“Wait, YOU went to China?”
That’s usually the response I get when I tell people that before starting Harper Ellis Hair Co. it was VITAL for me to have boots on the ground to see what the hair production was like and what I would be getting myself into.
If you read my LAST BLOG you know that the reason I wanted to source my own extensions wasn’t originally to sell them, it was to be able to offer my existing extension clients a quality of hair that I could stand behind. Now, after I figured out that I had created the world’s best hair extensions, the story changed a little.
Changing the Industry
The journey started with me seeking out someone in the hair manufacturing industry that would listen to ME. The STYLIST! As an extension expert who worked with hair everyday, I knew what I wanted out of extensions. I finally was able to team up with a group that helped me create a patented technology- which is why our hair lasts longer than anyone else’s on the market!
Beyond the quality of the hair, it was so important to me that I worked with a manufacturing team that had morals which lined up with my own. I wanted to walk the halls and personally meet the factory workers, so I knew I was contributing to something I could stand behind. I wanted to be able to ensure I was helping improve the quality of lives, not contribute to a problem.
Finding The Manufacturing Team For ME
Another major part for me was making sure the hair we worked with was ethically sourced. I wanted to lay my own eyes on where the sourcing facilities stood and how they operated. I left China feeling even better about my choice in this journey, because I was helping support families by buying their hair!
My Trip Experience
You want to know the hardest part in the entire trip?
Me adjusting to the culture!
This southern girl likes her Coca-Cola with ICE! Ice is not a common amenity in China, so that definitely gave me some culture shock along the way! I also realized I might be a mildly more picky eater than expected…I could not WAIT to get my hands on a cheeseburger by the time I got home!
Also, I have to include an honorable mention to our factory directors for helping us book a Sheraton hotel that had western style toilets and not a squatty potty! If you don’t know what that is, I encourage you to Google it!
I wouldn’t trade my trip to China for anything. It was such an incredible experience that really helped me in being able to provide a product that I can stand behind and be proud of.
Will I ever visit China again?
Never say never. XO, Terra
