Do you know what makes a difference between strangers being able to tell you’re wearing a wig and your closest friends never even suspecting that you’re wearing one? The way your wig cap is constructed.
Let’s get down to basics for a moment. It all begins with the wig base, AKA wig cap. It’s the material to which the hair is attached to create the wig. When it comes to choosing the perfect wig for you, it is essential to consider the cap construction.
You probably have heard of the terms lace front, cool comfort, handcrafted, and monofilament, but what do they all mean?
Here, at TressAllure®, we want you to feel comfortable and look fabulous when wearing your wigs, so we’ve created this article to explain the four main types of wig caps.
Each wig cap construction type has its unique set of features and will give you a completely different LOOK and feel.
Basic Wig Caps
A basic wig cap (also called capless, wefted, or open-cap) is a machine-made wig cap made by sewing “wefts,” or curtains of hair, onto a strip of thin, elastic material. The wefts are disguised with a technique called “permatease” to hide them from view at the part area. Modern technology has introduced “thin wefts” which has the characteristics of standard wefts, but half the width and thickness, allowing for a lighter more comfortable feel, without giving up the amount of hair in the wig.
Finer basic wig caps are aerated and comfortable because the spaces between the wefts allow air to flow directly to your scalp. Are you worried about overheating? Then this is the cap for you. Some basic big caps are “thin wefted” and made with a fine stretchable material that can actually mold itself to the contours of your head, and memorize those contours for a customized fit. This is the Cool Comfort™ cap from Tressallure®.
PROS:
Breathable
Lightweight
Affordable ($129- $159)
Durable
Built-in volume
CONS:
Not as versatile as hand-knotted wigs.
The parting and crown of wefted wigs sometimes look quite noticeable. Unless, as with finer wigs, a combination of different weft types are used including “thin wefting” and carefully permanent teasing the hair before sewing into the weft.
The lace front is one of the most natural-looking wig cap constructions. An unnoticeable sheer lace front to your wig will create a natural-looking and undetectable hairline. With the lace front, you can style your wig away from your face without having to worry that the wig edge is visible.
Did you know that Beyoncé has been wearing lace front wigs for years? Me neither, until her hairstylist revealed this little secret. Lace front wigs were originally developed for theater and films. And particularly valuable with close-ups. A finely made lace front wig generally has a hand-knotted hairline and looks like the hair is growing right out of your scalp.
This construction is ideal for All the single ladies, All the single ladies (sorry, I cannot help it, I’m a huge Beyoncé fan :)) who want to have a natural LOOK as the invisible lace gives you the confidence to style your wig exactly how you want to.
There are a variety of lace front construction methods.
Trimmed lace- which covers the width of the hairline. This allows for a natural undetectable front.
Ear To Ear Lace- which covers the forehead from temple to temple. This allows for not only a natural undetectable hairline, but it is also undetectable on the sides and provides even more flexibility to pull your hair back off your face.
Deep Lace and Lace Front Lace Part- This also allows for an undetectable simulated part and actual part.
PROS:
Natural hairline construction for a style that is swept ‘off the face.’
Each hair is hand-tied one by one to a sheer lace section, allowing hair to move naturally at the hairline.
Most are ready to wear and pre-styled.
CONS:
It costs more than a basic wig cap. ($179-$329)
It is made with a delicate material that should be handled with care when putting the wig on and taking it off.
Some lace front wigs you can’t wear right away; first, they must be customized to trim the front.
With time, the cap of lace front wigs loosens. Fortunately, this problem is easily solved by asking your stylist to tighten your wig cap.
Monofilament wigs are popular for their design feature that makes it appear like hair is directly growing from the scalp. This wig type uses individual hand-knotted hair into a soft monofilament mesh at the top and crown to create a natural scalp appearance. Finely made monofilament wigs can be one of the most comfortable wigs you’ve ever worn.
Some stylists would argue that monofilament wigs may have the best kind of construction type because its design and material allow for a realistic-looking scalp and hair movement. So you’re free to part or style your monofilament wig in almost any way!
Convinced? Here are a few different types of monofilament wigs to watch out for.
Mono Crown
A mono crown provides a natural looking crown by making it appear like hair is growing just around the crown. If you’re looking for a lush-looking crown, look for a mono crown wig.
Mono Top
A mono top covers the entire crown area with double knotted soft mono, where the hair looks like it’s growing out of the scalp and brushes in either direction. This way, you can part your hair whichever way you want and it’ll look just as natural.
Mono Top Lace Front
A mono top lace front combines all the features of a hand-knotted mono top with a hand-knotted deep lace front, giving you the ultimate comfort, undetectability, and versatility. This is the kind of wig you’ll love wearing all day.
Double mono wigs are another accessible option. These wigs are created using a double layer of monofilament material. This design provides even more excellent protection from scalp irritation, particularly for sensitive to the hand-tied knots. The second layer of monofilament is attached to the knotted under-layer to create a smoother feel against the scalp.
Notice: every person’s sensitivity is different, and you don’t necessarily need the most luxurious features to feel comfortable while wearing a wig cap.
PROS:
Natural-looking scalp
Natural hair movement
Parting & styling versatility
A lightweight material that is cooling and pleasant
A double mono has an extra layer of soft fabric for added comfort
CONS:
Mono wigs can be a bit more expensive than other types of wig caps. ($399-$499)
Hand-tied knots may irritate some scalps – but don’t forget double monofilament wigs are always an excellent alternative for sensitive scalps, as is wearing a wig cap liner that not only feels soft to the scalp, but also keeps your own hair in place comfortably tucked into the cap.
100% hand-tied caps are the creme de la creme of wig cap models. Why? Because each strand of hair or synthetic fiber is sewn separately onto a mesh cap using a hand-knotting method.
This technique relies on handmade craftsmanship and is not dependent on machines and mechanical stitching. A hand-tied wig can take up to three days to make by a skilled craftsperson, an intensive process that produces a quality design. It also lets the hair move freely for realistic movement and versatile styling.
Hand-tied wigs are the go-to designs of the TressAllure® team.
A 100% hand-tied cap looks and moves like natural hair. It’s the most comfortable wig cap construction option because the wig cap material is soft and flexible. Just don’t be fooled into purchasing a cap labeled as ‘hand-tied’ and thinking that automatically means it’s 100% hand-tied.
Regular hand-tied wigs are a combination of hand-tied and machine-attached hair. Some regions (generally the part or crown) are hand-tied, but the rest is machine-attached. If you want your entire cap to be hand-tied, make sure to look for 100% hand-tied!
PROS:
Each hair of a 100% hand-tied wig is hand-knotted, making it the most secure cap option.
It makes the most natural movement as each hair moves freely.
Styling versatility- feel free to style your 100% hand-tied wig caps however you want.
The softest cap, ideal for a sensitive scalp and hair loss.
CONS:
With all the benefits that this wig construction provides, wigs’ prices with this cap are usually higher ($429)
Since this wig cap construction is not ventilated like a basic cap, this cap might feel warmer on the scalp.
Many 100% hand-tied wig caps are also lace front caps, and as a result, they loosen up over time. Don’t try retightening your 100% hand-tied wig cap by yourself; you’ll probably damage your wig cap if you do. Instead, ask your stylist to tighten it for you.
Must be delicately cared for to avoid damaging materials.
These are four basic designs of the wig cap construction. However, TressAllure® likes to combine the designs and incorporate more than one cap feature to ensure that the customer has a lovely wig wearing experience. Most wig wearers pick a style with a combination of features. Perhaps sheer comfort/mono top? Or, sheer lace front side part? Remember, it’s all about what is right for you and the wigs that will make you feel powerful and LOOK FABULOUS when wearing them.
