California businessmen hope to break world record for 'most hair donated in 24 hours'
Charity event seeks to help others while bringing community together
Whoever said one world record was enough?
For the team at Longhairs, a California-based men's grooming brand, bigger is better. Or — in their company's case — longer is better.
After setting a Guinness World Record five years ago for the "most hair donated to charity in a 24-hour period" during "The Great Cut of 2019," Chris Healy, co-founder of the Longhairs, and Sean Horton, the company's creative director, are ready to surpass that record.
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Healy and Lindsay Barto, co-founder of Longhairs, started growing out their own hair in 2012 but quickly realized the long hair market was essentially for women, Healy told FOX Business — meaning there was room to grow.
"We started going out looking for products like hair ties, and [asking ourselves], ‘Should I tie my hair or should I brush my hair?’" Healy said.
The Longhairs, a men's grooming brand, is holding a charity event on Saturday, March 16, with all proceeds going to help Children With Hair Loss. Those who have their hair cut or their heads shaved can donate to a good cause. (Erica Joan / Fox News)
"Really, everything [related to long hair was] geared toward women and there was really nothing speaking to men with long hair."
As a company, The Longhairs started out by making hair ties for men. Today, it's a full-fledged hair care company offering shampoos, conditioners, hair serums and much more.
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When Healy and Barto started creating hair ties for men, they appeared on "Shark Tank" — with Mark Cuban deciding to invest in the company.
While selling "hair ties was the first idea, we pretty quickly learned it was more than just a product," Healy said.
"It was about a community. It was about being a guy with long hair and the unique, interesting things that we all go through together."
On an episode of "Shark Tank," the entrepreneurs from San Diego talked about what every man with long hair "needs to know and have in their life." (ABC/Eddie Chen / Fox News)
He added, "Our vision has since developed into inspiring confidence, developing masculinity and fostering community among guys growing their hair. And so we have started and grown this global long hair community of guys who are either growing their long hair or want to grow their hair, and many of whom are growing it just to be able to donate it."
"We pretty quickly learned it was more than just a product."
The company has also developed tutorials and amassed a large global audience on social media.
The Longhairs decided to challenge their following and the long hair community as a whole by asking people to donate hair in an effort to break the Guinness World Record for most hair donated to charity in 24 hours.
The organization was successful in 2019, donating over 339 pounds of hair — but now the Longhairs team is hoping to surpass that record in 2024.
Longhairs is partnering with Children With Hair Loss, an organization that will receive 100% of the proceeds.
"We believe that this is the true reflection of masculinity, which is giving freely of ourselves cheerfully and in abundance," Horton told FOX Business.
Chris Healy is shown in 2019, when The Longhairs set their first Guinness World Record. They're hoping to break their own record this year. (Erica Joan / Fox News)
"We love to see the kids' smiling faces every year at their annual charity ball … It's a pleasure and it makes it all worth it."
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"The Great Cut of 2024" will take place in San Diego on Saturday, March 16.
The team anticipates that nearly 500 to 600 haircuts will take place during the event, but mail order donations will make up the majority of the weight of hair needed to exceed the current record.
"It's going to be emotional."
Donations have already come in by mail from as far away as Japan and Australia.
"We're now swimming in hair at our headquarters because we've already received hundreds of donations — but we're not just getting everyone else to cut their hair," Healy said.
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Healy and Horton will be shaving their heads in front of the entire audience during the Great Cut event.
Horton has been growing out his hair since 2017, with a few trims every so often; his hair has now reached roughly 22 to 24 inches in length.
Chris Healy, left, and Sean Horton of The Longhairs. The ticketed event to be held on March 16 will include hundreds of hair stylists and barbers who will be ready to cut participants' hair. (Erica Joan / Fox News)
Healy has had several trims, including during "The Great Cut of 2019," but has been growing out his mane for nearly 11 years and now has roughly 28 inches of hair.
Horton is not just donating his locks to the cause; he'll be paying tribute to his own father.
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"In 2017, I lost my father to cancer, and one of the most intimate experiences I had with him was the act of shaving his head while he was going through chemotherapy," Horton said.
"Almost any kind of hair is accepted. Any color, any texture."
"And this is sort of my homage in a sense, a way to connect with him again and to kind of relive that experience in my own way. So, it's going to be emotional."
The ticketed event will include hundreds of hair stylists and barbers who will be ready to cut participants' hair. Mail-in donations must arrive by March 15.
The minimum length of hair that can be donated is eight inches, but the Longhairs are really pushing for 12 to 14 inches in the hope of making wigs for little girls who want long hair, Healy said.
The Great Cut of 2024 takes place this coming weekend in San Diego. (Erica Joan / Fox News)
"Almost any kind of hair is accepted. Any color, any texture. And that includes gray hair locks or dreadlocks," he continued.
The only hair that will not be accepted is hair that has been bleached or chemically damaged in any way.
While the team feels pressure to succeed, the event is meant to be fun and make people happy.
"Basically, we're throwing the biggest party of our lives in order to give freely of ourselves for a great cause," Healy said.
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Horton hopes people leave the event feeling that they've made a difference.
"The unique thing about donating your hair is that anybody of any age, of any ability, of any status, can have an impact," Horton said.
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"And that's what's so special about this event. You don't have to be skilled or talented. You just need to have hair," he added.
To learn more about the charity event and the company's efforts, anyone can check out thegreatcut.us and thelonghairs.us.
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