Chinese Beauty Exports Surge Despite U.S. Trade Tensions

Chinese-made wigs, hair extensions and press-on nails are gaining popularity in the United States despite escalating trade tensions between Washington and Beijing, fueled by demand generated through TikTok, Instagram and other social platforms. U.S. imports of Chinese hair products rose 12.4% year over year to $1.3 billion in the first half of 2026, putting them on pace to surpass the $2.3 billion recorded for all of 2025. Exporters in Xuchang, China’s wig-manufacturing hub, expect strong sales growth, while a press-on nail producer in Donghai said exports rose to 70% of revenue this year from 20% in late 2025. Analysts say the trend illustrates China’s ability to compete across both high- and low-value manufacturing through scale, specialized labor and integrated supply chains, advantages they expect will remain difficult for other countries to replicate.