Tape vs Glue
Summer Hair Piece Bonds
Glue Vs Tape, what works best in Hot Summers?
When I first got my very first hairpiece decades ago, it was actually sewn into my natural hair—which turned out to be a complete disaster. I later pleaded with my supplier to switch me to clips so I could remove the hairpiece when needed, rather than constantly travelling to a salon for servicing. Over time, however, the clips began pulling out my natural hair, which was incredibly frustrating and only made my male pattern hair loss worse.
Over the past decade, the men’s hair replacement industry has made huge advances in bonding technology, particularly with the development of high-performance tapes and adhesives. These innovations have helped move the industry away from the outdated concept of the “toupee” and toward modern, secure hair systems designed for 24/7 wear. When businesses still promote “toupees,” it’s a clear sign they’re out of touch—traditional toupees are meant to be taken on and off, unlike today’s bonded hair systems.
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When Replique launched in Brisbane in 2016, we focused on using high-quality glues such as Great White, Ghost Bond, and Ultra Hold. However, Brisbane summers are very different from many parts of the world. With temperatures in the high 30s and high humidity, many of our clients—especially those who were active or worked outdoors—found that glue-based bonds broke down more quickly, causing understandable anxiety.
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As we began supplying clients across Sydney, Brisbane, and other parts of Australia through our online store, repliquehair.com, we realised this wasn’t just a local issue. Clients in warmer regions nationwide were experiencing the same problem during summer months.
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Under normal conditions, most clients could expect a bond to last three to four weeks. In summer, however, this often dropped to one to two weeks, which is far from ideal. We then sourced a tape specifically suited to hot and humid conditions, and many clients were able to achieve four to six weeks of wear.
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That said, no bond is completely predictable. Factors such as sweating levels and natural scalp oils play a major role in how long a bond will last. In our experience, a strong tape typically provides around one extra week of wear compared to even the strongest glue.
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Another major advantage of tape over glue is ease of removal. With a full glue bond, only part of the adhesive comes away with the hair system, while the remainder stays on the scalp and requires solvents like C22 to remove. With tape, the entire adhesive lifts away with the hairpiece, making cleanup far quicker and easier. While the ingredients in tapes and glues are often similar, the removal process with tape is far more user-friendly.
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Ultimately, the choice between tape and glue comes down to personal preference. In our Sydney and Brisbane salons, we offer both options. However, we often find that once clients try tape, they tend to favour it for regular use.
