JOHN FITZGERALD KENNEDY HIGH SCHOOL Terminale L

The hair trade's dirty secret

Today, hair is more than just a symbol: it is big business. From India to Peru, the human hair
trade has spread across the globe. Last year HM Revenue and Customs recorded more than
£38m worth of hair (human, with some mixed human and animal) entering the country, making
the UK the third biggest importer of human hair in the world.

Few people seem interested in the human beings the hair came from. "If I'm honest, I don't
think people care where it is from," admits Riley. "I would like to say we are all ethically
minded, but if clients want something and they can pay for it, they will have it." Gascoigne
agrees: "I never ask where the hair comes from, I just love it so much. When you have big,
bouncy hair you feel a million dollars."

Most hair comes from countries where long, natural hair remains a badge of beauty - but where
the women are poor enough to consider selling a treasured asset. Much of the hair on sale
comes from small agents who tour villages in India, China, and eastern Europe, offering
poverty-stricken women small payments to part with their hair. As one importer, based in
Ukraine, told the New York Times recently: "They are not doing it for fun. Usually only people
who have temporary financial difficulties in depressed regions sell their hair."

More worryingly, back in 2006, the Observer reported that in India some husbands were forcing
their wives into selling their hair, slum children were being tricked into having their heads
shaved in exchange for toys, and in one case a gang stole a woman's hair, holding her down and
cutting it off.

Thanks to such horror stories, reputable companies try to ensure the hair they sell is "ethical".
Balmain Hair, Riley explains, has been sourcing hair from China for almost 50 years, and pays
women the equivalent of a man's six-month salary. However, not all companies pay donors. In
temples in South India devotees travel for hundreds of miles and queue for hours to have their
hair tonsured, or ritually shaved. Some have prayed for a child, others for a sick relative or a
good harvest, and when their prayers are answered they offer up their hair. According to
one report, most are rural women whose hair is worth around £200. The hair is then sorted and
sold, often by online auction.

Adapted excerpt from Homa Khaleeli’s newspaper article in The Guardian, Sunday 28 October 2012
available at https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/oct/28/hair-extension-global-trade-
secrets
LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE

• Add the paragraph number for each heading. One has been given as an example (2)
Paragraph titles Paragraph numbers
Even religion benefits from human hair
The business 1
Where does the hair come from?
We are interested in our looks not on the sources of hair
Human hair: a source of ill-treatment

True/false exercise

Women sell their hair because they prefer shorter hair.

Human hair trade started in the 21st century.

People sometimes give their hair to thank God

Find out what the underlined words in the text refer to (2)
• it is from (line 6): …………………………………………………………………………………..
• it for fun (line 14): …………………………………………………………………………………..
• it off (line 19): …………………………………………………………………………………..
• Some have (line 24): …………………………………………………………………………………..

Find in the text words that mean the same as:

• Symbol (paragraph 3):…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
• poor district (paragraph 4):…………………………………………………………………………………………….
• Getting (paragraph 5):…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
• Believers (paragraph 5):…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

II. LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE

Fill in the gaps with the missing question or statement or with the appropriate tense of the
verbs between brackets.
Journalist: Good morning, Madam. As I told you on the phone, I (to need) ……………………………to have
your point of view on human hair. You probably know that it is many girls’ dream to have human hair.
Lady: Yes, that’s true.
Journalist: ………………………………………………..………………………………….?
Lady: Well, I think they do it because it is the fashion.
Journalist: I can understand this but …………………………………………………………….?
Lady: No, I don’t think people know where the hair comes from.
Journalist: ……………………………………………………………….?
Lady: No, I don’t think they would stop buying human hair just because it was bought or taken from
poor people.
Journalist: But this is against all ethical principles, …………………………………………….?
Lady: I know. But women are not primarily interested in ethics. They want to look beautiful.
Journalist: I can see you have human hair extension yourself. How long (you/buy)
…………………………….human hair?
Lady: Well, I (start)…………………………………….using human hair in 2012. That’s 4 years ago and I
(not/stop)……………………………………………….ever since.
Journalist: You’ll probably stop some day, …………………………………………………………….?
Lady: I don’t think so.
Journalist: …………………………………………………………?
Lady: Because I just love it.
Journalist: Thank you, Madam for answering my questions.
Lady: ………………………………………………

Fill in the gaps with the appropriate derivation of the words between brackets.
I think that the government should not let people (sale)……………………………………..human hair. First,
(hygienic)……………………………………. is never guaranteed as you don’t know in which conditions the hair
was shaven and you can’t even be sure whether it is human or animal hair.

III. WRITING: Write an essay of 150 to 200 words on one of the following topics.