Whether you want to improve or repair the appearance of your dolls’ hair, rerooting is the most fundamental way to change the way it looks. Dolls can be rerooted with any kind of “string” type fiber. If it looks or can pass for hair, you can use it. If you’ve got patience and dexterity, you can even use wire. Like this gorgeous Robecca by Mike Valentine.

This article explains how to calculate the amount of Saran or Nylon hair to use for different kinds of reroots. Saran and Nylon are used on factory-made dolls and are available at suppliers like Dollyhair and Restoredoll so colors or blends can match those used by Mattel, Bratz, My Little Pony and many other doll companies.

Saran

Saran is my personal favorite for rerooting. The strands are thin and allow for a more natural look on dolls. It has low heat sensitivity which means curls will last longer after styling. It’s soft and really easy to work with.

Nylon

Probably the most popular type of synthetic hair fiber due to the various color choices. Nylon is a “color scavenger” so it will actively soak in dye if you want to create a tie-dyed effect or want to change the color entirely.

Nylon looks waxy and very “plastic” which gives it a somewhat of a fake appearance. However, the colors are much more vibrant by comparison to Saran. The strands are a little bit thicker than Saran so get used to using less when rerooting. It’s ideal for short hair or elaborate hair.

Unlike Saran, Nylon has a very high heat sensitivity which makes it very easy to style but can just as easily come undone if left in one position for too long or anywhere near a warm area, like a sunlit shelf.

One little downside to Nylon is that some color blends, reds, and blues, in particular, have been observed to “stain” vinyl. It’s rare, but it does happen. Hand-dyed Nylon hair is especially suspect since the dye may not have set during the dye process.

Hanks and Skeins

Saran and Nylon come in Hanks (if you purchase from Dollyhair) and Skeins (if you purchase from RestoreDoll). Hanks and Skeins are the untouched form of Saran and Nylon and are how they come straight out of the factory. Use these measurements as a guideline, not a standard. Make a note of the Hank or Skein length and weight if you plan to get Saran or Nylon from another source.

Note: These measurements are found on Dollyhair and Restore Doll’s websites. Be sure to check their websites before you make a purchase to ensure that the information is up to date since it may have been changed at the time of this article’s writing.



Dollyhair Hanks

38” hanks

Dollyhair sells hair which calculates hair amount for Barbie and Gene with the hair length factored in.

DOLL LENGTH OF HAIR LENGTH ON DOLL PRICE Barbie 6.3 inches -short just below shoulders (3.15 inches) $4.00 Barbie 9.5 inches -medium middle of butt (4.75 inches) $5.00 Barbie 19 inches -long mid-calf (9.5 inches) $9.75 Gene/Tyler etc. 6.3 inches -short just touching shoulders (3.15 inches) $8.50 Gene/Tyler etc. 9.5 inches -medium middle of waist (4.75 inches) $15.00 Gene/Tyler etc. 19 inches -long just above knees (9.5 inches) $17.50 ANY 38″ see “info” button below $5.00 ANY 38″ RD hank see “info” button below $2.50

RestoreDoll Skeins

Standard: Two 18″ inch skeins and weigh .5 oz each. (Enough to reroot a Barbie Doll)

Large: Two 21″ inch skeins and weigh 1 oz each. *

XL Extra Large: Two 31″ inch skeins and weigh 1.5 ounces each.

* The Large format is my favorite and something I recommend for beginners. You either end up with “just enough” for a Barbie doll that has ankle length hair or “just a little bit” left over. It’s ideal to have just a bit left over to do retouch work than not to have enough hair. The worst case scenario is when the hair color you want is no longer available. Having the longer length also gives you the option of trimming the hair length to just below the knees (standard length for dolls with voluminous curls designed to be at waist length). Waist length hair can be achieved just by using 1 skein cut in half.

Sizing up the head

One 38” hank/skein is enough for 1” worth of a doll head circumference, assuming you intend to reroot a doll who has 38” long hair length. If you wanted to reroot a doll with 19” (A 38” hank/skein folded in half) with a head circumference of 4” around, you’ll need 4 hanks/skeins.

Using RestoreDoll’s format:

Standard: 18” skein and weigh 1 oz = 9” length hair on Barbie (4” head circumference)

Large Format: 21” skein = 10.5” length hair on Barbie

XL Extra Large: 31” skein = 15.5” length on Barbie

Keep in mind that when using the reroot tool or Knot method that you’re going to loose at least half an inch of hair length.

We’re using Barbie as a reference for measurement since there are a lot of dolls who share the same exact head circumference and size. But what about dolls that have a slightly big head circumference? What if it’s a doll of an entirely different scale? Get your measuring tapes out!

Wrap a tape measure around the circumference of your doll’s head just behind the ears and across the forehead. Measurement should be in inches.

Make a note of how long the hair length is starting from the top of the doll’s head. Rerooting a bigger doll needs more hanks or skeins with longer length.

Each inch of the head circumference is equivalent to one 38″ hank or skein’s width. Measuring the length will allow you to calculate how many times you need to fold the skein to get the desired length.

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Further Reading