A bundle listed as “20 inches, 100 grams” can arrive looking short, thin at the tips and lighter than promised. Product pages rarely say how those numbers were measured, so the buyer carries the risk. This guide shows you how to measure hair extension length, check weight in grams and judge end fullness yourself, plus the exact specs to ask a supplier for before you pay.
The only tools you need: a flexible tape, a digital scale and a window.
What You Need to Measure Hair Extensions at Home
Gather three things before you open any package: a soft tape measure (the sewing kind, not a metal builder’s tape), a digital kitchen scale that reads in single grams, and a phone camera. Work on a flat table with natural light. Photograph every step. Photos protect you if you need to file a claim later.
Weigh your scale with an object of known weight first. Standards bodies such as the NIST Office of Weights and Measures publish guidance on scale accuracy, and a cheap kitchen scale can drift.
How to Measure Hair Extension Length (Stretched vs Relaxed)
Stretched length is the number that matters. Wig and extension makers use it as the working standard, as WIGI Hair explains in its wig length guide. Curly hair at 18 inches stretched can sit well above the shoulder once it springs back.
- Remove the packaging. Plastic bags and bands add fake length at the top and hide the true start of the hair.
- Detangle gently with a wide-tooth comb.
- Lay the weft flat and place the 0 mark on the stitching line of the weft. For bulk hair, start at the tied end.
- Pull the hair straight without tension and read the number at the longest strand.
- Measure the shortest strand too. Natural hair is not cut blunt, so a spread of one to two inches is common. A spread much wider than that means you are buying a mix of lengths.
Length Changes With Texture
| Texture | What to expect | What to do |
| Straight | Stretched and relaxed length match | Buy the length you want |
| Wavy | Looks shorter by a small amount | Stretch before measuring |
| Curly | Visibly shorter and heavier looking | Consider one size longer |
Then hold the hair against your own body to see where it lands. A 20-inch bundle ends at a different spot on a 5’2″ client than on a 5’10” client.
How to Check Hair Extension Weight in Grams
Length tells you how long the hair is. Weight tells you how much hair there is. Two 22-inch bundles can look identical on a listing while one holds noticeably more hair.
- Put a clean, empty tray on the scale and zero it.
- Place the dry bundle on the tray with no bag, band or hanger.
- Read the weight and photograph the display.
- Compare it with the listing. Many suppliers sell 100 gram bundles, but the figure differs by brand, so confirm the number with your seller.
Damp hair weighs more. Humid storage or a rinse before shipping can inflate the figure, so weigh hair that has sat in a dry room for a few hours. Ask the seller for a short video of the bundle on a scale before shipping. A real factory can film this in a minute.
How Many Grams Do You Need for a Full Look?
The answer depends on client hair density, the method and the target length. Luxy Hair publishes a weight guideline by hair type for clip-ins, which shows how much the right gram count changes with thickness. For sew-in or wefted installs, your stylist knows the head, so use their count and compare it with the grams listed. Longer lengths need more weight to avoid a stringy finish, because the same grams spread across more inches.
How to Judge End Fullness Before You Buy
Thin ends are the most common complaint after purchase, and no listing shows them. End fullness describes how much hair is left at the tips compared with the top of the bundle. Full ends read as one thick, blunt line. Thin ends look wispy and taper to a few strands.
The Three-Step End Fullness Test
- Pinch test. Gather the bottom two inches in your fingers, then gather two inches near the weft. The tip section should feel close in thickness to the top. A big drop means a heavy taper.
- Light test. Hold the bundle against a window. If you see the window through the tips, the ends are see-through.
- Fold test. Fold the weft in half and compare the two tip edges. Uneven edges show a mix of cut lengths.
Single drawn hair keeps most of the length range in the bundle and tapers at the ends. Double drawn hair removes shorter strands, so the tips look fuller and the bundle holds less total hair per inch of weft. Neither type is wrong, but a double drawn bundle at 100 grams will not feel like a single drawn bundle at 100 grams. Ask which one you are getting.
Light test: full ends block the window, thin ends let it through.
The Spec Sheet to Request From Any Hair Supplier
Send this list before you order. A supplier who answers clearly is a supplier you can work with.
| Spec | Why it matters |
| Stretched length, longest and shortest strand | Shows the real range, not a rounded label |
| Dry weight per bundle, without packaging | Lets you compare price per gram |
| Single drawn or double drawn | Explains tip thickness |
| Photo of the tips against a light | Proves end fullness |
| Weight tolerance (for example plus or minus 5 grams) | Sets what counts as a defect |
| Processing grade: raw, virgin or Remy | Grade decides how the hair ages, more than origin does |
Processing grade shapes how a bundle behaves after the first wash. If you are comparing sources, read our guide to raw, virgin and Remy hair before you decide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you measure hair extension length correctly?
Lay the hair flat, put the 0 mark at the top of the weft and read to the longest tip. Stretch wavy or curly hair straight first and record the stretched length.
How much should a bundle of hair extensions weigh?
Many suppliers sell bundles at 100 grams, but the number varies by brand. Weigh the dry hair without packaging and compare it with the listing.
How can you tell if hair extension ends are full?
Gather the bottom two inches and compare the thickness with the section near the weft. Hold the bundle against a window. If you see through the tips, the ends are thin.
Buy With Numbers You Can Check
Length, weight and end fullness take about five minutes to verify, and they decide whether a bundle works in a real install. Measure stretched length, weigh dry hair, run the three-step end test and ask for the spec sheet above. [INSERT: one sentence on Raw Hair Luxury’s own measurement and weight policy, only after confirming it with the team.]
Ready to compare specs? Contact Raw Hair Luxury for a spec sheet and tip photos on the lengths you need. You can also browse our raw hair collection and read the wholesale buying guide.
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