00:00Wigs of every style and color.
00:03This factory is one of an estimated 5,000 in China's Henan province.
00:08It's in the city of Xuchang, known as the global wig capital,
00:12producing about 60% of them worldwide.
00:15Most of them are made with human hair,
00:17and this purchaser says that in the early days,
00:20she bought most of it from rural households.
00:23The city's been producing wigs initially for theatrical performances for hundreds of years.
00:30Many see wigs as something to cover up a problem,
00:33but they were originally accessories for aristocrats
00:35designed to enhance beauty and elevate one's status.
00:39Before 1989, we operated solely as a component supplier to the U.S. market,
00:44exposing us to significant single market risks.
00:46Seeing wigs as a daily necessity, like shirts or sneakers,
00:49or the African diaspora, we decided to develop the African market.
00:54Xuchang's wigs have become sought-after items in Africa, Europe,
00:58the United States, and elsewhere.
01:00In 2024, the city exported over $2 billion worth of hair products,
01:06including to a shop in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.
01:09At first, I think we were a bit scared,
01:12not knowing how the reception of importing would be for us,
01:15but I'm glad I met Rebecca Fashion.
01:19And mostly in the booming market, we have been doing a lot of wigs,
01:23and the speciality of our wigs is nobody,
01:28no producer, no manufacturer here in Kenya
01:31has been able to do a replica of what we have.
01:35Hair has been seen as an indicator of wealth and nobility since ancient times,
01:39with the first documented use of extensions and wigs
01:42dating back to ancient Egypt.
01:45And again, I'll go to the next one.
01:46Welcome to our Wigs,
01:48and this is our show.
01:48Welcome to our Wigs.
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