H.A.I.R.

A proposal for a new material made from human hair.

While studying abroad, I used to cut my own hair, and I often felt uncomfortable with the idea that hair, as soon as it leaves our bodies, is considered "waste" or "unwanted."

After researching its material properties, I found that “A single strand could hold 100g (3oz) in weight: the combined hair of a whole head could support 12 tonnes *1”, “Weight for weight, it is not as strong as steel: more like aluminium, or reinforced glass fibres or Kevlar, which is used to make bulletproof vests. *1” and “Hair exhibits a high tensile strength, 150-270MPa *2”.

Based on these findings, the potential to create a new material utilizing the strength of hair, which has been largely underutilized, was explored.

Through several experiments, it was determined that when hair fibers are felted and hardened with wax, they achieve a certain level of strength.

The method for producing this material was compiled into a brochure which includes a map of hair salons where individuals can obtain hair, allowing anyone interested to follow the guide and create the material themselves.
Furthermore, a stool was created using this new material to demonstrate its practicality, showing that it has sufficient strength to support weight and be used as a functional object.

In today’s world, where sustainability in materials and products is increasingly prioritized, hair—often discarded as waste—may offer a promising solution as a sustainable material, potentially serving as a H.A.I.R., Human-centered Age’s Ideal Resource.

*1　Tim Radford, “Secrets of human hair unlocked at Natural History Museum in London” The Guardian, 2004, https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2004/may/27/sciencenews.research.

*2　Yang Yu, Wen Yang, Bin Wang, Marc André Meyers. “Structure and mechanical behavior of human hair” Materials Science and Engineering: C, vol.73, 2017, pp. 152-163, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0928493116319208?via%3Dihub#s0005.