What Wigs for Kids does

Wigs for Kids is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Westlake, Ohio, founded in 1981 by Certified Cosmetic Therapist Jeffrey Paul after his niece required a wig during leukemia treatment. The organization designs, produces, and provides at no cost custom hand-tied cranial prostheses (hair replacement systems) to children aged 18 or younger experiencing medical hair loss from conditions including chemotherapy, alopecia, trichotillomania, burns, and radiation therapy. Each wig is composed of approximately 150,000 strands of donated human hair, hand-tied onto a custom-fitted foundation created from a mold of the recipient's head, with a production cycle of roughly 14 weeks and per-unit cost of $1,800 to $2,600.

The organization's operating model is a closed-loop donation ecosystem. Raw materials are sourced through a Hair Donation Program (requiring 12+ inch ponytails, with 20-30 ponytails from 4-5 donors needed per wig), collected via a nationwide network of Hair Donation Specialist stylists at partner salons and direct mail to headquarters. Production is outsourced to three long-standing manufacturers. Recipient children are onboarded through an 8-stage Recipient Program requiring medical professional referral, then fitted and serviced by Certified Service Providers (stylists trained through Hair Loss University) across North America.

Wigs for Kids is funded entirely through donations — no government funding — via individual contributions (including a Sponsor A Child monthly program starting at $20/month), corporate and group donations, peer-to-peer fundraising on DonorDrive, and community events including Cut-A-Thons, galas, and the Second Life Hair Fair. Distribution relies on a hybrid model: partner salons for collection, direct shipping to families for delivery, and a stylist network for fitting. The organization maintains 11-50 employees and has remained under founder leadership throughout its 44+ year history.

Name

Wigs for Kids

Legal name

Wigs For Kids

Website

https://wigsforkids.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Wigs for Kids is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that designs and provides custom hand-tied cranial prostheses at no cost to children aged 18 or younger experiencing medical hair loss, funded entirely through donations and a nationwide salon network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Pediatric Hair Replacement Services

NAICS

Personal Care Services (8121)

SIC

Orthopedic, Prosthetic & Surgical Appliances & Supplies (3842)

akta.pro primary industry

Hair Extensions, Wigs & Hairpieces (CRABABAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Hair & Wig Replacement Systems (Hairpieces/Toupees) (HSALAAAK)

Keywords

• Custom cranial prostheses
• Medical hair replacement
• Hair donation charity
• Pediatric wig services
• Nonprofit hairpieces

Headquarters

HQ city

Westlake

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Hair Donation (In-Kind): The organization collects donated ponytails of human hair from hair donors. Hair donations supply the raw materials needed to create wigs. The hair is sorted, measured, wrapped, and shipped to manufacturers who apply the hair to custom hairpieces, crediting Wigs For Kids for the materials.
2. Monetary Donations (Individual): Individual donors contribute financial resources to support the cost of creating hair replacement systems. Sponsors can enroll in the Sponsor A Child program with monthly contributions starting at $20 per month ($150/month to fully sponsor a child), or make one-time donations. Each hairpiece costs approximately $2,600 to produce.
3. Corporate and Group Donations: Companies, foundations, schools, churches, and civic groups contribute financial support to cover processing and operational expenses. The organization has partnerships with corporate partners for fundraising events and hair donation drives.
4. Special Events and Fundraising: Community events including Cut-A-Thons, bar crawls, fishing tournaments, galas, charity streams, and read-a-thons generate financial contributions. The organization uses an online peer-to-peer fundraising platform (DonorDrive) for personal fundraising campaigns.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Wigs For Kids provides custom-made, hand-tied cranial prostheses (hairpieces) at no cost to children aged 18 or younger who are experiencing medical hair loss from chemotherapy, radiation, alopecia, trichotillomania, burns, or other medical causes. Each hairpiece is built from approximately 150,000 individually hand-tied strands of donated human hair on a foundation created from a mold of the recipient's head, and is supported by a nationwide network of Hair Donation Specialists (for ponytail collection) and Certified Service Providers (for measurement, fitting, and styling).

Product overview

Wigs For Kids operates as a nonprofit organization providing custom hair replacement systems to children experiencing medical hair loss. The core offering is a hand-tied, full-cap cranial prosthesis made entirely from donated human hair, provided free of charge to eligible children aged 18 or younger. The organization runs complementary programs including a hair donation program (accepting ponytails of 12+ inches), the Recipient Program (an eight-stage process from application through delivery), Hair Donation Specialist Program (training stylists to harvest ponytails), and Certified Service Provider Program (training stylists to fit and style recipient hairpieces). Additional offerings include the Sponsor A Child monthly sponsorship program, Cut-A-Thon event toolkit, Girl Scout partnership program, and specialized hair care products for ongoing maintenance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hair Replacement Systems (Custom Hairpieces) Custom-made, hand-tied cranial prostheses made entirely from donated human hair for children aged 18 or younger experiencing medical hair loss. Each wig contains approximately 150,000 strands of hair hand-tied onto a foundation cast from a mold of the recipient's head, with hairpieces provided at no cost to eligible families (production cost in excess of $2,600 per hairpiece).
• Sponsor A Child Monthly Sponsorship Program Recurring monthly sponsorship program that lets donors financially fund a specific child's hairpiece and follow progress through the Community Roots newsletter. Options include monthly ($20/month minimum, $150/month fully funds a hairpiece), annual one-time payment, or 12 equal monthly payments.
• Hair Donation Program Public-facing program accepting ponytail hair donations (minimum 12 inches, preferably 14+ inches; clean, dry, and unprocessed) from individuals either mailed directly or harvested by Hair Donation Specialist partner salons. Each wig requires 20-30 ponytails from 4-5 donors to produce.
• Eight-Stage Recipient Program Application and fulfillment program for families of eligible children (ages 0-18) experiencing medical hair loss. Walks families through application, medical documentation by a referring professional, measurement kit, ordering, fitting with a Certified Service Provider, delivery, and ongoing annual support.
• Certified Service Provider Stylist Training Program Certification program for stylists who work with recipient families to measure, fit, cut-in, and style custom Wigs For Kids hairpieces. Graduates are listed on the Certified Service Provider Locator and serve recipients across North America.
• Specialized Hair Care Products Specialized hair care products designed for Wigs For Kids hairpieces. The first delivery includes one year of complimentary products, with additional maintenance supply available for purchase through the partner store.

Quantifiable outcome

• Hairpieces provided at no cost to eligible children experiencing medical hair loss, with one new hairpiece per child per year
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Eufora InternationalminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Eufora International ran a social media fundraising campaign 'Follow for a Cause' with Wigs For Kids in November. A raffle at Eufora's Vision Quest 2025 event raised $2,312 through ticket sales.
• Great ClipscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Great Clips partnered with Wigs For Kids in 2014 to support the hair donation mission. Great Clips stylists participate as Hair Donation Specialists, cutting and collecting ponytail donations from customers who wish to donate their hair.
• AquagecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Aquage partnered with Wigs For Kids in 2013, aligning the professional hair care brand with the nonprofit's mission to provide custom hairpieces to children with medical hair loss.
• THON (Penn StateTHON)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Wigs For Kids joined THON in 2008. THON is a year-long fundraising effort at Penn State University that culminates in a no-sleep, no-sit 46-hour dance marathon benefiting pediatric cancer. Wigs For Kids receives donations from THON events.
• PelotoniacoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2008Wigs For Kids joined Pelotonia in 2008. Pelotonia is an annual cycling event that raises funds for cancer research at The Ohio State University. Team Wigs For Kids participates in the Pelotonia Kids Ride, cycling to raise funds and awareness for children with cancer and hair loss.
• Girl Scouts of the USAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWigs For Kids is a proud partner with Girl Scouts of the USA. Girl Scouts can donate hair and earn a badge, volunteer at events, assist with salon outreach, host fundraising events, and run personal fundraisers. The Girl Scout Council introduced the Wigs for Kids Patch in 2004.
• Second Life (Virtual World Hair Fair)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe annual Hair Fair event in Second Life (a virtual world) has been a long-running fundraising event for Wigs For Kids. The 19th Annual Hair Fair took place in 2025 and the 20th in 2026, collecting in-world donations for the organization.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Locks of Love: Nonprofit organization that provides custom hairpieces to children with medical hair loss using donated ponytails. Closest direct peer to Wigs For Kids, operating an analogous donation-driven production model for pediatric recipients across the United States.
• Children With Hair Loss: Nonprofit that provides free human-hair wigs and hair replacement systems to children experiencing medical hair loss. Directly comparable in mission, recipient demographic, and donation-funded manufacturing model.
• Hair We Share: Nonprofit providing free human-hair wigs to children and adults with medical hair loss using donated hair. Comparable in production method and recipient mission, with slightly broader age eligibility.
• Wigs and Wishes by Andrea: Nonprofit providing free wigs to children and adults with medical hair loss. Comparable peer in the pediatric medical wig space, with a similar donation-driven supply model and referral-based recipient intake.
• Angel Hair Foundation: Nonprofit that provides custom wigs to children with medical hair loss. Comparable peer in the pediatric medical wig space, providing hand-tied cranial prostheses to referred recipients through a similar donation-supported program.

Broad incumbents

• Pantene Beautiful Lengths: Corporate-sponsored hair donation program (P&G/Pantene) that partners with the American Cancer Society to create free wigs for women with cancer. Comparable in donation-based wig production but focused on adult women rather than children.
• American Cancer Society: Large national nonprofit addressing cancer support services including wigs and head coverings. Comparable in serving the same underlying pediatric-cancer recipient population but operates at vastly larger scale across multiple program areas.
• National Alopecia Areata Foundation: National nonprofit supporting individuals with alopecia areata, including children. Comparable in serving pediatric alopecia recipients and providing community/educational resources, though it does not directly produce wigs.

Others

• Great Clips: National salon chain and strategic partner of Wigs For Kids since 2014, providing hair donation cutting services. Comparable as a channel partner and donor-collection network rather than a recipient-serving peer.
• Aquage: Professional hair care brand and corporate partner of Wigs For Kids since 2013. Comparable as a brand partnership and fundraising ally in the professional salon channel, not a recipient-facing competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/357764347475
• TikToktiktok.com/@wigsforkidsofficial
• Xx.com/wigsforkids
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wigs-for-kids

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wigs for Kids