I have heard so much annoying things revolving around this subject. I'd like to touch base on some random facts and disprove some uneducated ideas about this product.
Roosters are not bred for the sole purpose of hair extensions ( while this might happen on small scale with 1 on 1 communication between a salon and farmer) They are not solely bred for hair extensions. While this trend is really spreading like wild fire this fact is untrue.
These feathers are originally used for FLY FISHING. They come in all different sizes and colors. Fly fishermen are extremely upset at the vast outbreak of salons using their hackle for hair because this has led to a mass shortage of supplies for the fishermen themselves. Even calling/walking in tackle shops asking for this item being a woman/possible hair dresser could get you a rude response, Which I can understand. The distributors and shops that carry them are back ordered at sometimes a year for these high demand feathers.
The actual company whiting has even cut off the salons from ordering from them wholesale. I am interested to see if the actual price of the saddles goes up from the origin down- since the original price ranges from about $10-$60 and can be seen with high inflation prices on sites such as ebay going for up to $500.00 each "saddle". The salons charge $5 per feather.
I believe the only solution to this other than the fishing community hoping the fad goes out of style as quickly as possible and things return to normal for the tackle shops...is for Whiting themselves to come out with a "Salon" grade package which they could even up-mark considering how much the salons are actually charging and then sell the normal saddles for their normal pricing to the tackle shops- At any rate some might opt to clean out the tackle shop grade hackle as well. WHO KNOWS. But that is a option.
Ke$ha and Steven Tyler might be the ones to get most of the "credit" for their hair decorations, However Ke$ha has stated several times that her hair feather extensions are creulty free and are from a eco friendly designer named Kate- Her website is
fauxtaledesign, she creates many other eco friendly cruelty free designer items (full review can be found in my blog under faux tale design HERE).
There are more farmers produce the famous style of feathers used for extensions but WhitingFarms is by far the most well known company their site and back story can be found at their website
whitingfarms . A general mis information I keep coming crossed is, that the birds are being produced and slaughtered merely for hair extensions to be worn in girls hair, While this trend migggghtt just be making the production pick up or have more bred for product supply and demand. This is not a true statement like I said before the roosters were bred for years before this trend ever hit the scene for fly fishing and will continue to be bred for fly fishing long after ladies stop wearing them in their hair ( if that ever happens haha).
These celebrities are really being scrutinized for wearing them and making them "popular" which is a bit unfair, as it is each persons choice to wear them and to educate themselves on the whereables and production of the feathers. As well as individual responsibility to not partake in events/fads/trends that are apart of something you don't agree with. It doesn't take a genius to guess where the feathers come from and that they are natural. I am also positive most of the ladies in the public eye we see wearing them have most of their styles and fashions picked out by stylists anyway.
this last image is just for fun :)
