Independently Sourced Hair

Think about this: You order a hairpiece from a budget retailer and everything seems fine. Then, as you wash the hair it becomes dry and brittle. It tangles up easily. But why?

It gets drier and more brittle because the hair being used to create the piece has been sitting under a ton of other hair in the factory's warehouse for the past year or so. On top of that, the hair is usually the thicker Remy hair from

that part of the world (Asia, China) that is traded on HUGE quantities between the suppliers and the hair factories. It's called 'bulk hair' for that reason!!

The crazy part is that no-one seems to ask about this, or care about how this process works.

But Easypiece does...

So, in our 3 year beta phase, we tested not only individual factories for their craftsmanship, but also we spent a huge amount of time sourcing and testing independent hair suppliers; a process that we still actively do today.

Fresh hair. New hair. Good hair.

This means that for our Factory Direct hairpieces, we use what is called Remy Sourced hair; hair that is not exclusively sourced by us from independent suppliers, but is tested by us through our Easypiece Beta program. Once we like what we see, we instruct the manufacturer to keep our hair SEPERATE from the huge dusty, dry bulk hair that most factories have.

For Easypiece Premium Hair Systems, we actually source the hair ourselves from a variety of independent suppliers located across 3 different continents, and we pay a premium for the privilege. We then also test these suppliers using our Beta program, so if you are lucky enough to get selected for a Beta test, not only do you get a free hair system, but there's every chance that you could be walking away with a Premium hair system worth $450. It all depends on what we're testing.

Once the Independent hair batch has been selected from a particular supplier, we send it to our individual factory Partner for you, so you know that when you order an Easypiece Premium, the hair you are wearing is almost as fresh as your own hair. Independently Sourced Hair makes a huge difference to the longevity and lifespan of your hair system, and it looks and feels gorgeous too.

It all adds up to a much healthier appearance, a longer lasting system, and a much happier customer. Plus it's backed by our 30 Day Money Back Guarantee, in addition to the standard Worldwide Quality Guarantee.

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How To Make A Hair System Template

Forget about paying for a 'Custom Fitting Kit' - aside from the extra cost, it's more complicated than it needs to be. Making a template is easy; it's all the factories need as a guide to make your base. It can be even easier with the help of a friend or loved one. Here's what you need:

What You Need:

• Marker Pencil (Make up pencil is ideal)
• Sticky Tape
• Saran Wrap or Cling Film
• Permanent Marker
• Scissors
• Mirror
• Measuring Tape (optional)

Making The Template:

1) Drawing Your Front Hairline.

Use the soft marker pencil to draw a dotted line on your head that will represent where your front hairline will be. There are a couple of ways you can do this. We recommend a combination of both of them! Firstly, use the width of your 4 fingers together, placed at the top of your eyebrow line (over your forehead). That will give you a ballpark distance to start with. It's very important that you do not get over excited about getting you hair back and try to have your hairline as low as possible. Don't do it. It will look fake. In fact, it is better to have a natural and even slightly receded hairline for the best result.

Second, stand in front of the mirror, tip your head forward slightly, raise your eyebrows and wrinkle your forehead. You should be able to see a line where the skin no longer wrinkles and your actual scalp skin (which is much thinner and flatter) meet together. This is actually your real hairline.

So, between the two methods above, you should be able to pretty accurately draw a dotted line from one side to the other on your skin (temple to temple, or where the hairline will meet the side hair which is pretty much the same thing). Of course, you have your common sense too. You are simply trying to draw a hairline that will look natural and realistic, so use the make up pencil and rub it out if you make a mistake. Remember: A receded hairline looks best; don't just draw a flat line across your forehead!

2) Place the Saran Wrap (Cling Film) Over Your Head

Just like the picture above. Dampen your hair underneath so that it is easier to see a clear definition of where your real hair (sides and back) meets your balding patch. It also makes the film cling to your head better. Pull it down all around and make sure that it is snug (so that it is exactly following the contour of your bald patch). Twist the excess wrap on either side until you have a fairly tight fit.

3) Apply the Sticky Tape!

Just like the picture shows, you need to apply strip after strip of sticky tape from side to side and then front to back. The point of doing this is so that the sticky tape takes the mould shape of your bald patch and hardens it to eventually form your template. Once you have covered the full area once each way, it's then a good idea to get your permanent marker and trace over the first dotted line you made for your hairline (which you should still be able to see underneath the tape).

4) Trace The Remaining Hairline (Sides and Back)

After you have traced your hairline over the tape, now its time to trace the remaining hairline round the sides and back of your head. This is why you dampened your hair, so that the line where your real side hair meets your bald scalp will be easier to see. Get your permanent marker and trace a line exactly around this meeting point. This will obviously be the actual shape of your hair system, and will cover your entire balding area exactly. If you have a friend or loved one to help you do this it is easier, otherwise use a hand mirror and be careful.

5) One more Layer of Tape

To firm things up nicely, apply another layer of tape of the area in the same way that you did before. This will also seal the permanent markings in. Remember: the template doesn't have to be rock hard! In fact, when you post it to us it can even be folded up, no problem.

6) Finishing Touches

You're done! Your template is now made, you just need to apply the finishing touches. Take the moulded template off your head - you can see now how it has hardened into a shape. Cut the excess tape/wrap away up to the hairlines you drew for your template, so that you are left with your exact shape of your soon to be made hair system. Now get your permanent marker and draw a 'F' (for Front) at the front of the template and a 'B' (for Back) at the rear of your template. Then write your name on the template somewhere so that it is easily identified.

7) Measure Your Balding Area (optional)

You may sometimes hear people on some forums complaining that a hair system base they got from their supplier doesn't always fit them exactly. This can often be because the template they made actually shrinks during transit and is actually slightly smaller than their balding area (after all it is made from sellotape). You can even test this by placing your freshly made template back on your head to see if it fits. You'll probably find that it is suddenly a bit small, even though you just made it!

Not to worry...This is not usually a problem because it doesn't matter to have a template that is very slightly smaller than your balding patch, because the base can be pulled to fit snug when it arrives (it won't be as stiff as your template). However, if you want to make sure, Easypiece has a handy feature on our order form that allows you to place your correct measurements of your balding area.

Just get your measuring tape and measure from side to side (temple to temple) where the real hair meets the scalp, and then again (front to back) from your front hairline to your back hairline. In other words, the accurate measurements of the length and width of the area you want your hair system to cover. Enter these measurements into our order form, eg: "24.2 cm long, 13.5 cm wide" and our workers will use these measurements exactly, and use your template as the guide for everything else!

That's it. See, it wasn't that difficult was it?

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Insider Debate: How Easypiece Got Started

Dean writes:

"Why did it take you nearly 3 years of testing factories before you selected your Partners? What else did you do during this time?"

The 3 years of pre-testing and factory searching that we did - before Easypiece even became a reality - happened very naturally over that time and, like all good quality enterprises, was born out of passion, not just business sense. In fact, we had no interest in starting a service at all. I was consulting for some relatively important organizations (nothing to do with hair systems), and starting a hair system company was of zero interest to me. All that was of interest to me was finding how I could create a great hair system for myself in the same super analytical way that I go about my daily life. I was a customer of a few different places and, being so analytical by nature, became obsessed with how hair systems were made. I don't just mean the standard practices of how they were created - I was interested in that too - but a whole lot more.

For example, I would receive a piece from a well known net retailer and the hair at the back would be ventilated in a strange direction, as opposed to just flowing down. Why? It just wasn't common sense. How could that even be allowed to happen? How could people, whose JOB it is to create hair systems, even begin to think that that was acceptable? These were the experts?Another time, I even got hair that looked green in certain lights. My hair is dark brown. Does anyone have green hair except for the Incredible Hulk? (oh yeah, The Joker does - and from the look of these pieces maybe he was the one making them...).

Of course, they weren't ALL that bad. Most of the time it was more subtle things that I wanted to improve. Like why did some of the hair get dry and parched quicker with some systems than others? Why did some hair, when I washed it, get all tangled up and take an hour to brush out? Why did some hair systems have excessive shedding problems way beyond the norm? When you bring these questions up with retailers, they just shrug it off either because a) they're too busy, or b) they don't care, or c) Both. Then I realised what the problem was.

These companies don't make hair systems. They just sell them.

This realization started the long, drawn out, research process into the hundreds of factories and manufacturers that create custom hair systems. These are the places that almost every hair replacement retailer uses to create your hair systems. Most of them are based in China too (although, a few are in places like Mexico). And much of the time, they are just a stone's throw away from each other in the same city. Some are even housed together in the same building (seriously).

A good friend of mine, also a hair system wearer, came along for the ride. The first thing we did was to find factories that would actually deal with us as individuals (as opposed to having strict minimum order quantities). We thought we had hit the jackpot with these places - they promised to create ultra custom pieces for as little as $45. We thought, "If it can be done for this cheap, then we've been getting seriously ripped off by some people..."

Well, it was done for that cheap...but the finished product was rarely to our liking. In fact, most of the time the pieces just reminded us of some of the pieces we used to get from the super cheap net retailers. Back to square one. They weren't all terrible, but none of them were great, and we never got the same piece twice. Every time we tried to educate the factories to do something a certain way, it would all get lost in translation, or they just didn't care, or the quality of the materials or hair simply wasn't good enough.

But we still believed it didn't have to result in using the most expensive factories either. We had tried quite a few of them and were paying up to $400 per piece just for the raw production cost. Of course some were awesome, naturally. But more than you might think, plenty others were no better than the super cheap factories. It was the age old tactic of charge a high price and hope that the customer believes they are getting something better. No dice with us.

Of course, all this time we still had our jobs to do, but nevertheless - slowly but surely, factory by factory, piece by piece, the work was being done. Methodical doesn't even begin to describe it. You see, it really wasn't about you at this stage; it was about US... The way we saw it, if we found the right combination and the right set up of suppliers, being as fussy as we are; then it would all trickle down to you guys, the customers. And if it didn't? No problem. We would at least have discovered a way of making the best hair systems for ourselves and carry on happily with our regular jobs. So, unlike so many businesses, time was definitely NOT a pressure factor for us. It was simply a case of "Get it Right - Or Don't Do It At All..."

Simply making hair systems like everyone else wasn't good enough. Ours had to be the BEST; the best hair, the best procedures, the best practices, the best materials. Otherwise we weren't interested. Sure, we're shooting a little high, and perhaps even being a bit unrealistic. But as the great Oscar Wilde once said, "If you shoot for moon, you might hit the top of the trees." If it wasn't him it was someone else.

You're probably thinking: "Yeah, sounds great....in theory...but how can you make sure of the quality and consistency being kept to such a high level? Everyone makes mistakes..."

You'd be right. They all do. WE all do. Which is exactly why we developed a unique scoring process for each order that NO ONE else has ever thought of.... Easypiece Beta, and Easypiece Factory Evolution are the two processes that make SURE that no one ever sleeps on the job without getting a rude wake up call...

So, whilst everyone does need to keep their expectations in check regarding hair systems and hairpieces, since mistakes will always be made or something may not always be perfect, we at least have a couple of processes in place that keeps everyone on their toes:

Check them out right now:

Factory Evolution

Easypiece Beta

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Insider Debate: Made in China

I love my iPod Touch. It's the single most impressive gadget that I own. All the features, the functions, the ability to surf the internet while listening to music and writing my emails. It's awesome.

When you buy an iPod, or any Apple product, it's beautifully packaged. As soon as you open the fresh smelling box, you are greeted with the famous words: "Designed by Apple in California."

Notice the word: Designed.

Not 'Made', not 'Created', not 'Assembled'... Designed.

After it has been designed, it is then actually made in China. Just like your hair system.

Imagine if Apple, instead of selling iPod's through their retail stores, and other well known homegrown outlets, decided to market them differently, without changing the price, or calling them iPods, or even saying they were made by Apple at all:

"Get your iPod style MP3 Player, Factory Direct from China!"

It would feel weird. Even if it was the exact same thing, it still wouldn't be Apple. You would still want that Apple Experience. The fresh smelling box. The yearly keynote speech. The hype about new features. The whole process contributes to your feeling of value, of being 'officially Apple'. Simply getting the latest iPod in the mail from China - and having to pay the same amount of money for it - would make you feel it was somehow less worthy.

This is the same process you are subjected to with hair salons. You paid a lot. You want to see plush salons. Important people, supposedly experts in the field. Brochures, consultations and maybe even men in white coats explaining the process of your hair system. You want an experience.

But hair systems are different to iPods. The average hair system will last you 3 months, not 5 years. iPods are a branded fashion statement that deliver numerous benefits. Hair systems don't. Sure, they make you look and feel better about your appearance, but after that you don't want anyone knowing you even have one, let alone where you got it. There's no such thing as an 'undetectable iPod'.

All that matters to you is: Does my hair look and feel great? Because if it does, you won't be running around shouting about it to everyone; it's already done its job perfectly. There's no 'brand effect' required. Its just about results.

So you may as well pay less. Way less. Even the very cheapest of hair replacement companies is capable of creating a passable hair system for the price (although the quality and workmanship can often be shoddy). Paying rock bottom may be a risk, but the Easypiece Insider proves that higher quality manufacturers can still be enjoyed at a very reasonable price.

Companies like Apple have earned the right to give you a more expensive brand experience because it genuinely adds value; they created a unique line of products themselves and they last a long time too. Hair system salons haven't earned that right as authentically.

That's why mail direct hair companies are successful, despite such limited budgets. They appeal to people who see through the hype. They do without the hollow branding. They focus on the important factor - the result for you. Not so much the profit for them.

Because in the end, it's all Made in China. But it's who makes it for you in China that really counts. You'll learn more about that in your next edition of the Easypiece Insider...

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Insider Debate: Toupee or Not Toupee?

It's highly unlikely that you would walk around wanting to tell random people that you wear your hair. After all, you've spent so much effort in creating that 'undetectable' look. It would be like a Stealth Bomber covering itself in fancy Christmas lights.

But IF you did tell people, how would you describe it? What would you call it? A hair system? A hairpiece? A toupee?

Chances are, if you DID have to explain it - you would call it a hair system to someone who didn't know anything about them, just like I did to someone at dinner the other day. It sounds better, more advanced, and maybe just a bit more acceptable than 'toupee'. There's science involved.

But to all the pros who wear them, we refer to them as either hairpieces or simply, pieces. Why? Because we're all in the same boat, we're all the same, and we all know the game. So we cut the bull, knowing full well that we won't be judged negatively by people just like us.

What's your experience?

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Fun Stuff: Remember Sol Rosenberg?

The Jerky Boys.... Legends of early 90's wind up prank calls. They had a selection of very funny characters, including the lovable Sol Rosenberg. Here he is calling a real hair system company. Note how the guy on the other end is so focussed on the sale, despite such a horiffic story. "We need to get you in here for a consultation..." WARNING: Contains Adult Humor.

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Hair System Density: How much is too much? (Pt.2)

My stylist thinks it's cool...

We've all heard the horror stories about how people come out of a hair system salon and they're walking around with a wall of hair, way too thick.

The internet DIY boys usually always do a better job at getting the hair system density right, but if a guy orders too much density then that's his own fault. So what's the best way of making sure that an order is right first time?

Well, one thing to be clever about is checking how much side (real) hair you have, and what the density of it is. There's no point going overboard and wanting to pile on 80% density in your piece when you only have thinning hair at the sides. You'll get a horrible step effect and you may as well walk around with a T-shirt on saying "Check out my piece!" (and an arrow pointing up).

As a general rule, most people who need a hair system are age 25 and up. And of course, if you need a piece, its quite logical that your hair must be thinning. Therefore, playing it safe says that it is highly unlikely that a guy, regardless of his age, would need a hair system with a density rating of over 75%. That would be the limit in my view. 80% would look like a rug.

Therefore, a good density for the average guy is between 65 - 75%. If your hair is thin at the side then you would probably be looking more towards 55 - 65%. Me personally, I'm all about 65%.

Remember the rule: Go lower than you think you need to.

One thing that Easypiece does to help you out is to have an option to upload a photo right next to the density selection on the hair system order form. You still have to select your density, but if you add a photo, it will be checked according to your selection. If it looks like you screwed up, we'll change it anyway to something better.

(Read Pt. 1)

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Hair System Density: How much is too much? (Pt.1)

Den wrote:

Since I was about 28 my hair looked like it was thinning at the front and stayed like that for years so I got use to it if you know what I'm on about . So when they cut a new system in it just looks like loads of hair to me. What was your hair like before you started wearing?

Do you remember the first time you got your piece?....Wow, what a strange experience. I remember driving to my appointment to get my hair system cut in with my normal, balding, hair style. That meant hair at the sides, and a bit of fluff on top max. I had a proper runway up there. Air traffic control sometimes used to ask if planes could make an emergency landing on my dome. Apologies to any I turned down, hope you made it.

When I walked out, I had a full thick head of hair and I looked 15 years younger easily. You'd think that I would have been happy about it. I wasn't. I was completely and utterly FREAKED OUT that it was way too much hair, and way too 'over the top' (see the pun?). I mean, I could see that it looked good, but it just wasn't...well...ME. I remember driving home at well over 100 mph, and actually HIDING my face from other motorists (who were in their own cars, doing their own thing, and couldn't care less) just in case they would catch a glimpse of me as I whizzed past and would suddenly burst out laughing,

"Did you SEE that guy's PIECE?!"

"Yeah! But it wasn't a piece, it was a RUG!"

"No wonder he's driving so fast...poor guy."

When I arrived at my friend's house, I sat in my car for at least 10 minutes, super freaked about what he would say. I was so fragile at that point, that even a small smirk from him would have wrecked me on the spot.

"Cool. Wanna play Xbox?" he asked.

And that was it.....

I gradually got used to it, and slowly but surely would creep outside and allow the world to see me in my new guise. Amazingly, no one gave a hoot. And then I realised what that meant: Nobody noticed. And that was good thing....

These days, even when I get new hair systems cut in, I still feel that sense of "more hair" than I'm used to. It's only natural that after you've been wearing your old piece for a few months, hair comes out and it gets a bit thinner. Then the new piece looks full again.

So what is the best method for making sure that hair system density is as correct for you as it should be? Read Pt. 2

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Hair System Talk By Hair System Wearers

Hey, everyone. This is the Easypiece Blog - the place to come to read all about life with hair systems. This where you connect with other hair system wearers - to learn new tricks, tips, care methods and advice on all things hair system related!

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