Posted June 23, 2011 by Sunny Subramanian
The following article was written by Ashley Palmer.
Feather hair extensions seem to be the latest fashion craze, but is this trend worth killing for? Thousands of roosters are losing their lives so that people can wear their feathers as hair accessories. To me, that sounds more like a tragedy than a trend.
Luckily, I’ve got some tricks up my sleeve, and with these easy, fun, and animal-friendly DIY versions of feather hair extensions, you can get the look without harming any birds. It’s a win-win situation! So get craftin’, and go flaunt your featherless fashion.
Cut the ribbon lengthwise to form very thin strands. One end of each should come to a point. Lay out the cut ribbon and add colored stripes with the paint or nail polish. Let dry overnight. Secure to your hair with the bobby pins.
peta2 Street Team Coordinator + lover of vegan food, cats, animal rights, Dawson's Creek, and Harry Potter.
Hello! My name is Nina, and I am a musician-in-training, and I play 7 instruments. I am a liberal, an LGBT activist, avid reader, composer, singer, and poi spinner. I am vegan, and a strong supporter of animal rights.
Born and raised in Mexico. I love vegan food and animals!
I was born in Canada and love peta2. I table every month and meet new people:older and younger. I love music and play the recorder. I'm a 6 year spelling bee champion. Again I love peta2!
I'm tall, I love sewing, fashion and the environment, also I'm vegetarian (wannabe vegan.) Obviously, I love animals! :)
Jersey girl now I'm all country.
508 days ago
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a gazzilon of my friends wear the real feathers and i tell them not to and they just insulted me but will def. tell them about these, maybe even start a business with this as my main product!!
529 days ago
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Neat idea. <3
550 days ago
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thats such a good ideaa!(:
619 days ago
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That looks lovely, I should try it!
641 days ago
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i want that!! Awesome!! ♥ iT
644 days ago
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Great idea!:D I have 2 chickens I keep as pets, 1 hen and 1 rooster. They naturally lose(malt) their feathers, so I pick them up and have made feather earrings out of them! There super cute and cruelty free!!:D
545 days ago
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how do you wash them? what do you use?
649 days ago
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HairWeGo Products carries cruelty free feather hair extensions. I think they are also called printed hair extensions.
http://shop.hairwegoproducts.com/hair-feather-extensions/synthetic-hair-feather-extension.html
665 days ago
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i love the idea! but i’m so cofused on how to make them.
666 days ago
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I liked your option very much! I’m from Brazil so I’ve never heard about those hair feathers before. It’s sounds freaky to me that someone can use a rooster feather for that. I’ve saw here this hair braiding made with a thin and decorated wire and string.
http://girliedotcom.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/tranca.jpg?w=420&h=305
(img from google)
bye
666 days ago
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I have 2 parrots that shed their feathers and I keep every one of them. There may be places that sell these types of feathers. Not sure, but I would never buy anything that a poor animal has to pay their life for. Poor things
669 days ago
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Awesome I made quite a few and they’re extra pretty because my nails polish has glitter in it. You can make them any length, color, style, get a whole roll of ribbons and you can have a multitude of ‘feathers!’
669 days ago
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I’d like to see a rooster grow them as long as I am making them. XD
676 days ago
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That is a great idea. But for those of you that would like to curl or use as your hair, we have designed human hair loop ‘n’ lock alternatives to hair feathers. You can now get the look without the cruelty! You will get two feathers for the price of $15.00 ready to install. These are also 20″ in length, so you can cut them to the appropriate length. We have grizzily and solid colors availible.
http://www.urbanhairdesigns.com/2-Alternative-Feathers-Cruelty-Free_p_70.html
687 days ago
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This is great — I love this idea! A wonderful, cruelty-free alternative.
700 days ago
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I’m just collecting feathers I find in the wild. It’s not that hard when your friend lives on the lake and your grandparents have a bird
702 days ago
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It doesnt really look like a feather though…
706 days ago
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How cool! BTW, i find it really weird how people can wear real feathers in their hair -.-
710 days ago
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this is awesome, i love that your “feather” looks so real!!
711 days ago
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I just made those for my daughter and she loves them! She’s such a cruelty-free animal rights child, but she wanted to enjoy this fashion trend too. It’s a win-win situation for her and for the animals that didn’t have to die for a few feathers! Great idea.
711 days ago
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Why not just NOT wear them?? Dont get me wrong I am a vegetarian, but I think that people who need “Feathers” or “Pleather” are just holding on to obsession. Simply give it up if you want to be humane!
712 days ago
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I just do hair wraps, you know, with the embroidery thread. So many people asked if I had feathers. At that time I didn’t know what they were, and I’m thinking “ew, feathers?” but I have always done hair wrapping. It takes a really long time, but can last for about a week and it’s amazing. Take 1/4 of an inch of hair, braid it tightly, secure it for the moment (you’ll take it out when you’re done). Get the embroidery thread and tie it at the root of your hair. Wrap it tightly, using a mirror to guide you or a someone else to help you tie it. When you get to the rubber band at the end, take it out, since you have now covered the braid. make a “4″ (hair as the 1 and thread in the shape of an L) and slit the thread through the hole in the “4″. Do this repeatedly until the end, where you can tie a knot to end it off. As an alternative to just wrapping, you can do the “4s” with all of the wrapping. I hate the feather trend, I think it’s so stupid. But my hair wrap thing looks like the same thing if it’s thin enough.
712 days ago
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wow, i had no idea that REAL feathers are used…i was close to getting someO.o
712 days ago
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Yes! This is a great idea! At first I thought the feather extensions were cool, but realizing that roosters have to be plucked just for a fashion trend, it made me sick. I hope the fad goes out soon… But in the meantime, time to go buy some ribbon!
712 days ago
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This is BRILLIANT!!!! Let’s leave the birds alone!
712 days ago
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gracias por publicar esto . ahora ya sabemos lo que es correcto
713 days ago
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Or you could just use fake feathers?
713 days ago
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Those are so cool, thats an awesome idea ! luuvvv ittt
713 days ago
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So this is such and awesome idea!! My best friends little Sis wants a fester and I’m going to do this instead it will save her money and be better for everyone
713 days ago
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Feather sorry
713 days ago
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I buy mixed shed feathers from Ebay.
713 days ago
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Aren’t there also synthetic feathers? Are there any synthetic feathers that are hair ready for the less diy crowd? Or supply links for not cruelty free feather extensions?
713 days ago
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These look promising!
http://www.etsy.com/people/MegsFauxFeathers
666 days ago
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Thanks for the link!!
713 days ago
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I made those and they are very simple and cute i used an extra thin ribbon so they look almost like the real del unless you take them out of my huir and put them right infront of your face
713 days ago
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I can’t even understand the appeal (even if you don’t care about animals) of looking like a mutated bird/human combo. It’s really unattractive no matter which side you’re on.
720 days ago
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I’m going to do this tomorrow:D
720 days ago
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thats such a good idea! i didn’t know they were actual feathers, thats gross. i’m totally doing that!
721 days ago
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hmm. I’ve run a business making human hair extensions. i saw this is quite a nifty idea with the ribbon!
721 days ago
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actually doing this, u r subliminally interested in the idea of feathers and the ppl who wear cruelty feathers, dont know the diff….
713 days ago
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I would say that there is a difference because what people like here is the look, not the idea of where they come from.
712 days ago
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That’s like saying people who are wearing man made shoes are subliminally supporting the leather industry or that people that eat veggie burgers are subliminally supporting burger products. Come on anon.
722 days ago
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My friend has feathers in her hair, but they are pink! Cruelty free, AND colorful!
722 days ago
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Its the smartest thing I’ve ever seen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
722 days ago
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Looove it! I was against the stupid(yet fashionable) feathers even before i went veggie!
726 days ago
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YAY! adn my friend has chickens so we use the feathers that fall off
726 days ago
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You can also get fake feather hair extensions!
726 days ago
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That honestly looks prettier than feathers. I had two fake feathers in my hair but those look prettier!
726 days ago
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oh my gosh awesome! =)
726 days ago
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Awesome (: Looks Pretty Great From My View Point!
726 days ago
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People wear rooster feathers in their hair? Are these people on crack?
726 days ago
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IKR?!
726 days ago
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it so easy to make that cruelty free accessories and i am gonna m8ke one!!!!!
<3 it
726 days ago
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YAY!!!!!!!! I am so excited to buy some ribbon so I can do this!!!!
726 days ago
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AWESOME.
726 days ago
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Thanks so much for posting this! I hope people stop buying those real feathers!
726 days ago
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Great idea! I work at a place that sells the feathers. We recently found out that the feathers where not cruelty-free, so the company has changed where they are getting the feathers from and they are now all cruelty-free. :]
706 days ago
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Where do you work? I’ve been trying to get cruelty-free feathers for awhile
666 days ago
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me too! i need them!!!
726 days ago
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Great idea! Love it <3