Why are Shtreimels and Sheitels so Expensive??? Rant!!!

amother

Thu, Jun 29 2023, 12:46 am

If you belong to a community of tichel wearers and non shtreimel wearers please Silent

For those of you lucky enough to require these items, unless you want to be an outcast, please chime in....
Dh needs a new shtreimel yesterday. How am I supposed to just fork over thousands of dollars for a decent one?
And sheitels, used to be cheaper brands were in the thousand dollar range. No more! They are all above the two thousand dollar range now!.

amother

Mayflower

Thu, Jun 29 2023, 1:05 am

amother OP wrote:

If you belong to a community of tichel wearers and non shtreimel wearers please Silent

For those of you lucky enough to require these items, unless you want to be an outcast, please chime in....
Dh needs a new shtreimel yesterday. How am I supposed to just fork over thousands of dollars for a decent one?
And sheitlach, used to be cheaper brands were in the thousand dollar range. No more! They are all above the two thousand dollar range now!.

Would you be open to a lace top wig? I know of a new brand that is significantly less and just as nice.

amother

NeonGreen

Thu, Jun 29 2023, 1:08 am

Irene's and sarys are not over 2k. Definitely if not lace.
Sary is having a shoulder length non lace sale now 1200

But yes, sheitels are so expensive. Sad

amother

Thu, Jun 29 2023, 1:15 am

amother Mayflower wrote:

Would you be open to a lace top wig? I know of a new brand that is significantly less and just as nice.

Not as of yet. But I do want a very flat top.
What's the company name?

amother

Thu, Jun 29 2023, 1:16 am

amother NeonGreen wrote:

Irene's and sarys are not over 2k. Definitely if not lace.
Sary is having a shoulder length non lace sale now 1200

But yes, sheitels are so expensive. Sad

Maybe my sheitel macher is extra expensive because her prices for a Sary are in the mid 2k range.

amother

Thu, Jun 29 2023, 1:18 am

DrMom wrote:

- Both are made from expensive materials (human hair, animal fur)
- Both have a limited market and captive audience
- Inflation

I know. But prices have jumped up like crazy over the past 2 years.
I feel like Covid has put prices on steroids.

First Lady

Thu, Jun 29 2023, 1:19 am

amother Mayflower wrote:

Would you be open to a lace top wig? I know of a new brand that is significantly less and just as nice.

Can you pm me? I'd like to hear more.

amother

Seablue

Thu, Jun 29 2023, 1:30 am

amother NeonGreen wrote:

Irene's and sarys are not over 2k. Definitely if not lace.
Sary is having a shoulder length non lace sale now 1200

But yes, sheitels are so expensive. Sad

Are these brands good quality?

imaima

Thu, Jun 29 2023, 1:31 am

amother OP wrote:

I know. But prices have jumped up like crazy over the past 2 years.
I feel like Covid has put prices on steroids.

It did
Does it feel better now?

amother

Cinnamon

Thu, Jun 29 2023, 6:05 am

I love my Irenes. All shaitles have gone up though.

However, my husband bought a new streimel recently and the current streimels were 17,000 shekel and up. My shaitles don't cost nearly that amount.

Thankfully we're old and uncool so the regular streimel my husband wanted, the same style he's been wearing for years was pretty reasonable. Sure, the guy had to get it out of the back with a, "Really? You're sure this is what you want?!" but it certainly didn't start at 17,000 shekel!

imaima

Thu, Jun 29 2023, 6:11 am

amother OP wrote:

I assume you're being humorous?

No
Covid OBVIOUSLY put prices on steroids, production was disrupted, transportation between countries and continents was disrupted, and it applies to ANY kind of industry, why would it be different for sheitels and shtreimels?

Now that you have understood this simple truth, will it be easier to shell out this money? Knowing that it is not some mysterious shtick but a logical result of the developments of the recent years.

amother

Hunter

Thu, Jun 29 2023, 8:00 am

I'm with you op.
This isn't just about inflation. This is about raising the standards that require these things to be so expensive.
Our expectations for how wigs and shtreimels should look have gone through the roof and with that the cost went up too.
Maybe I'm biased because I'm a woman but an expensive shtreimel is a bigger waste of money and unnecessary expense than a pretty sheitel. I wish we can can abolish shtreimels or have them made out of much cheaper materials.

(Signed, a chassidish woman.)

amother

Steel

Thu, Jun 29 2023, 8:23 am

We’re heimish and husband wears a black hat, I tell him all the time how lucky we are that his hat costs about $400!
My shaitels on the other hand… my last one was 5k… I haven’t found anything in the 2k range since 4 years ago! Maybe it depends on the length

amother

Amaryllis

Thu, Jun 29 2023, 8:42 am

DrMom wrote:

- Both are made from expensive materials (human hair, animal fur)
- Both have a limited market and captive audience
- Inflation

Agree that all of them are factors, but the highlighted one has the biggest impact. There's no reason why shtreimelach need to cost this much - other than taking advantage of the crowd. It's a hat. Even if its made from fur, the price is ridiculous. You can buy a full length fur jacket for $5k, a hat uses much less material than that. There are multiple kinds of fur that can be used, no reason for only the craziest expensive one to be used. Let's not even go down the route that a shtreimel has no connection to halacha or any Torah specifications. It is simply a uniform worn by a select group. Nothing more.

A sheitel is related to a halacha and is a very personal item. So understandably there is much more involved. But regardless, the current high prices are just taking advantage of the women's need for them.

YounginBP

Thu, Jun 29 2023, 9:03 am

amother Steel wrote:

Wait a second, $400 on a hat does make sense??

Op, the stores run sales on steimalach every once in a while. It's expensive, but lasts at least 10 years. Many times more.
You don't need to spend $6k (I think).

Not sure it helps you, but ey is cheaper. I've heard of Brooklyn boys purchasing them as chasamin in their last zman there. Usually the rain one.