India ₹9,000cr human hair exports as smuggling strains wig makers
India is a huge name in the global human hair market: think $940 million big.
The country exports tons of high-quality hair, but there's a catch: smuggling to China via Myanmar is making it tough for local wig makers to get enough raw hair.
Even though India shipped out over ₹9,000 crore worth of hair in fiscal year 2026, most of that was semi-processed.
Some insiders urge raw export ban
With premium Indian hair selling for up to ₹85,000 per kilogram at places like Tirupati, competition is fierce.
Some industry insiders want a ban on raw exports so more jobs stay in India.
Meanwhile, a potential US tariff threat is pushing exporters to look at new markets like the United Arab Emirates and Africa.
Despite strong global demand, India's own wig-making sector has a lot of catching up to do.