Where can I donate highlighted hair?

So you have grown your beautiful hair out for some time now and you are ready to chop it all off and donate it to a wonderful organization like Locks of Love or Wigs for Kids. I think that is amazing! I cannot tell you how wonderful and selfless and important this act of love and kindness is. I should know, I accept a dozen of these donations a week here at The Art of Wigs. So as you pile through the requirements one last time before the “big chop” you will see a sentence that will stop your heart. ” we do not accept hair that has been processed or colored in any way.” Agggg! ‘Why did I highlight my hair last summer? What can I do? I feel so cheated.

Good news is we accept hair that is 12″ or more that has been professionally gently highlighted and low lighted! A few base shades darker and lighter is all we can accept but, at least those highlights or lowlights you did didn’t destroy your donation chances. We no longer accept hair that has been all over colored. The hair donations are to damaged to build a beautiful long lasting wig. Please see my How to Donate Blog so get all the details.

Here is how my little wig company is different than the others. Locks of Love and Wigs for Kids only make wigs for children. My little wig company loves to make wigs for everyone!  The way my company works is as follows:

All my wigs are medical so I either have to buy the hair to match the client or I source it from my donations.

• The donation comes in and I put the hair through a “hackle” and remove all the short hairs and layers if they are under 12″.
• I seperate them into two catagories, Virgin and Highlighted/Lowlighted hair.
• Then I measure and sterilize the hair and sort it by color and base tone.
• If you are a child client of mine, you get a Virgin hair wig automatically. You cannot believe that feeling you get when you hand over that wig to a parent. You take all the pressure off making any major desisions about their precious baby’s hair, and you leave them to worry about more important things. That gift will never be tainted by me then asking them for money. I like to beg, fight, and steal to make sure that that family will never pay a red cent for that wig. I prefer to bother their friends and family to help me cover the cost. A percentage of all my profit goes to helping pay for these wigs.
• My women clients over 18: these lovely ladies send in their measurements and photos or come in to my private studio and we design the wig and pick the hair from the donations so that we can get the closest match and they can look like their familiar healthy self again! I then take off the cost of the hair from the overall price of the wig so all they pay for is a amazing custom fit and designed wig for less than what they would would pay for in a store.
• The more hair I get the better choices they have for color and texture. I take 30% off for the wigs that are made with donated hair.
• Once the wig is finished I then cut and add any details we may want after in our grand fitting!
• I also help them with insurance and sales tax with Px from their doctor.

Check out http://www.artofwigs.com for more information on what it is I do and what I stand for. I would love to build all my wigs using donated hair. It’s a dream. I could take the cost of each wig and knock at least 30% off the top to start with.  Spread the word if you can. I feel a little uneasy asking for donations since Locks of Love and Wigs for Kids are such great entities but, none of them will use gently processed hair and my clients over 18 don’t mind a bit if it means a break on the price and they still get a beautiful mane of human hair that is comfortable and perfect for their battle with cancer or alopecia.

Thanks for listening ya’ll

Stephanie

Here’s our donation information and requirements:

The Art of Wigs is thrilled to accept hair donations of twelve inches or more ( more is better if you can spare it ) with lightly processed professional highlights or lowlights only. Sadly, we no longer can accept “all over” colored hair, Permanent or Semi-permanent.

Your donation will reduce the cost of a custom wig for our clients who are struggling through cancer treatments or stress and hormone related hairloss. Each hair donation makes a difference. As you follow these steps, please know that your generosity will help women regain confidence and security at a difficult time. We do not accept hair that has been colored all over either professionally or at home, permed, chemically straightened, damaged, unnatural colors, henna colored, dreadlocks, Ombre hair, or bleached and overprocessed hair. We understand that bleach is used on some highlights and we can still except the hair as long as it’s only a few shades lighter and still in a very healthy condition. Please. Please. Please, make sure that your hair follows these guidelines.

In the past, we have accepted all over color but, the damage makes the wigs to delicate and not last for our clients so we cannot accept it anymore. Twelve inches of unprocessed/virgin hair or hair that has been professionally treated with gentle and natural highlights and lowlights are all we can accept. Read carefully before you cut and bless you!!
Step 1: Measure your hair.
To correctly measure your hair, put your hair in 2 or more pigtails or braid and measure from the top of the band to the bottom tip. You are ready to donate you have ten or more inches of hair.

Step 2: Prep your hair.
We can only use healthy hair in good condition. Wash hair with your favorite shampoo and conditioner, comb through and let air dry. Do not flat iron or blow out straight.
Step 3: Cut your hair .
Find a stylist who is familiar with hair donation. Have him or her follow these directions. Pull clean, dry hair back into either two or more tight pigtails and secure with a very strong yellow rubber band (the kind your mama said not to use). Please do not braid your hair. If the donation is very long put rubber bands every few inches down the ponytail to secure it for shipping. Do not use fashion hair ties as they loosen in the mail. Be sure the hair being cut off is at least twelve inches or more in length. Cut the pigtail an inch above the rubber band and place in a ziplock bag.

Now, Take a deep breath and think about all the women who will benefit from your hair and how awesome you are. – then ask for a sassy short hairstyle that will make you look years younger or older ( depending on what your going for) that is easy to style and maintain.

Step 4: Mail it in.
Place the clean, dry pigtails in a plastic ziplock bag and then put in an envelope and send it on to us. Please check that you use correct postage so your hair is not returned to you. We would love to tell our clients about their hair donors so please tell us about yourselves. Maybe even take before and after shots and send us your photos. We keep all letters and before and after photos for our clients to see so feel free to tell us your story! We love to see where our donations come from. would love to post your photos, well wishes and prayers from our Send it on to:

The Art of Wigs
100 Commons Road
Suite 7-348
Dripping Springs, TX 78620

Thank you so very much for your generosity and support of women and children dealing with cancer and hair loss due to alopecia.

Stephanie Caillabet