Human hair from China to Nigeria: where it is made, how to buy

Human hair from China to Nigeria: where Xuchang factories and Guangzhou markets sell wigs and bundles, how to check quality, NAFDAC rules and shipping.

If you are buying human hair from China to Nigeria, there are two places you need to understand.

Xuchang is where much of the hair industry is manufactured.

Guangzhou is where many international buyers compare, sample and buy it.

Xuchang in Henan Province is one of the world's biggest wig and hair-product clusters. In 2026, Henan's provincial government said around six out of every ten wigs sold globally come from Xuchang, where more than 4,000 related businesses support nearly 300,000 jobs. (english.henan.gov.cn)

That does not mean every bundle labelled “Brazilian”, “Peruvian” or “Vietnamese” was manufactured in Xuchang.

It means Xuchang is one of the first places a serious Nigerian hair importer should understand.

Why is Xuchang important for human hair? #

Xuchang has been trading and processing hair for centuries.

Today the cluster makes:

• human-hair wigs;
• lace wigs;
• bundles;
• closures;
• frontals;
• extensions;
• synthetic wigs;
• hairpieces;
• and private-label hair products.

The industry's strength is not only factory numbers.

It has workers who specialise in sorting hair, ventilating lace, colouring, processing, sewing wefts and constructing wigs.

That depth is difficult to reproduce quickly.

For a Nigerian buyer, the advantage is choice.

One factory may specialise in inexpensive machine-made wigs.

Another may focus on high-density lace wigs.

Another may produce extensions for African wholesalers.

Another may make premium hand-tied pieces for overseas brands.

Do not ask only:

Do you sell human hair?

Ask what they actually manufacture.

Should you go to Xuchang or Guangzhou first? #

For a first sourcing trip, Guangzhou is usually easier.

You can compare many sellers in one area, buy samples in small quantities and learn what different price levels actually look like.

Once your monthly volume grows, going closer to the Xuchang manufacturer makes more sense.

Think of it this way:

Guangzhou is useful for discovery.

Xuchang is useful for factory sourcing and repeat production.

A Guangzhou showroom may also belong to a Xuchang manufacturer, distributor or trading company.

Ask.

Where can you buy wigs and hair in Guangzhou? #

One useful starting point is Guangzhou Beauty Exchange Center on Guangyuan West Road.

The centre currently promotes wigs alongside skincare, makeup, lashes, salon supplies and other beauty products, and says its sourcing ecosystem includes more than 2,000 source manufacturers. Its published address is 121 Guangyuan West Road, Yuexiu District, around 500 metres from Sanyuanli Metro Station Exit D. (gzmbc.com.cn)

This wider Guangyuan West Road–Sanyuanli area is useful because many beauty-product wholesalers and export suppliers operate nearby.

You can see:

• wigs;
• bundles;
• closures;
• frontals;
• braiding hair;
• synthetic hair;
• eyelashes;
• hair tools;
• shampoos;
• conditioners;
• glues;
• and packaging.

Do not assume every shop is the manufacturer.

Many are wholesalers.

Ask for the factory's Chinese business name if you are considering a serious order.

What happened to Xingfa Plaza? #

Older sourcing guides can mislead buyers here.

Xingfa Plaza has been going through redevelopment.

A new Xingfa Plaza location opened in June 2025, with more than 600 shops signed and operating across categories including beauty, skincare and makeup. Parts of the older complex were relocated as part of the wider Sanyuanli redevelopment. (en.by.gov.cn)

So do not arrive with an old blog post and expect every supplier to be in the building they occupied years ago.

Message the supplier on WeChat before going.

Ask for:

current shop number + Chinese address + nearest metro exit.

That one message can save an hour.

Our Guangzhou wholesale markets guide covers the wider sourcing areas.

What does “virgin hair” actually mean? #

This is where buyers lose money.

Hair sellers use words such as:

• virgin;
• raw;
• Remy;
• double drawn;
• Brazilian;
• Peruvian;
• Malaysian;
• Vietnamese;
• Cambodian;
• bone straight;
• super double drawn.

Do not treat those words as quality certificates.

There is no single international grading system that forces every Chinese seller to use “virgin” or “Remy” in exactly the same way.

In normal trade language:

Virgin hair generally means hair that has not been chemically processed.

Remy hair generally means the cuticles have been kept aligned in the same direction.

But suppliers may use both words loosely.

The sample matters more than the label.

Is “Brazilian hair” really from Brazil? #

Sometimes an origin claim may be genuine.

Sometimes it is a product name describing a texture, finish or marketing category.

Do not assume either way.

Ask directly:

What country was the raw hair collected from?

Then ask:

Was it coloured, acid-treated, silicone-coated or otherwise chemically processed?

A serious supplier should be able to discuss the processing.

If the only answer is:

100% Brazilian virgin super grade 12A

you still do not know very much.

Buy what you can test.

Not what has the longest name.

How should you check human hair quality? #

Start with a sample.

Do not place a large order from photographs.

For each grade you are considering, check:

• shedding;
• tangling;
• smell;
• strand consistency;
• split ends;
• colour consistency;
• bundle weight;
• actual length;
• weft construction;
• lace quality;
• density;
• and how it behaves after washing.

Wash the sample several times.

Comb it wet.

Let it air dry.

Straighten or curl it if the product is sold as heat-friendly.

Then wash it again.

Cheap processed hair can look excellent when it first leaves the packet because coatings make it smooth.

The useful question is what it looks like after those coatings begin to disappear.

Do not rely only on the burn test #

You will hear buyers say:

Burn one strand. If it smells like hair, it is human hair.

A fibre test may tell you something about whether a strand behaves like natural protein or synthetic material.

It does not tell you whether the bundle is virgin, Remy, single-donor or high quality.

And it may not reliably expose a blended product from one tiny strand.

A wash-and-wear test is more useful for a trader.

Your customer will not burn the hair.

She will wash, comb, straighten and wear it.

Test it that way.

Check the bundle weight yourself #

A bundle described as 100 grams should not consistently arrive at 82 or 88 grams.

Carry a small digital scale when sourcing.

Weigh samples.

For a bulk order, put the agreed minimum net weight in writing.

Also clarify whether the quoted weight includes:

• rubber bands;
• packaging;
• labels;
• or only the actual hair.

That difference becomes money when you are buying hundreds of bundles.

Length is another place money disappears #

Hair length is normally measured stretched.

Curly hair therefore looks shorter than straight hair of the same measured length.

Agree how the factory measures it.

Then check random bundles.

For wigs, confirm:

• lace size;
• lace colour;
• density;
• cap construction;
• cap size;
• hair length;
• closure or frontal size;
• baby hair;
• knots;
• and whether the hairline is pre-plucked.

“26-inch wig” is not enough specification for a production order.

What does double drawn mean? #

In simple terms, double-drawn hair has more strands of similar length throughout the bundle.

That creates a fuller appearance toward the ends.

Single-drawn bundles naturally contain a wider mix of shorter and longer strands.

Neither phrase tells you everything about quality.

A heavily processed double-drawn bundle can still perform worse than a well-made single-drawn product.

Compare the physical samples.

Ask what processing has been done #

This is one of the most useful supplier questions:

What did you do to this hair after collecting it?

Ask specifically about:

• bleaching;
• colouring;
• acid treatment;
• silicone coating;
• steam processing;
• texture setting;
• and knot bleaching.

You are not necessarily looking for hair that has never been touched.

A customer buying burgundy body-wave hair obviously expects processing.

You are trying to understand what you are buying.

That makes repeat ordering possible.

Does human hair need NAFDAC registration? #

Human-hair wigs and extensions should not automatically be treated the same way as cosmetics.

NAFDAC defines a cosmetic as a substance or mixture of substances applied to the body for purposes such as cleansing, beautifying or altering the skin, hair or teeth. (nafdac.gov.ng)

A wig or bundle is a physical hair article rather than a shampoo, conditioner, oil or chemical preparation.

I could not find a current NAFDAC rule that classifies ordinary wigs or hair extensions themselves as registered cosmetics.

Customs instead classifies wigs and similar hair articles within Chapter 67, including heading 6704 for wigs and articles of human hair. (customs.gov.ng)

However, Nigeria implemented new tariff amendments in 2026.

So before pricing a commercial shipment, ask your clearing agent to confirm the exact current HS code and tariff treatment for the product you are importing. (channelstv.com)

What definitely needs NAFDAC? #

The products sitting beside the hair can.

Examples include:

• shampoo;
• conditioner;
• hair oil;
• relaxer;
• styling products;
• certain glues;
• sprays;
• treatments;
• and other cosmetic preparations.

NAFDAC says imported cosmetics must be registered before they are marketed in Nigeria.

Its imported-cosmetics guideline gives a target registration timeline of 120 working days from acceptance of the submission to issuance of the registration number, with the clock stopping when compliance queries are outstanding. (nafdac.gov.ng)

So do not add a carton of private-label edge control, shampoo or wig glue to a hair shipment because the Guangzhou supplier says:

Everybody ships it together.

Check the regulatory status first.

Our NAFDAC registration guide explains the Nigerian side.

How should human hair be shipped to Nigeria? #

Hair has a useful logistics advantage.

It is relatively light compared with its value.

That makes air freight practical for samples and smaller orders.

For larger cartons, sea groupage can reduce the freight cost.

Ask the forwarder how they charge.

With air freight, volumetric weight can matter when wigs are packed in bulky boxes.

With sea groupage, the carton volume becomes important.

Before accepting a “per kg” quote, ask whether it includes:

• China pickup;
• warehouse handling;
• export charges;
• freight;
• Nigerian clearance;
• duty;
• delivery;
• and any minimum charge.

Our shipping cost per kg from China to Nigeria guide explains why two forwarders quoting the same price per kilogram may not be offering the same service.

Do not under-declare the shipment #

Hair is high-value cargo.

That makes unrealistic declarations tempting.

Do not build your business model around declaring a commercial carton at a value that has nothing to do with what you paid.

If Customs questions the shipment, the problem belongs to you.

Keep:

• supplier invoice;
• payment evidence;
• packing list;
• product description;
• quantities;
• and shipping documents.

A legitimate repeat business is more valuable than saving money on one questionable declaration.

When should you start buying directly from Xuchang? #

Not necessarily on your first order.

If you are still testing what Nigerian customers want, Guangzhou gives you flexibility.

You can buy smaller quantities across several textures and suppliers.

Once you know that you sell the same products every month, go closer to the source.

A factory relationship makes more sense when you need:

• repeat specifications;
• custom density;
• custom lace;
• consistent lengths;
• private-label boxes;
• branded bands;
• custom colour;
• larger quantities;
• and repeat quality control.

That is where Xuchang becomes valuable.

How do you verify a hair factory? #

Do not verify only the website.

Ask for the Chinese legal company name.

Check the business licence.

Confirm the factory address.

Ask who receives payment.

Ask for a live factory video call.

If the order justifies it, visit or arrange an inspection.

Then make sure the company on your invoice and payment instructions makes sense.

Our supplier checking guide covers the process.

Private label: start with the hair, not the box #

New importers sometimes spend too much time designing gold boxes before they have proved the product.

Get the hair right first.

Then discuss:

• logo;
• satin bag;
• wig box;
• hang tags;
• bundle bands;
• care card;
• barcode;
• colour names;
• and carton markings.

Packaging can make the product look premium.

It cannot rescue hair that tangles after two washes.

The practical buying route #

For a first order of human hair from China to Nigeria:

1. Decide the textures, lengths and price level your customers already buy.
2. Compare suppliers in Guangzhou or online.
3. Buy samples from several sellers.
4. Wash and wear the samples.
5. Weigh and measure them.
6. Check the supplier's company.
7. Agree the exact specification in writing.
8. Confirm the Nigerian HS code and regulatory requirements.
9. Place a controlled first order.
10. Inspect repeat production before increasing volume.

Once you are ordering the same products consistently, look seriously at Xuchang factories.

That is when going closer to the manufacturing cluster starts saving real money.

For the wider sourcing map, continue with which Chinese city makes what, and if you are travelling to Guangzhou yourself, read where to stay in Guangzhou before booking your hotel.

If you need help comparing suppliers, buying samples, visiting a factory or consolidating hair and beauty products in China, ChinaBridge Global can assist with the China side before you commit to the bulk order.

First published 26 Sep 2026. Last checked 26 Sep 2026 by The ChinaBridge desk. Something here out of date? Tell us in the comments and we will fix it.