Hair is often labeled in ways that don’t reflect how it was sourced or processed. Terms like “raw,” “virgin,” and “613” are common, but not always used correctly.

Raw Hair

Raw hair is:

• Cut directly from a donor

• Never chemically treated

• Not steam-processed

• Aligned cuticles

• Only available in natural dark colors (black to dark brown)

Once hair is dyed, lifted, toned, or textured, it is no longer raw. This includes any form of processing: even if it starts as raw.

Raw hair often varies slightly in texture or tone across bundles. That’s normal. It reflects the natural state of the hair and the fact that it hasn’t been altered.

Virgin Hair

Virgin hair:

• Has not been chemically treated before collection

• May be steamed for texture

• May be colored or lifted after collection

• May include some processing for consistency

Virgin hair can still be high quality. It often has a more uniform appearance than raw hair and can be easier to color-match across larger orders. It is not raw once it’s been altered: but it still performs well with the right care.

What 613 Hair Is

613 is a processed blonde. It’s made by lightening darker hair using chemicals. This removes pigment and softens the hair’s internal structure.

613 hair is not raw. It can be made from raw or virgin starting material, but once processed, it moves into a different category.

The process requires:

• Cuticle lifting

• Pigment removal

• Chemical exposure

This creates a lighter color but changes how the hair behaves. It may feel more porous and require more maintenance. That’s part of the coloring process — not a flaw.

The Problem with Labeling

Calling 613 “raw” is inaccurate. So is labeling heavily processed virgin hair as unprocessed. These kinds of mislabeling create confusion about what clients are buying and how the hair will perform.

At Chroma, we name things based on what they are... not how we want them to sound.

What we use:

• Raw = untreated, natural dark hair

• Virgin = unprocessed before collection, may be modified after

• 613 = chemically processed blonde