The Best Hair for Sew-in Weaves

What's the Best Hair for Sew-In Weaves?

The best hair for a sew-in weave is virgin weft hair, due to its diverse selection, exceptional durability, and extensive styling possibilities. When opting for a sew-in weave, selecting the appropriate hair is essential for achieving the desired style. Virgin hair, which undergoes no chemical processing, stands out as the preferred option. It comes in various textures and is often classified as Virgin Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Cambodian, and Russian Hair, each boasting distinctive qualities.

Choosing the perfect virgin hair for a sew-in weave can be a daunting endeavor due to the abundance of options. It's crucial to comprehend virgin hair based on its origin. However, the lack of regulation in the hair extension market means there's a risk of encountering misbranded or inaccurately represented virgin hair. Therefore, it is recommended to conduct thorough research, read reviews, and seek advice from professionals before making a purchase.

To support you in making an informed decision, I've created a comprehensive guide to help you select the ideal virgin hair for your weave installation. Who could offer better advice than an experienced professional with over a decade of expertise in hair weaving and extensions? I trust that this blog will leave you with a sense of clarity and confidence as you embark on choosing the perfect virgin hair for your sew-in. Let's dive in!

What Exactly is Virgin Hair?

In the realm of hair extensions and weaves, Virgin hair refers to 100% natural hair that remains untouched by any chemical processes. Specifically, the term "virgin hair" indicates that the hair has never undergone color treatment or any form of chemical processing, ensuring it is free from relaxers, perms, bleaches, and hair dyes. Once sourced, virgin hair undergoes a production and manufacturing process to create various types of wearable hair extensions, including wefts/tracks, tape extensions, wigs, closures, and similar products.

Origins of Virgin Hair 

Virgin hair has several different origins or sources, I’d like to break these sources into two categories: actual place of origin and marketed place of origin for better understanding. The actual place of origin where most virgin hair is sourced includes India, Russia, Cambodia, and The Philippines. Hair labeled as "Brazilian," "Malaysian," or "Peruvian" are not necessarily sourced from these specific countries. These terms are marketing labels used by hair companies to promote and sell their hair products, targeting consumers seeking specific textures. Consequently, these labels do not guarantee that the hair is truly virgin (chemically untreated and 100% natural).

For those seeking authentic virgin hair, it is advisable to consider origins such as Indian, Filipino, Russian, and Cambodian hair. Recently, Vietnamese, and Laotian hair have also emerged in the market as virgin hair options. In my experience, these two hair types can be genuine virgin hair if the company is reliable and transparent about the actual source of the hair.

Types of Virgin Hair and Their Qualities: 

1. Indian Hair - Known for its outstanding durability, Indian hair possesses a soft, versatile, and robust quality. Given that a significant portion of the virgin hair available in the market is sourced from India, it is easily obtainable. Virgin Indian hair is characterized by its lightweight feel, silky texture, and enhanced shine, featuring a higher luster compared to other types of virgin hair. While it demonstrates minimal tangling and excels in retaining curls, it is worth noting that it may be more prone to frizz when compared to hair of other types.
2. Filipino Hair – Filipino hair is cherished for its diverse texture and variety of shine and luster, which spans from low to high luster. For more information on different "hair lusters," you can click here. This is the type of hair I frequently wear and provide to my clients because of its strong and thick strands, offering a remarkably realistic appearance that closely resembles both my own hair and that of many of my clients. The variety in lusters allows me to choose hair that closely aligns with my client's natural hair, rendering the weave virtually undetectable—a key objective in achieving the perfect hair weave. Sourced directly from the Philippines, Filipino hair is known for being tangle-free, shed-free, and the closest match to natural and relaxed hair.
3. Russian Hair – Sourced from the Russian Federation, this hair variety stands out with its coarse yet pleasantly soft strands. It secures the position as my second favorite, thanks to its versatility in offering a diverse range of lusters and colors. While this hair type is notably rare and tends to be on the pricier side, the investment is worthwhile. What I particularly appreciate about Russian hair is its availability in very light shades such as blonde and even gray. This extensive color range provides my clients and me with options for achieving blonde, gray, or pastel color matches. Similar to Filipino hair, Russian Hair also presents various lusters, making it an excellent choice for most, if not all, natural hair types, provided the right texture and color are chosen.
4. Cambodian Hair – Virgin Cambodian hair is renowned for its inherent texture, typically presented as straight, wavy, or curly. Sourced directly from donors in Cambodia, this hair maintains its natural state without undergoing any chemical processing. This quality renders it a favored option for individuals desiring an authentic and natural appearance.
5. Vietnamese Hair – Although new to the market Vietnamese hair is like Cambodian hair, it usually ranges from straight to wavy and the colors are usually very dark.
6. Laotian Hair – Laotian hair comes from Laos, a country in Southeast Asia, and i home to a diverse population with different ethnicities and hair types. Laos hair is similar to Vietnamese and Cambodian hair. This hair can be found in a variety of wave patterns and textures including straight, wavy, and curly. The Lao’s hair is also soft to the touch with a medium luster look and comes in colors ranging from dark brown to natural black.

Pros and Cons of Virgin Hair By Origin

1. Virgin Indian Hair - Indian hair has the advantage of being readily available, given that India is the largest producer of virgin hair. However, a drawback is that the hair can be thinner compared to other virgin hair types like Filipino Hair or Cambodian Hair. Achieving a full look may require using more than 2 bundles of hair. Additionally, it has the potential to become frizzy, necessitating the use of appropriate products to control frizz without compromising its soft and lightweight appeal.
2. Filipino Virgin Hair – Filipino hair offers numerous pros and advantages, particularly in its ability to seamlessly blend with both natural and relaxed hair. Its naturally thick strands create a full and healthy look, requiring no more than 2 bundles for an optimal sew-in weave installation. Additionally, it can exhibit a range of silky to coarse textures and medium to low lusters. However, a drawback and con is its rarity, posing a challenge to finding and occasionally resulting in backorders due to high demand and limited availability.
3. Virgin Russian Hair – As previously noted, virgin Russian hair is available in a range of light and blonde shades, maintaining this diversity even in its untouched state. This characteristic facilitates an effortlessly smooth color match for those seeking blonde or light brown and ash hues, presenting a notable advantage. On the flip side, the con is that this type of hair is the priciest among all hair varieties. Nevertheless, it proves to be a worthwhile investment for individuals committed to long-term use of weaves or extensions, particularly for those desiring to experiment with a variety of colors.
4. Virgin Cambodian Hair – Cambodian hair pros include its variety of textures, and thickness, as well as its availability in a variety of curl patterns. The con is that this hair is naturally dark and may not be suitable for lightening into blonde colors.
5. Virgin Vietnamese Hair – Virgin Vietnamese hair shares a similarity with Cambodian hair, as it can exhibit straight, wavy, or curly textures. However, a drawback is that it can occasionally look frizzy or overly silky, making it challenging to seamlessly match and blend with natural or relaxed hair.
6. Virgin Laotian (Lao’s) Hair - has the advantage of offering diverse textures, the curly variant stands out for its beautifully soft and non-frizzy characteristics, a rarity among most curly hair types. However, a drawback is the limited availability of this hair, as only a few companies offer it. This novelty in the virgin hair market means there are not many options to choose from.

When navigating the diverse world of sew-ins, hair weaves, and hair extensions, being well-informed and cautious ensures that the chosen virgin hair not only suits your style preferences but also stands the test of time.

To learn more about choosing the best hair for your sew-in, explore these additional blog posts covering hair textures and lusters.

If you're looking to get a sew-in and purchase the best virgin hair in the South Florida area, look no further. Visit the salon today which is conveniently located near Fort Lauderdale, and less than a 60-minute drive from Miami, West Palm Beach, and Boca Raton Florida. Feel free to book a consultation to get more information on how to elevate your look and achieve your hair goals.