Market evolution: Wigs and false hair (CN 6704) — 2015–2025

Introduction

This report analyses the evolution of the European Union's trade in wigs, false beards, eyebrows, eyelashes, and similar articles (Customs code 6704) over the period 2015–2025. The EU market for these products, which encompass both human hair and synthetic textile materials, has undergone significant expansion and structural change. Driven by robust import growth and shifting global supply chains, the sector has become increasingly integrated into global trade, with notable developments in market concentration, partner dynamics, and product segmentation. This analysis draws on trade value, volume, price, and partner data to identify and explain the principal dynamics observed.

1. A Decade of Substantial Growth and Deepening Import Dependency

The EU market for wigs and false hair experienced strong, sustained growth over the reviewed decade, with both imports and exports more than doubling in value. However, this growth was asymmetric, leading to a significant widening of the trade deficit and a marked increase in the EU's reliance on external suppliers.

1.1. Explosive growth in trade values, led by imports

The total value of EU imports of CN 6704 products surged by 87.7%, rising from €167.2 million in 2015 to €313.8 million in 2025. Over the same period, EU exports grew even faster in percentage terms (121.8%), but from a much lower base, increasing from €27.0 million to €59.9 million. The peak import value was recorded in 2022 at €358.2 million, suggesting a strong post-pandemic rebound. This sustained expansion underscores the growing consumer demand within the EU for these products. The detailed trade overview provides a full timeline of these values.

1.2. Rising trade deficit and deepening import reliance

Concurrent with these growth patterns, the EU's trade deficit in this sector widened dramatically. It grew from -€140.2 million in 2015 to -€253.9 million in 2025, having peaked at -€314.4 million in 2022. This is quantified by the net import reliance, which measures the share of EU consumption met by imports. This indicator rose from 62.5% in 2015 to a high of 90.3% in 2022, before settling at 88.0% in 2025. This confirms that the vast majority of wigs and false hair consumed in the EU are now sourced externally.

1.3. Volume growth outpacing value, indicating price pressure

The quantity of imports grew even more sharply than their value, increasing by 104.4% from 4,124 tonnes to 8,429 tonnes. This outpaced the 87.7% value growth, implying a decline in the average import price, which fell by 8.2% from €40,508 per tonne to €37,191 per tonne. This suggests that the surge in import volumes was facilitated, in part, by competitive pricing from foreign suppliers. In contrast, EU export volumes also doubled (121.2%), with their average price remaining broadly stable (+0.2%).

2. Geographic Shifts and Increasing Supply Concentration

The geographic landscape of EU trade in this sector underwent a notable transformation, characterized by the consolidation of China's dominant position as a supplier, the rise of new African partners, and a significant increase in the concentration of the import market.

2.1. China's overwhelming and growing dominance in imports

China solidified its position as the EU's primary supplier throughout the period. Its share of EU imports grew substantially, with its export value to the EU rising by 113.2% from €93.2 million to €198.7 million. By 2025, China alone was responsible for approximately 63% of the total EU import value. This growth was not without volatility, as evidenced by a significant supply shock in 2019. The data on top import partners illustrates this central role.

2.2. The rise of West African suppliers and decline of some traditional partners

While China grew, other partners showed divergent trends. Imports from Senegal and Nigeria surged by 350.2% and 289.2% respectively, indicating a growing role for West African nations in supplying the EU market, potentially for human hair products. Conversely, the value of imports from the United Kingdom and the United States declined by 59.6% and 26.4% respectively, reflecting possible shifts in trade patterns post-Brexit and evolving supply chains. Imports from Indonesia also grew strongly by 75.0%, though a notable price shock was detected in 2022.

2.3. Intensifying import market concentration

The Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI), a measure of market concentration, confirms this trend. The HHI for EU imports by value increased by 29.8% from 3,400 to 4,411 between 2015 and 2025. An HHI above 2,500 generally indicates a highly concentrated market, and the increase shows that this concentration has intensified, largely driven by the growth of Chinese exports to the EU. The concentration analysis details these shifts.

2.4. Diversification in EU export destinations

On the export side, the EU's customer base also evolved. While exports to traditional partners like the United Kingdom, United States, Switzerland, and Norway all grew healthily (between 62% and 89%), the most spectacular growth was in exports to China, which surged by 4,952.4% from €0.3 million to €16.4 million. This dramatic increase suggests that the EU has become a significant supplier of certain high-end or specialized products within this category to the Chinese market.

3. Divergent Product Segment Dynamics and Intra-EU Specialization

The aggregate trade figures mask significant variations in the performance and pricing of the four sub-segments of CN 6704. Furthermore, within the EU, certain Member States have developed pronounced export specializations in this product group.

3.1. Human hair articles dominate import value, while synthetic accessories drive volume

The breakdown by product segment reveals distinct dynamics. The highest-value import segment is 670420 (human hair articles), which accounted for €146.4 million in 2025, with the highest and most rapidly increasing average price (from €113,591/t in 2015 to €178,827/t in 2025). In contrast, 670419 (synthetic accessories like false eyelashes and beards) is the segment with the largest import volume (5,428 tonnes in 2025) and a much lower price (€17,861/t). Complete synthetic wigs (670411) occupy a middle ground. This structure indicates that high-value human hair products command premium prices, while volume is driven by lower-cost synthetic accessories.

3.2. Export growth led by synthetic and other material segments

EU export growth was particularly strong in the 670490 (other animal hair/textiles) segment, where value exploded by 324.6% to €15.2 million, and the 670411 (complete synthetic wigs) segment, which grew by 98.3% to €12.9 million. The human hair segment (670420) also saw steady growth of 31.7%, but its share of total exports decreased. The detailed product segment data allows for this comparative analysis.

3.3. Intra-EU specialization: Sweden, Czechia, and Germany lead in exports

Within the EU, trade is concentrated among a few specialist Member States. Based on 2025 data for export specialization, Sweden, Czechia, and Germany are the most specialized EU exporters of these products, with revealed symmetric comparative advantage (RSCA) indices of 0.39, 0.30, and 0.29 respectively. Germany is the largest EU exporter by value (€22.0 million), while Sweden's export value grew by 210.8% over the period, showing rapidly growing competitiveness.

Conclusion

Over the 2015–2025 period, the EU market for wigs and false hair (CN 6704) matured into a larger, more import-dependent, and more geographically concentrated sector. Demand growth was robust, but it was overwhelmingly met by imports, particularly from China, which consolidated its role as the dominant supplier. This has increased the EU's strategic dependency on a single source for a significant consumer goods category. While EU exports also grew impressively, particularly to China and for certain product segments, they remain an order of magnitude smaller than imports. The market is characterized by a clear segmentation: high-value human hair products versus high-volume synthetic accessories, with different pricing and growth trajectories. Looking ahead, the sector's development will likely be influenced by trends in the beauty and entertainment industries, supply chain diversification efforts, and the competitive dynamics between established and emerging global suppliers.