Hair-Raising Charity News
We've tried for a while to educate donors to the fact that when they donate their car to a charity, in 99% of the cases, the charity simply sells the car at auction and keeps the proceeds. They don't actually use the car to drive around and do good works. The same is true when you donate your clothes. Generally, the clothes are sold (in bulk, by the pound) and the charity receives pennies for your old pants. Basically, if you give the charity non-cash items, they throw out what they find unusable and sell the rest to fund their operations.
But did you know that the same was true of your hair? According to this story in the New York Times, 80% of the hair that is donated to the popular charity, Locks of Love, is "immediately thrown out" due to it being unusable for wig making. And the majority of what actually makes the cut (sorry) does "not go to the gravely ill, but is sold to help pay for charities’ organizational costs.” And this is no small business. According to its tax returns, Locks of Love made $1.9 million from hair sales from 2001 to 2006.
I must admit that I was surprised by these findings. I knew that the hair donation program was primarily a gimmick designed to build awareness and generate donations, (and to be fair, one of the most brilliant marketing ideas we've ever seen in this sector), and assumed that the wig-making was simply a small percentage of the group's operations. But I had no idea that such a small amount of the hair that they received actually found its way to the head of a person who had lost their hair because of disease. And I suspect that most donors would be shocked to find this out too. I'm willing to bet that virtually none of the teenage girls who have adopted the shearing as a way to demonstrate their willingness to help the less fortunate would give up their hair if they knew that most was thrown out, and the rest was usually sold.
I'm not accusing Locks of Love of anything here. I think they're a good group and brilliant marketers. But as a donor's advocate, I think it's fair to share with donors that in most cases, their selfless gesture of donating their hair is an empty one, and their gorgeous locks will usually end up in a trash can, serving no one.
R. W. McQuarters, a professional football player who donated his dreadlocks to Locks of Love, actually says it far better than I ever could: “I’d rather them send back the hair,” he said. “I could have sold them on eBay and then taken the cash and given it to charity.”
But did you know that the same was true of your hair? According to this story in the New York Times, 80% of the hair that is donated to the popular charity, Locks of Love, is "immediately thrown out" due to it being unusable for wig making. And the majority of what actually makes the cut (sorry) does "not go to the gravely ill, but is sold to help pay for charities’ organizational costs.” And this is no small business. According to its tax returns, Locks of Love made $1.9 million from hair sales from 2001 to 2006.
I must admit that I was surprised by these findings. I knew that the hair donation program was primarily a gimmick designed to build awareness and generate donations, (and to be fair, one of the most brilliant marketing ideas we've ever seen in this sector), and assumed that the wig-making was simply a small percentage of the group's operations. But I had no idea that such a small amount of the hair that they received actually found its way to the head of a person who had lost their hair because of disease. And I suspect that most donors would be shocked to find this out too. I'm willing to bet that virtually none of the teenage girls who have adopted the shearing as a way to demonstrate their willingness to help the less fortunate would give up their hair if they knew that most was thrown out, and the rest was usually sold.
I'm not accusing Locks of Love of anything here. I think they're a good group and brilliant marketers. But as a donor's advocate, I think it's fair to share with donors that in most cases, their selfless gesture of donating their hair is an empty one, and their gorgeous locks will usually end up in a trash can, serving no one.
R. W. McQuarters, a professional football player who donated his dreadlocks to Locks of Love, actually says it far better than I ever could: “I’d rather them send back the hair,” he said. “I could have sold them on eBay and then taken the cash and given it to charity.”
Labels: donated hair, Locks of Love, R.W. McQuarters
posted by Trent Stamp at 10:46 AM
16 Comments:
You're absolutely right that donors deserve to know this. Growing out and then donating your hair is very personal; people might re-think that choice if they had the correct information. There's a lesson here, as with hurricane Katrina and other recent disasters: the best way to give is either your time, directly volunteering for the organization, or your money, so that the organization can buy the goods and services it needs.
I am sickened by this. My 14-year-old daughter grew her hair for 18 months and donated it to these people, just so she could give someone less fortunate than her a gift. I was never prouder of her. To think that these bastards sold her hair, or just threw it out, I don't have any idea what to tell her. How will she ever trust anyone?
What surprises me is not that this is happening, but that it hasn't gotten more publicity before now. This has long been a very open secret about Locks of Love and similar charities. Many hairdressers refuse to work with them because they know the scam.
I figured out the right way to do this years ago, after stupidly giving 12" of hair to Locks of Love: Call a local wigmaker, have them make it, and donate the finished item to your local children's hospital. It's worked wonderfully for me.
I am so glad I read this. I am currently sporting long hair I was purposly growing out for L.O.L. While searching for info about them, I stumbled across this. Now I am so glad I haven't cut my hair off yet!
Can you suggest a worthy charity I can donate to instead? I would still like to donate my hair, but I want it to be used to help, not tossed in the trash!
Tracey, your daughter should be told the truth. Show her the NY Times article. Tell her if you'd known, you'd have stopped her from donating, unless she felt it was more important to give, period, even if it was to something questionable. Then, help her get the word out to her friends and long haired people you meet, to warn them about how she was duped. If you don't tell her now, and later she finds out about this, how will she ever trust YOU?
To Farmwife, Ashley has a good suggestion. (About calling a wigmaker and then later donating the finished product to a local hospital.)
Or you can call the local kids' hospital and see if they have a wigmaker who makes wigs for the kids. They can put you in contact with the wigmaker so you can donate your locks directly.
I've heard that LOL often throws away unusable hair (permed, colored, grey) but I'd no idea that there was so much tossed away. Good to see that it's finally out where the public can see it.
I cut 13 inches off of my hair to donate to charity, but before I let a scissors anywhere near me, I did my homework. I called the charity and told them all of my specifics and asked them who I should speak with to see if it hair was good enough condition for wig making. I already knew that the last few inches would just be too dry to be good. I found out that out of 12 inches usually only about 7 inches is strong enough.
Donors have no idea what happens to their hair, and sometimes when you have very long hair people try to guilt you into donating it.
Basically, adult hair is not always in good condition, even if its never been dyed or permed. Also, I was told that it would be undesirable if I used a certain popular shampoo and conditioner because it damaged the hair shaft.
With that in mind, I would suggest that only very young people should donate their hair, otherwise it may be thrown out.
I was warned by several hair dressers, that the organization might want to sell my hair beacause of its auburn color. I agree with the guy who said you can sell your hair yourself and donate that money to the charity, but even then who know where that goes.
Thanks for posting this. To imagine that this 'charity' has only give (or more likely sold at reduced cost) 2000 wigs in over 10 years and yet still managed to make MILLIONS! This is no charity.
Locks of Love has always been forthright about its standards and how it uses the hair it receives. Most of the events I have seen where hair donations are encouraged weren't sponsored by Locks of Love, but rather by salons or businesses that benefited from the feel good nature and media coverage of such efforts. The marketing genius was on the part of those that profited by associating themselves with the charity's positive mission. Like any other charity, people should do their research before contributing. There are several organizations out there that accept donations of hair, but they all have standards for which hair can be used. Wigs4Kids and Wigs for Kids are a couple of organizations that come to mind.
I had twelve inches of my hair cut today. She asked if I wanted to donate to Locks of Love, but I don't know what to do now. I can throw it in the trash myself.
My suggestion is to sell your hair(ebay.com) and donate to a charity of Your choosing. Financial donations can be tax-deductible. :)
Sell Your Hair! You can then decide what to do with the $$. www.thehairtrader.com is a great site/service. You can donate directly. That's what many are doing..The service is free! They also work with individuals to help raise money for various causes.
Sell Your Hair! You can then decide what to do with the $$. www.thehairtrader.com is a great site/service. You can donate directly. That's what many are doing..The service is free! You'll get top dollar! This site gets the MOST qualified traffic for this category- even over Ebay. We also work with individuals to help raise money for various causes.
I am so glad that this has finally gotten out, I have been in the hair replacement business for over 20 years and I know for a fact that hair that has been donated is
NOT USED FOR ANY TYPE OF WIG. The hair has to be processed in a significant way which is not done in the United States.
Hopefully soon someone will do an expose on this fraudulent behavior.
Have you done all of your research here? What sources have you used besides a totally biased article. I would like to see more research to prove that this organization is really so bad.
Truthfully... if you cut your hair... put it up for sale on Ebay... many many people buy hair there.. for wigs, doll repair, and for the ownership of such feminine beauty... the colors and tones are endless, and a woman's hair is her crowning glory.. not something that belongs in the trash...
If you sell it..they will buy....
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