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Studio Swine take us behind the scenes of the world's human hair industry

Date
9 July 2014

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It’s no secret that Studio Swine are forever pushing boundaries in the world of product design, taking uncommon materials and putting them to universal use. But their latest project is extremely unusual, even by their own standards. For Hair Highway the pair ventured into the heart of mainland China to the epicentre of the global human hair trade. There they acquired enough human hair to use it as the basis for a number of luxury bespoke objects – the carefully-maintained strands preserved in deep amber resin, creating stunning patterns and textures. To top it all off they’ve made this lovely film to document their journey, the people behind this strange trade and the finished products themselves.

A close-up of a paintbrush with golden bristles. A thick, glossy stream of reddish-brown paint flows across the brush, creating a reflective, undulating surface.
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Studio Swine and Juriaan Booij: Hair Highway

A person in a red apron holds a large bundle of dark hair in a workshop. Beside them, a sewing machine sits on a table with three spools of red thread.
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Studio Swine and Juriaan Booij: Hair Highway

Two people crouch on a pavement, inspecting long bundles of dark hair laid out on the ground. In the background, a red car and a motorbike pass by on a sunny street.
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Studio Swine and Juriaan Booij: Hair Highway

A busy street market in a town, with people walking and riding scooters between rows of stalls. In the foreground, a person leads a goat, while another goat stands in the back of a small blue truck.
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Studio Swine and Juriaan Booij: Hair Highway

A close-up of hair dyed in a deep reddish-brown hue. The colour forms a wavy, organic shape that overlaps lighter, blonde hair below.
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Studio Swine and Juriaan Booij: Hair Highway

A person in a dark sweater and glasses stands in a dim industrial space, looking towards the camera. Behind them, another person works beside a large, industrial metal fan.
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Studio Swine and Juriaan Booij: Hair Highway

A person’s hand rests on several bundles of blonde hair tied with brown bands. The hair is laid out on a worn wooden workbench next to a pair of black scissors.
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Studio Swine and Juriaan Booij: Hair Highway

A person wearing dark sunglasses and a black jacket looks off-camera with a neutral expression. They are seated on a motorbike, with the blurred background of a street and buildings behind them.
Above

Studio Swine and Juriaan Booij: Hair Highway

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About the Author

James Cartwright

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James started out as an intern in 2011 and came back in summer of 2012 to work online and latterly as Print Editor, before leaving in May 2015.

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