San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1894-07-21
SWITCHES AND FALSE FRONTS.
How Human Hair Is Prepared In Paris
for Export and Home Use.

How Human Hair Is Prepared In Paris
for Export and Home Use.
From an industrial and artistic point
of view, says the Annales lndustrielles,
Paris is the center of the fine manu-
facture of prepared human hair. OF
course, the reference here is to woman's
hair, for mans hair is worthless for
any industrial purpose. Aside from
the houses that manufacture exclusive
ly for the export trade, the city num-
bers about two thousand hairdresSers
and five thousand workmen, about half
of whom are engaged in the manufac-
ture properly so called. The source of
supply of the hair may be divided into
three categories The hair of the first
category is furnished by foreign coun-
tries. India and China being the
largest suppliers. This hair is eXslu-
sively black and gray, and comes in
boxes, carefully packed. In addition
to these countries, Italy, Spain, Ger
many and Russia supply small quanti-
ties. The hair from India and China
undergoes quite a lengthy preparation.
Ii is first matched, sorted and cOmbed,
and then immersed in solution of
soft soap and carbonate of soda, in
order to scour it. Upon coming from
this bath it is united root end to root
end and formed into locks that are tied
near the roots. 1t yet remains to
render the hair thin and flexible. To
this effect it is first placed in earthen
pans filed with chlOrureted water and
water mixed with hydroehloric acid,
which renders it thin and decOlorizes
1t. Then it is immersed in a solution
of soft soap and chlorate of potash, il
order to render it less brittle. Final
ly, definite color and shade are given
1t.
A light or blonde shade is obtained
with oxygenated water or a saturated
solution of carbonate of potash. To
dye it black it is boiled for few hours
in bath prepared with deeoction of
nutgalls or Campeachy wood, in which
sulphate of iron is dissolved and into
which little sumac is put, in order TO
give it a luster and remove the blush
tint peculiar to the hair of the dead.
Finally, it is bleached by immersing it
in several baths of oxygenated water
to which a few drops of ammonia have
been added. Thus prepared, the
Chinese or Hindoo hair is sold to the
hair dressers, who work it to their
fancy, and afterward sell it at more or
less moderate prices The finest hair,
quilts thersSe md category, is that of
beAce, and !prises a variety Of
shades exceeding Ill iqndred. The most
beautiful is furN ed by LimOusin,
Brittany, Normandy and 8eauce. Some
lots are derived from young ladies'
boarding schools and from converts.
All this is collected by travelling men
called cutters, who make their circuit
toward spring, and visit the villages to
gather their crop. In some localities
of Brittany and Auvergne. on certain
market days, the damSels who desire to
sell their head of hair get up on a caslt,
undo their hair and allow it to fall
over their shoulders. An auction soon
begins. and every lot. as soon as cut, is
delivered to the highest bidder for spot
cash. This product does not pass into
the bath, but is simply cOmbed and
then secured with buckwheat -four.
Finally, the third category comprises
hair (which. it must be confessed, is
classed among the most esteemcd) de
rived from the sorting of comblngs col
1ected by rag-pickers, who stuff it into
bags just as they find it, soilcd 10y dust,
felted by water. and adhcring to the
sweepings of houses and sell it to
small manufacturers, who undertake
to utilize it.