What does “Remy” vs “Non-Remy” hair mean? In the wig and hair extension industry, the term “Remy” has been misunderstood for a long time. It is also mis-used industry wide. The hair industry is very competitive, and these these terms are used for advertising and marketing on a large scale. Sometimes customers are mis-led during their shopping experience and can end up purchasing something that isn’t what they believe it to be. Very little attention is actual given to educating the consumer on what they are buying.
Manufacturer’s have factories that sort hair for both quality and length. The hair goes through a grading process, the higher the quality, the higher the cost. So the grading process is where they decide whether it’s “Remy” or not, right? Wrong. The terms ‘Remy’ and ‘Non-Remy’ have nothing to do with quality, origin, or length of the hair.
Remy hair is hair that is collected and sorted from multiple sources. It is sorted so that the root to the tip of the hair is traveling in the same direction to ensure that the cuticle does not tangle. This is a very tedious and time consuming process when done correctly. Which is why real Remy hair is more expensive, and a much higher quality. The Angie wig by Jon Renau is a perfect example of real “Remy” hair. Jon Renau takes extra care at their factories to ensure the process is done correctly, while maintaining the integrity of the hair.
Non-Remy hair is hair that is collected and sorted from multiple sources as well. When it is sorted there is no guarantee that the hair is traveling the same direction from root to tip. The hair must be processed to remove the cuticle (or outer-most layer of the hair). This prevents the hair from tangling and inverting with surrounding hair. A great example of a quality “Non-Remy” hair wig is Carrie by Jon Renau.