Donate Your Hair
Did you know that every ponytail used in a wig is valued at $200 (USD)?
For over 5 years, we have been receiving hair donations from amazing individuals all across North America who all want to join in the fight against cancer in this unique way. These hair donations are used to make wigs for cancer patients who are undergoing chemotherapy and have lost their hair as a result of the harsh chemical nature of the treatment. Upon receiving the hair from you, we organize and sort the hair and send it to Angel Hairs for Kids in Toronto, Canada, which is a not-for-profit organization that turns the hair into wearable wigs and distributes these wigs to cancer patients.
Requirements to donate hair for making wigs
The following conditions must be met in order for your hair to be acceptable for making into a wig:
- Pony tail must be a minimum of 10 inches in length.
- Hair must be clean and dry. You should wash it the morning of the day it is cut, and blowdry it so that it does not get bundled up wet. Please refrain from putting any styling products in your hair before it is cut.
- Hair must be tied in a ponytail. Both ends of the ponytail should be tied by an elastic so that the hair does not get tangled.
- Hair must not be swept off the floor. Once the hair has touched the floor, it is considered unacceptable. The best way to prevent this is to tie the hair that is to be cut off in a ponytail, and to cut the ponytail off already bundled up.
- Virgin hair is preferred (hair that has never been chemically treated), however hair that has been dyed or permed is still acceptable as long as the hair is in good condition (you be the judge of the condition of your hair). Please indicate that your hair has been chemically treated if this is the case (write it on your package). Unfortunately, we do not accept any hair with greying it in because the organization is making wigs for kids.
Ways to donate hair
Register for Cuts for Cancer 2011
- Make a hair donation
Join us on the one-day annual Cuts for Cancer event and get your hair cut in front of the public in the UBC Student Union Building (SUB). You can collect pledges from your supporting family and friends for the Canadian Cancer Society before the day of the event. - Shave in support
Don't have enough hair to get a full 10" to donate? You can shave in support! Shaving your head shows your support and helps raise awareness in everyone who sees you. Again, you can collect pledges from your family and friends -- from everyone who'd like to see you get a radically different hairdo, all in the name of charity! Go bald at the next Cuts for Cancer event!
Donate hair by mail
We no longer accept hair donations through mail. Send your donations directly to Angel Hair for Kids. Directions can be found in their donation guidelines.
As more people have become aware of Cuts for Cancer over the years, our hair donations have continued to grow significantly every year. Our hair donors do not only include the participants on our annual event day in March, but many other donors send us their hair by mail continuously throughout the year from across the world.
Due to the fact that we only have a mail box the size of a shoebox and the fact that the UBC Cancer Association club is run and organized by a small group of very busy university students, it has become increasingly difficult for us to keep up with physically sorting through all the hair mail we receive. Last year, we received over a staggering 350 packets of hair mail. Once we receive all your hair and have it sorted, we send it all off to Angel Hair for Kids in Ontario that transforms the hair into wigs for cancer patients. However, the high shipping fees we pay to deliver that hair cannot be sustained by our club with its small budget.
This is why we will not accept hair sent to us by mail anymore. However, this DOES NOT mean that Cuts for Cancer is gone. We are still going strong with our yearly event, and we still strongly encourage you to participate in this great movement. We encourage everyone to mail their hair donations directly to Angel Hair for Kids.
Hair donation programs in Canada
We are aware of the following Canadian hair donation programs that accept donations of human hair for the manufacture of wigs for cancer patients. Please check for any additional program requirements listed below before mailing in your hair.
Western Canada
Eva & Co. Wigs
519 West Pender St.
Vancouver, BC V6B 1V5
Hair donations accepted by mail only.
Hair must be 8" (20 cm) or longer.
Do not braid the hair.
Havana Technical Hair Design
326 Gilmore Avenue
Burnaby, BC V5C 4R1
Hair must be 8" (20 cm)or longer.
Do not braid the hair.
Eastern Canada
A-Bientot
371 Wellington Road South, Unit 5
London, ON N6C 4P9
Hair must be 12" (30 cm) or longer.
A Child's Voice Foundation
Angel Hair for Kids
3034 Palstan Road, Suite 301
Mississauga, ON L4Y 2Z6
Hair must be 10" or longer.
Non-processed hair accepted only.
Braided hair is preferable.
Hair for Kids Program, c/o Continental Hair
92 1/2 Avenue Road
Toronto, ON M5R 2H2
Hair must be 10" (25 cm) or longer.
Minimally processed hair is acceptable.
Wigs for Kids Affiliate, c/o The Medical Image
603 Argus Road
Toronto, ON L6J 6G6
Hair must be 12" (30 cm) or longer.
Grey hair is not accepted.