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The hairy gig economy: How to make $1,473 from one haircut

Your hair could become your new side hustle. (Source: Getty)
Your hair could become your new side hustle. (Source: Getty)

The next time you’re heading to the hairdresser for a big chop, don’t just let those tresses fall to the floor to be swept up and thrown into the bin.

Instead, sell them online – and score yourself hundreds of dollars.

High-quality wigs and hair extensions are in healthy demand, meaning that the need for people to sell off their real human hair will always be there.

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And for those tight on cash, selling hair is a real option to making ends meet.

Marlys Fladeland, who runs Hairwork.com, told Marketplace that she sees a trend of more hair being sold around holidays.

“Everybody who needs money sells hair, I think,” Fladeland said.

“It’s actually more when the economy is bad because hair is something that you can grow back. And when people need money, they’ll find a way.”

How much is my hair worth?

Real human hair can be bought and sold on online marketplaces such as HairSellon, BuyAndSellHair, or even Gumtree.

The marketplaces list hair in all kinds of colours and lengths for a price range that varies from US$100 (A$147) to as much as US$1,000 (A$1,473) and upwards.

A listing for 22 inches healthy virgin hair. (Source: BuyAndSellHair)
Long, healthy hair can fetch for US$1,000 or even more. (Source: BuyAndSellHair)

Other listings might not even list prices, instead leaving it open-ended to fetch the best price.

These 17 inches of strawberry blonde hair are "open to offers". (Source: HairSellon)
These 17 inches of strawberry blonde hair are "open to offers". (Source: HairSellon)

European Hair Extensions, which supplies natural human hair extensions to Australia, will buy single ponytails of “shorter thin dark hair” for $75, but that will go up to $300 for “longer thick blonde hair”.

In the Ukraine, business is booming: beautiful hair is considered the ultimate accessory, and hair can be bought for an eye-watering £464 (A$822) per 100 grams, according to BBC.

But no matter where you look, ‘virgin’ hair – which is undyed hair free of heat damage – is most in demand, so if you were thinking of getting in on this hairy gig economy, make sure your hair is in tip-top condition before you chop it.

Yahoo Finance's All Markets Summit will take place in the Shangri-La, Sydney to examine the most critical issues facing Australia. Join us for this groundbreaking event on September 26.
Yahoo Finance's All Markets Summit will take place in the Shangri-La, Sydney to examine the most critical issues facing Australia. Join us for this groundbreaking event on September 26.

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