Thinking about launching a hair extension or wig brand? Here's how Australian businesses source ethically verified human hair from Vietnam and India, what it really costs landed in AUD, and the quality checks that separate a five-star product from a return-flooded one.
Last updated: 19 August 2026
In short: Human hair extensions and wigs are one of the very few beauty categories Australian sourcing agencies rarely talk about, despite it being a genuinely booming social-commerce niche. Vietnam supplies the majority of the world's "raw" (unprocessed, cuticle-aligned) human hair, while India is the traditional source of temple hair, prized for its natural wave and volume. A private-label 20-inch double-drawn bundle typically lands in Australia for AUD $35-55 against a $120-220 retail price, once you know how to check quality before you pay a deposit.
Vietnam has built a genuine global reputation for "raw" hair — hair collected from a single donor, cut in one direction, and never chemically processed or acid-bathed to strip the cuticle. Because the cuticle stays intact and aligned, Vietnamese raw hair tangles less and lasts longer, which is exactly what Australian salons and hair extension brands are chasing when they market "Vietnamese Remy" or "raw Vietnamese hair" bundles.
India, by contrast, is the historical home of temple hair — hair donated at religious temples, most famously Tirupati, and sorted through an enormous supply chain built up over decades. Indian hair tends to have more natural wave and is typically sold at a lower price point than Vietnamese raw hair, making it a strong option for brands targeting the mid-market rather than the premium "raw hair" positioning.
The short version: Vietnamese hair is generally straighter, finer, and marketed as premium "raw" or "Remy" hair with intact cuticles running in one direction. Indian hair is typically wavier, thicker in texture, and more variable in colour and quality tier depending on which supplier and region you buy from.
Single drawn bundles include hair of mixed lengths within the bundle, so the ends taper naturally but the bundle looks thinner. Double drawn bundles have shorter hairs removed by hand, so every strand runs close to the same length — this gives a thicker, fuller look from root to tip but costs meaningfully more because it wastes more raw hair in production. Ask your factory to specify single or double drawn on every quote; it's the single most common quality mismatch between what buyers expect and what arrives.
Landed cost depends heavily on hair origin, drawing method, and whether it's sold as loose bundles, clip-ins, tape-ins, or a full lace wig. Here's a worked example for a first order of 200 x 20-inch double-drawn bundles sourced from Vietnam.
Cost componentPer unit (AUD)Factory unit price (FOB Ho Chi Minh City, double drawn, 20")$24.50Air freight + insurance (hair ships light but time-sensitive for stock drops)$3.10Customs duty (5% general rate)$1.23GST (10%, recoverable if registered)$2.88Sourcing agent / QC inspection fee$2.40Total landed cost$34.11
A comparable single-donor double-drawn bundle retails for $140-220 through Australian hair extension boutiques and salons, which is why margins in this category can be strong once you've verified a supplier who actually delivers what they quote — the single biggest risk in this category isn't price, it's mislabelled hair origin and drawing method.
Request a burn test on your sample: genuine human hair singes and smells like burning hair, curling into a ball, while synthetic or heavily processed hair melts into a hard, plastic-smelling bead. Ask for the hair's origin documentation and, where possible, a supplier who can trace bundles back to a specific collection batch rather than a mixed-origin blend — this matters increasingly to Australian consumers asking about ethical sourcing.
Wash-test your sample bundle in warm water with a mild sulphate-free shampoo and let it air dry. Genuine, well-processed raw hair should retain its pattern (straight stays straight, wavy stays wavy) without reverting to a different texture — a common giveaway of hair that's been chemically permed to fake a texture it doesn't naturally have.
Most Vietnamese raw hair suppliers will quote MOQs of 50-100 bundles across a mixed range of lengths and colours for a first order, though some will go lower for buyers willing to pay a per-unit premium. Indian hair suppliers are often more flexible on MOQ, particularly for buyers sourcing through Chennai or Delhi-based export houses used to smaller international orders. Full lace wigs carry a higher MOQ (typically 30-50 units minimum) because of the additional labour in hand-tying each wig cap.
A Melbourne-based beauty entrepreneur approached Epic Sourcing wanting to launch a raw Vietnamese hair extension line after struggling to verify suppliers found through general marketplace listings, several of which couldn't confirm single-donor origin when pressed. Our Vietnam-based team shortlisted three factories with verifiable collection documentation, arranged burn and wash testing on samples before any deposit was paid, and negotiated a 75-bundle first order with staggered length options. The range launched with a documented origin story the brand now uses directly in its own marketing.
Epic Sourcing has sourced 20,000+ products for 300+ Australian businesses, with bilingual teams on the ground in China and Vietnam who can verify hair origin, run burn and wash tests before you commit, and negotiate MOQs that suit a first-time hair or beauty brand. Our clients typically save 77% on average versus retail-equivalent pricing. If you're building a hair extension or wig brand and want a supplier who can actually prove where the hair comes from, talk to our team. For the broader logistics picture, see our guide on why Australian importers are going China+1 with Vietnam, and if MOQ negotiation is new to you, read our guide to MOQ meaning and negotiation. Not sure whether Vietnam, India, or China is the right fit for your broader product range? Read our comparison of sourcing from China vs Vietnam vs India.
Neither is objectively "better" — Vietnamese raw hair tends to be straighter, finer, and marketed at a premium for its intact cuticle, while Indian temple hair has more natural wave and volume and is typically priced lower. The right choice depends on your target customer's hair type and price point.
A burn test is the simplest check: genuine human hair singes, curls, and smells like burning hair, while synthetic hair melts into a hard bead with a plastic smell. Always request this test on samples before committing to a bulk order.
Most Vietnamese raw hair suppliers ask for 50-100 bundles for a first order across mixed lengths, while Indian suppliers are often more flexible. Full lace wigs typically carry a 30-50 unit minimum due to the hand-tying labour involved.
Human hair products don't require special biosecurity permits in most cases, but accurate customs classification and a clear commercial invoice describing origin and processing method are essential to avoid delays — a supplier audit before your first order reduces this risk significantly.
Typically 8-12 weeks from sample approval to landed stock in Australia, factoring in sample rounds, quality testing, and air or sea freight depending on order size and urgency.
