There is only one company in the world dispensing a hechsher on human hair for the use in wigs. Several years ago, this company located in Israel, ascertained that it is extremely difficult to source authentic European and Russian hair because of an incredibly small supply of raw hair indigenous to the region. Therefore, this hechsher company began sourcing its hair from Brazil and neighboring South American countries under the notion that the copious supply of hair found there was authentic South American hair unmixed with Indian hair.
Approximately 10 years ago, a prominent Jewish Brazilian businessman initiated a venture in the wholesale human hair trade with the intent of supplying the Jewish market with “kosher certified” 100% non-Indian hair. This businessman quickly determined through market insiders and hands on research that Brazil was completely saturated with Indian hair. It was close to impossible to secure large amounts of hair verifiably free of Indian hair. Rabbi Serial Rosenberg, Raave’’d of Bet-Din of Bnei Brak, worked closely with this businessman to determine a viable way to obtain totally authentic South American hair and provide a reliable hechsher. Rabbi Rosenberg determined that it was impossible to prove the origin of the hair therefore making it impossible to dispense a hechsher.
At another opportunity, the businessman asked R’ Landau of Bnei Brak to supply a hechsher. Rabbi Landau, who was in Argentina at the time for other kashrut transactions, traveled to Brazil to inspect the human hair market. After laborious and intense research, Rabbi Landau adamantly refused to give a hechsher on the grounds of the market being flooded with Indian hair in a most unscrupulous fashion. He would take no part in overseeing a kosher certification in such a corrupt market. It was impossible to certify any hair “kosher” in South America. Much of South American hair is sourced from Paraguay, a country bordering Brazil.
Here is a first-hand email correspondence with an Indian supplier, R2R Export, on Aug 3, 2017:
Question: Hi, I am in the hair industry. Please advise the following: I want to buy Indian temple hair from you, however, I want you to label it NOT as Indian hair. I'll need you to label some as "100% Mongolian hair", some as "100% Ukrainian hair", some as "100% Brazilian Hair", and some as "100% Chinese Hair". Please let me know if you can do that labeling for me.
Mk balaji: Greetings, Yes I can mention it as you say. We have no issue. We sell a lot to USA and UK
Question: Thank you. I'm worried about the hair texture. Does your hair resemble European/US hair in texture and feel? Is it smooth and silky and thin? Will people think it's Indian hair, or will they believe me when I tell them it's European hair?
Mk balaji: To be transparent with you people doesn't know the difference. You can mention like you need to
Question: I wanted to buy hair from Mongolia because they offer me a very good price. Can you tell me if that is a good idea? Is Mongolian hair good? Is it really coming from Mongolia, or is it really temple hair that they are labeling "Mongolian hair"?
Mk balaji: All product are from India they are labelling as their wish and client request
Question: I am being offered hair from all over - Ukraine, Brazilian, Mongolia. You are saying that all these hair is really temple hair? How much percentage of all human hair being sold in the hair market in the world is really temple hair?
Mk balaji: Almost all products are from India
Here is a first-hand email correspondence with another Indian supplier, D2IMPEX, on Aug 4, 2017:
Question: I want to buy your hair but I’d like to label it as "Mongolian Hair", and as "European Hair." Can you do that?
Answer: I’ll give you empty white label sticker you can write and fix it
Question: Do you sell your hair to European countries?
Answer: We sell more hairs to Europe every month
Question: On an average, how many kg do you sell to Europe every month? Do they sell it as Indian temple hair, or do they label it as "100% European Hair"?
Answer: We sell Indian temple hair only but still we can’t mention Indian hair, we mention size texture and weight only. every month we sell Europe minimum 5 kg above
Question: I am being offered "Mongolian hair" at a good price. Do you know if Mongolian hair is good? Is there really such a thing as "Mongolian Hair", or is it really temple hair that has been re-branded as "Mongolian Hair"?
Answer: Our products looks good our import retailers selling most of our products in Usa Brazilian hair, Cambodian hair mongolian hair or some else
Question: Can you tell me - all human hair that's sold in the world in all countries, how much percentage is really coming from temple hair and just being sold as "Brazilian", "Chinese", etc?
Answer: Almost 100 percent hair going all over world from India. China sells a lot of hair too but they are buying the hair from the Indian temples.
Question: How do you know that for sure?
Answer: We saw more Chinese buys in Chennai
Question: How do you know that all hair comes from India? And not from China or Europe?
Answer: Most of the hairs supplier in India and then china supplying the Indian hair to uk usa europe Africa. more than 1 lakh (100,000) people sacrifice in south indian temple per day
Here is a first-hand email correspondence with another Indian supplier, Shanmuga, on Aug 4, 2017:
Question: Is Indian temple hair sold as European and South American hair? Are the labels accurate in this industry? If I purchase a wig that has a label that says it's from Europe or China, does that mean that there is no Indian hair in those wigs? Does the largest percentage of the world’s better quality wig hair come from India (temple hair)?
Answer: Hair you buy from South America is 100% Indian temple hair. China products raw hair source is again Indian hair.
Here is a first-hand email correspondence with another Indian supplier, OSA Hair Extensions, on Aug 4, 2017:
Question: I am being offered Mongolian hair for very cheap. I am being offered Ukrainian hair. I am being offered South American hair. I am being offered Chinese Hair. Is it true that most of that hair is actually temple hair? And if so, can you tell me on average, how much percentage of all human hair being sold in the hair industry is actually temple hair and just being sold as "Brazilian, Mongolian, Ukrainian"? Why would companies label the Indian hair as other country hair?
Answer: 90% of hair is sourced only from INDIA. Only in India most of the ladies tonsure their head in temples and it is the main source of raw material. But due to the great demand and many ask for different types they condition it and sell it in whatever name the client asks for. Indian hair is the most versatile and best hair.
Below is a first-hand email with another Indian supplier, Temple Hair Wear, on Aug 3, 2017:
The hair industry is very difficult to navigate these days with so many names given to the same hair. Manufacturers name the hair whatever they want to sell it, unfortunately, the hair market is driven by money not necessarily pleasing the consumer or being genuine. The hair and synthetic blended hair can be chemically altered to mimic or create many textures and curl patterns. Sacrificing hair is a part of Indian culture and India is one of the most populated continents on the planet so there is an abundance of hair. People from other countries go to India to buy hair and then they do whatever they want to it.
Dear Madam,
Received your mail with thanks. As discussed in the morning, All hairs are sourced from Indian temples, Which are donated to God for religious purpose. Exporters buy from temples and distribute all over the Country. There is no such Brazilian, Russian, Peruvian or Mangolian hair. They treat the Indian hair with chemicals and they label it has different Countries hair. Please view our Price List through attachment. Also, for more information, please visit our website wwwindianhumanhair.com
Thanking you, I remain with best regards.
S. Lalitha
