To anyone who has purchased a hair replacement system or have had a contract renewal you know that the prices have gone up considerably in the last 8 months. There is historical information to show that this is not a new phenomenon.
Originally almost all hair replacement systems were only available to the wealthy in or within access to major metropolitan areas such as New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. The reason being, that’s where the wig makers were. Prior to the industrialization of hair replacements they were made by independent wig makers across the country and around the world. In the 1960’s the wig market began to grow with the increase in demand for ready made wigs. Those products were primarily coming out of Japan.
When the Japanese economy really started to boom after the Olympics in Tokyo 1964 much of the low tech products coming out of Japan moved their production to Korea. Korea’s economy was still based on lower tech production of goods and it became the new base for hair replacement and hair goods production. Japan became known for hi quality High Tech products and automobiles. During the years that followed Korea became the Mecca of hair replacement production and the demand for men’s hair replacements started to grow. As materials and technique became upgraded so did the prices. In 1988 Seoul Korea hosted the Olympics and thus began the move from Korean production of hair replacements to China. During this time we also saw an increase in production in other countries such as the Philippines, Haiti and Mexico. The best quality of these 3 countries came out of the Philippines but due to strict government involvement with unions the Philippines could not match the pricing and soon the quality of the hair replacements coming out of China real hair extensions.
Originally almost all hair replacement systems were only available to the wealthy in or within access to major metropolitan areas such as New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. The reason being, that’s where the wig makers were. Prior to the industrialization of hair replacements they were made by independent wig makers across the country and around the world. In the 1960’s the wig market began to grow with the increase in demand for ready made wigs. Those products were primarily coming out of Japan.
When the Japanese economy really started to boom after the Olympics in Tokyo 1964 much of the low tech products coming out of Japan moved their production to Korea. Korea’s economy was still based on lower tech production of goods and it became the new base for hair replacement and hair goods production. Japan became known for hi quality High Tech products and automobiles. During the years that followed Korea became the Mecca of hair replacement production and the demand for men’s hair replacements started to grow. As materials and technique became upgraded so did the prices. In 1988 Seoul Korea hosted the Olympics and thus began the move from Korean production of hair replacements to China. During this time we also saw an increase in production in other countries such as the Philippines, Haiti and Mexico. The best quality of these 3 countries came out of the Philippines but due to strict government involvement with unions the Philippines could not match the pricing and soon the quality of the hair replacements coming out of China real hair extensions.
Well, here we are 2008 and the Olympics were just hosted in Beijing China. The Chinese government has been in a mad scramble over the past few years to get the country ready to host the games and with that there has been an increase in more High Tech product production and less emphasis on the Low Tech product production like hair replacements and again an increase in the demand for cheaper product and a decrease in availability. Once there becomes a supply and demand issue, prices increase. Wholesale companies can no longer get good quality at a low price and just like everything else the end consumer pays for these increases in the end. Now the question is; "Did the prices for hair replacements really go up that much?" The answer; "No not really." However, there is validity to the supply and demand issues causing a decrease in good quality human hair creating price increases in raw materials. In the end the consumer has been forced to the internet for their hair replacement needs where prices are still within reach for the average consumer and in this economy the consumer needs all the help they can get.
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