Global wig industry thrives in Xuchang, C China's Henan

Xuchang, a city in central China's Henan Province, commands over 60 percent of the global wig market. In 2022, the city's import and export value for wig products reached 17.9 billion yuan ($2.47 billion), solidifying Xuchang's status as the world's leading distribution and export center for wigs.

Photo shows a view of Xuchang city, central China's Henan Province. (Photo courtesy of the Publicity Department of the Party committee in Xuchang)

Historically, Xuchang's residents began crafting wigs for theatrical performances during the reign of Emperor Jiajing of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), as documented in the city's annals.

The industry began to transform in the early 20th century when a German businessman began to acquire women's hair in China to process and sell in Europe. Bai Xihe, a local entrepreneur, joined forces with this German businessman, culminating in the establishment of Xuchang's first wig store. This venture ignited a local interest in hair collection and wig manufacturing.

Over time, the store gradually gained fame and hair from neighboring provinces, such as Shandong and Anhui, was transported to Xuchang for processing. By the 1960s, Xuchang had established itself as a significant wig manufacturer in China. Post-reform and opening-up, Xuchang's wig dealers traveled nationwide to collect hair.

Li Guoqiang, a resident of Quandian neighborhood in Lingjing Township, Jian'an District, Xuchang, began his hair collection endeavors following his high school graduation. According to Li, high-quality wigs could fetch more than 1,000 yuan per piece at that time.

Currently, Xuchang benefits from a wealth of raw material and labor resources, propelling the city's wig industry onto the global stage.

A worker makes wigs at a factory of Henan Rebecca Hair Products Co., Ltd. in Xuchang city, central China's Henan Province. (Photo courtesy of Henan Rebecca Hair Products Co., Ltd.)

"There were once over 20,000 hair dealers in Xuchang, bringing hair from all over the world to villages in Xuchang and selling the processed hair globally," said Wang Xixiang, secretary of the hair product association of Xuchang.

The number of permanent residents in Xuchang stands at around 4.38 million, of which more than 300,000 are directly involved in the hair industry.

Meanwhile, Rebecca, a wig brand based in Zhengzhou, the provincial capital of Henan, sells all kinds of wigs. "Our customized wigs are very popular," said a manager of a Rebecca store. In recent years, the brand has expanded with numerous branches in Zhengzhou.

Zheng Youquan, founder of Rebecca, hails from a long line of wig makers. In the 1980s, Zheng began engaging in the industry. After the wig industry prospered in Xuchang, many foreign companies started to build factories in Xuchang to process hair they had collected from hair dealers like Zheng, and then sold the wigs, making huge profits.

Models present new wig products developed by a manufacturing company in Xuchang city, central China's Henan Province. (File photo)

During that time, Zheng recognized the limited profitability of merely selling raw materials to foreign companies, so he decided to expand his operation to include wig-making.

Wig production requires more than 50 intricate procedures, necessitating machines for mass production. At the time, the few machines in China dedicated to wig-making were located in wig factories in Qingdao, Shandong. Zheng commissioned a retired Qingdao wig factory worker to draft a blueprint for a wig machine. He then sought a machinery manufacturer in Xuchang to construct the machine. By the end of 1990, Zheng's team had built their first wig-making machine, which was immediately put into operation.

Today, Henan Rebecca Hair Products Co., Ltd. exports products to over 100 cities domestically and internationally. Wigs made in Xuchang now account for over 40 percent of the European and U.S. markets and over 70 percent of the African market.

Henan Rebecca Hair Products Co., Ltd. has established and strictly implemented a set of quality standards. In March 2023, a set of technical standards for hair products, which Xuchang took the lead in drawing up, came into effect in China, becoming the first technical standard for hair products in China and even the world.

Currently, wig manufacturing companies constitute 67 percent of all foreign trade businesses in Xuchang, with over 90 percent of these businesses leveraging cross-border e-commerce to reach overseas markets.