World Hair Institute

The business was founded by Mette H. Menotti, who began her work decades ago in Scandinavia, where she saw the damage that poor hair extension practices could cause. That experience led her to develop damage-free methods for adding hair, with attention to health, quality and long-term results. World Hair Institute grew from that work and also runs a professional education platform that trains stylists and salons around the world.

The studio works only with clients who need additional hair rather than general salon guests. Clients range from children to seniors and include people with male or female pattern baldness, trichotillomania, several forms of alopecia including frontal alopecia, burn injuries, and hair thinning caused by medical treatment. The business works with a range of hair vendors, so options can be tailored whether a client has an open budget or is working within a set price point.

To begin, new clients book a free consultation online and complete a consultation form beforehand. After reviewing the form, the team calls the client to follow up. Clients who bring a parking ticket to an appointment can receive a validation sticker for parking at Wabash-Randolph Self Park, 20 E. Randolph St., for a total of $21 for the entire day.

The business describes itself as an independent company, not part of any chain. It says it aims for full client satisfaction and calls itself a certified zero-waste-to-landfill sustainable salon. It also runs a salon referral program and a program called green circle, and offers hair repair services and in-salon treatments alongside its replacement and extension work.

For children and teens, the business donates one custom-made wig each month at no charge. It also works with Wigs for Kids and Just Live Life Kids to provide additional no-cost hair options for young clients.

Its extension and replacement techniques were built over decades of experience and research, with a focus on hair health, quality and long-term results. It draws on several hair vendors to customize each option for the client.