Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1910-02-24
Collecting Human Hair.


sui to Prague, has furnished the following
information concerning the traffic in and
manipulation of human hair as carried on
in the north OF Austria. This subject will
be of especial interest to ladies and 9TH
ers at the present time, in view OF the
fact that almost every woman in the land
now uses more or less "store hal" in or
der to keep up with the fashions.
In Bohemia, Moravia and SileSia the
marketing of human hair and the making
of human hair nets is an important buSi-
ness. The chief centers for the industry
are found in the Southeastern part OF Bo-
hemia in the towns of Throw amenitz,
Chotebar, Chrast and Raubowitz. The
business is both factory and a home in
dustry, one class of human hair coming
from China and the other class being
home product.
Large quantities OF what are known as
combings are imported from China via
Trieste or Hamburg. packed in cases
wrapped in straw and weighing about
l35 pounds per bale. This Chinese hair
is all chemically bIeached in solution of
hydrogen peroxide and assorted accord
ing to lengths, then dyed colors andshades
desired by purchasers. The lengths vary
from 6 TO SO inches.
The work of asserting and classifying
the hair according to various lengths is
done by girls and women, beginners be-
ing paid from II to IA cents and expert
workers from 40 to 60 cents per day
The dyeing and bleaching is done by
men, who receive usually Sl4 to SIS per
month.
The human-hair nets are made from
Chinese hair, as the native hair is too fine
and soft. This business is largely home
industry, the work being done by women
and girls. An experienced worker earns
from "a TO % cents day, but each net
maker is obliged TO have an assistant to
tie together the single hairs in order to
save the time of the net maker.
Each week the net makers are given
quantity of hair, which they take TO their
homes, and when the nets are finished
and delivered by the workers they are al
lowed 20 per cent for the waste of mater
ial.
The human-hair nets are exported to
the United States, England, France and
Germany, very few being worn in Aus
tria. The value of the human hair and
nets exported to the United States in 1908
was $244, 922.
All the hair cut for export is taken from
the heads OF peasants in Bohemia, Mora
via and Silesia. The first quality comes
from Moravia and Bohemia and the less
valuable from SileSia, considerable
quantity of inferior hair is also cut in Hun
gary.
The quality OF human hair depends up
on the prosperity OF the people and the
care taken of il before cutting. The hair
is collected by peddlers, or hair mer-
chants, who must be of good reputation
in order TO obtain his license. These
men, usually accompanied by their wives,
make trips through the country lasting
four or five weeks, going from house 10
house in their efforts TO induce women
and girls to part with portion of their
hair. The maximum amount OF hair gen.
orally purchased by Shrewd dealer on
one of these trips is from II to l4poundS,
while many return with less than pounds.
The price paid depends on the length OF
the hair and its color, chiefly the latter.
The entire head OF hair is not sold at
one time, usually but one braid being dis
posed of at once, and another portion be-
ing disposed of in about four years. No
hair is cut from the heads of dead people
or those suffering from disease. The
prices paid for braids are from 81 to $2l
each, the former being for snail bralds or
short hair. Prices paid by the pound
vary from $ll &c to $50, the latter price
being blonde or gray hair ranging from "a
TO Is inches long. All of the native hair
Is shipped in its natural state, without be-
ing bIeached or dyed, and the estimated
annual exports are placed at about 1900
pounds