Three Ways to Ship a Hair Order
Most wholesale hair moves one of three ways. Express air (DHL/FedEx) is fastest - 3 to 7 days - and best for samples and urgent re-orders, but it is the most expensive per kilo. Air freight to your nearest airport is cheaper for 50 to 200 kg and runs 7 to 14 days. Sea freight is the lowest cost for full cartons and containers, at 25 to 45 days. A new account should start on express for samples, then move to air or sea as volumes climb.
Incoterms: Who Pays for What
- EXW (ex works): you collect from the factory. Cheapest quoted price, but you own the risk from the loading dock.
- FOB (free on board): the seller gets the goods onto the ship at the port; you handle sea freight and clearance. The most common term for hair weft containers.
- CIF (cost, insurance, freight): the seller pays freight and insurance to your port. Easier for the buyer, but you pay a margin on the freight.
Know which term is in the quote before you compare prices - an EXW quote and a CIF quote are not the same number.
Payment Terms Buyers Actually Use
For first orders, T/T (telegraphic transfer) 30% deposit + 70% before shipment is the industry standard and keeps both sides protected. L/C (letter of credit) is used for larger first orders where the buyer wants a bank to guarantee the goods match the contract. Avoid any supplier who insists on 100% upfront by a reversible method on a first order - that is the single biggest red flag in this trade.
HS Codes and Customs
Human hair extensions generally fall under HS code 6703.00 (human hair, dressed, thinned, bleached or otherwise worked; also articles of human hair). The exact sub-heading and duty rate depend on your country, whether the hair is 'human' or 'other' (synthetic blends may be 6704), and the form (weft, loose, or made-up article). Get the HS code confirmed before you commit, because a wrong code means a hold at customs and a storage bill. Our 100% virgin hair weave and top grade virgin Brazilian hair weft ship with the correct classification paperwork on request.
Lead Time and the Re-Order Math
Production after sample approval is typically 15 to 30 days, plus transit. Plan re-orders as (monthly sales x 45 days of cover) minus stock on hand, and place the order before you hit the low. The 100% human hair machine weft and the human hair weft are the fastest to turn around because they are our highest-volume lines.
Insurance and Samples
Always insure goods above express value, especially sea freight. Ship a paid sample set before a full run - one sample per colour family, not one for the whole range - and weigh and comb it on arrival. If the supplier balks at a sample or won't share the HS code, that is your answer.
Ready to Import?
Send us your target market, volumes and colour board and we will return a quote with Incoterms, payment terms, HS code and a realistic production-and-transit window. Contact the RAYLI HAIR sourcing team to start.
Before you ship: verifying that your supplier is the manufacturer matters for customs documentation and for defect claims, and understanding the specification determines which HS classification and duty rate applies to your goods. Our landed cost guide works through the full arithmetic on a real order.
Related reading: DHL vs Sea Freight vs Air: Cost and Speed for Hair Imports — express, consolidated air, and sea freight compared on cost, transit time, and capital locked in transit.