responded with this:

Are you seriously responding to this post as a way of justifying wearing a weave? This not only degrades one race of people, but two. If you haven't noticed, the Chinese have taken over the entire hair industry. There are NO, NONE, NADA African American retailers in the hair care industry in the US. We owned the hair industry at one time, but the Chinese saw a profit, joined forces and locked out the African American business owner. The (Chinese) raised the prices of buying in bulk from them, knowing that the small one man shop could not go up against a corporation of people. If there are African American beauty supply stores, they are barely making ends meet. Why? Because the Chinese have locked out the African American from being a part of the hair care industry and people like you who would actually patronize them and buy 100% human Indian hair; not only have you shown your lack of knowledge for an industry that have displaced many Black retailers, but you have shown what part of the fence you sit on. Thanks Shaqwanna for your response.

You stated that:
"If you are really looking for a cause try bringing awareness to the mutilation of mind workers in Sierra Leone (Africa). They lose lives and the least sever lose arms, legs and feet,unlilke nonliving hair, for the chance to work in diamond mines".

And while your at it, log onto the internet or maybe, stop pass your local library and read up on how hard your ancestors worked to have their own so that you can patronize them and not the man with the "fake hair"!

"Not Wearing a Weave"

 

[Lovelylocs]

^^ I wish this person didn't respond to her on the blog. Divide and conquer. Bingo! The responder should've sent her an email to let her know how s/he felt IMO.

 

[Ivonnovi]

Awlrighty then....
I'm african american. Have worn "human hair".

AND I ADMIT I have had the same concerns/disgust that the original poster said.

I ALSO admit that now I see this as a styling option, BUT I'm still distrurbed by the trend for the following reasons.

1. My sista' we don't really know where "all" this hair is coming from. It seems to me there should be a country full of bald women somewhere.
2. Why do the "asians" seem to have the market on this. Again we are 90% consumers of other folks products.
3. WHY is it so hard to fine Natural hair stylist, magazine pictures, magazines and what not?
4. Our hair has always been an issue for us and for others, why do we not spend more to appreciate our own hair and its glory?
5. Most AAs that get makeovers on TV wind up with weaves (ANTM & Tyra).
6. I have a friend with a young daughter, the 7 year old said she "can't wait till she get some hair for picture day" When she said that my heart hit the floor......no pride @ 7? She's f'n "7" and already she has no pride or clue about what to do with her own hair. I wonder what the non-AAs in her class are going to do with "their" hair on picture day!!!!

I'm done. Sorry

 

[Moroni]

Uhhh... don't take my post as a personal attack. I never questioned your hair if it was real. I never questioned the length either. In fact, my response wasn't even directed at you.

Second of all- I only used tans as a comparison. Clearly Black women aren't trying to look Indian, and white women aren't trying to be black. BUT a lot of white folks ALWAYS have something to say about us being dark, then they turn around and tan to be darker. I never said they wanted to be black. But I am saying they value darker skin now, something we have, just like Indians have long straight hair, something black women here obviously value. Tan is "in" and pale is "out". And I am NOT encouraging people not to get weave (even though I feel like it really says something negative about us that more than half of black women are sporting fake hair and more than 2/3 of us have relaxers... I really do feel that it is a sick sad world when being natural has become the minority and artificial is the new real, but once again we'll save that for another thread). But I am expressing how sad it is that a lot of folks who wear extensions don't know where they came from or how they got there, especially if they are coming off of real people.

And I never said I liked false eyelashes either, so I still think its just as bad.

Seems a little extreme to me. If we didn't take advantage of the artificial, we'd go to bed with the chickens when it gets dark. Man has been using the artificial since fire was discovered. For whatever reason one chooses to relax her hair or wear a weave or tan her skin, how can that be considered to be "sick and sad" except to someone who has determined that her choice for herself is the right one for everyone else? What's sick and sad is when we lose tolerance of other people's choices, which are none of our business as long as it doesn't directly affect us.

 

[Lovelylocs]

[*]I have a friend with a young daughter, the 7 year old "can't wait till she get some hair for picture day" When she said that my heart hit the floor......no pride @ 7? She's f'm "7" and already she has no pride or clue about what to do with her own hair. I wonder what the non-AAs in her class are going to do with "their" hair on picture day!!!![/LIST]

This is pathetic.

 

[lisana]

It's not that I just don't want to face it. Why would I care if I decided that it was wrong to wear false hair? I have my own hair. But after some of my own research, I did find what was really going on and a good reason for people to speak out against using Indian hair. According to this article, a girl was held down while some guy cut her hair off! That's ridiculous and hair IMO is not that serious and I'M A HAIR FANATIC. Here's the article:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/india/story/0,,1805462,00.html

Honestly, I'm glad that I have more info on the subject now. However, I think that it would've been more helpful if some of you guys just filled in the missing links that the article did not state. Instead of assuming that I am some big fake hair wearer who "can't handle the truth", why couldn't you just explain in better detail what the article did not. I didn't have the background info about false hair practices that u guys have.

I wasn't attacking you, so please don't think that I was. I don't have any interest in attacking you are your hair. I talking about the big picture and I appreciate your input in this thread And I am glad that this threads exist because it empowers us by giving us the truth that other try to hide (like the fact that the notion of cutting hair for a sacrifice during Indian weddings is a LIE).

 

[lisana]

Oooh ladies. Someone responded to her little vent. Here it is:

Indian Hair

First let me I like your spirit. You saw, what you thought was, an odd advertisement directly or indirectly related to you. You conducted an investigation (although minimal), had open dialog with a direct consumer and posted a blog. You appear willing to listen and also willing to share. For these things I applaud you. However, (as I am certain you knew was coming) you did not gain a complete understanding of how merchandising works. Nor did you gain an accurate story of why the 100% Human Indian hair is so coveted.
So in brief here are the facts: In the early 80s free flowing human was being marketed toward the African American community. It was limited in shades and quantity and it was expensive. The market was receptive. A niche was created and everyone wanted in. This first wave of "human hair" was from China. Once suppliers realized the demand, they tried to fill it with cheaper hair. Consumers embraced the variety and the market grew. However, the quality of hair got worse. There was no way to tell hair if the hair would last two weeks or ten. The consumers started researching and found that the hair labeled "human hair" was not always the truth. So they started only buying hair that said "100% Human Hair" as a way to eliminate hair disasters. This system started failing as well.
100% Human Hair from India is the latest craze!!! Supposedly, hair from India is not filled with the synthetic fibers (being passed off as human hair) and therefore is a better buy. This too shall pass. I am certain the quality of the 100% Human Hair from Indian will be diluted as well and the newest craze will be some remote island in the pacific.
I am sorry to inform you that it's not the wonderful hair from poor Indian women being exploited here in America. It is the naivety of the supplier that we were counting on. If you collected all the hair you had in your pillows, drains, and all other receptacles of your family members there would still not be a market. We would be afraid of germs -we believe in the process LOL. So if I were you I would set up a business plan and start importing from India before the bubble burst (smile).
Again, I applaud your personality. If you are really looking for a cause try bringing awareness to the mutilation of mind workers in Sierra Leone (Africa). They lose lives and the least sever lose arms, legs and feet,unlilke nonliving hair, for the chance to work in diamond mines. These people's only hopes are of finding a diamond that they will be paid 100th of a percent for (retail in America). Now doesn't the hair cutting scenario seem a little lame comparatively? Here is a link for further information: www.amnestyusa.org/amnestynow/diamonds.htm
Let's work on it together. I am Ardelia Austin and I can also help you real estate transactions in Atlanta, Georgia. I am an Associate Broker with Maxx Homes Realty and I am this detailed with everything!

PS I will be the one with 100% Human Hair (direct from India)-LOL.

Live your dreams,

Ardelia Austin ([email protected])

can't attention be brought to more than one tragedy at a time. I hate when folks say "forget about this cause you need to be concerned about that, instead" Can't attention be brought to Africans digging for diamonds and Indians cutting off their hair? can't exploitation be exposed whenever or wherever.

 

[lisana]

Well, all do respect to the author but.....

If the hair ended up in the Beauty Supply store obviously or On Sale somewhere it may have been obvious that the man or woman no longer needed or wanted the hair.

Secondly, I don't care if the hair was real or fake I am going to continue to wear weaves!

Third, I'm sure that if the Human Hair was collected in an Inhumane or Illegal way (ex.,Killing some one or Scalping some one) I'm sure the televison show 60 Seconds would have done a special report on it by now.

Fourth, Humans have been cutting and selling their hair for decades.

Last but not Least, What does the author have to say about those women who cut their hair for an chairable contribution-----Ex., Locks of Love, an oraganization for women & children who have lost their hair due to Cancer.

I think the author should have seriouly researched and considered her topic of choice! If there was a such thing as Hair Court--the judge would rule this case as-----Dismissed!

you joking right?

 

[aloof one]

Seems a little extreme to me. If we didn't take advantage of the artificial, we'd go to bed with the chickens when it gets dark. Man has been using the artificial since fire was discovered. For whatever reason one chooses to relax her hair or wear a weave or tan her skin, how can that be considered to be "sick and sad" except to someone who has determined that her choice for herself is the right one for everyone else? What's sick and sad is when we lose tolerance of other people's choices, which are none of our business as long as it doesn't directly affect us.

There is nothing extreme about the truth.

ETA::::if you cant say anything nice:::

And I never said I did not tolerate anyone's choice. I don't care if you personally get relaxers or you personally wear weaves--- but don't act like there isn't a reason why 3/4 of the women in this country get relaxers (and its been this way since the stuff was invented) and why many of them (and please don't act like this doesn't happen, you can find threads posted on it in this very forum) look down on natural hair as if they did something out of the norm by not relaxing. As if it is an obligation. Natural hair without weave on black women is the minority in the USA, and only a tiny percentage in the media. Why do you think we have black women in the business world getting pressure to relax-- getting told our natural hair is outlandish and unprofessional and abnormal? Even white people think its manditory for us to get perms and wear weave. Why do you think so many fools want to touch our hair or ask if its real and all that bull?

Why do I think its sick and sad? The majority of white women and girls don't get relaxers and wear weave. Yes a lot of them go blonde, but they don't do it to their children like we do relaxers (and unfortunately there are women putting weave on their kids now too) The majority of Asians and Hispanics don't either. Surprisingly enough... they as a whole don't have kinky hair like we do that grows out and not down. Hmm... I think it is sad, regardless of whether you agree/disagree.