Vietnamese Hair Curly: Types, Quality & Wholesale Buying Guide

Quick answer: Vietnamese hair curly textures are all made from naturally straight Vietnamese donor hair. Every curl and wave — from tight kinky coils to soft loose waves — is created at the factory by shaping the hair on rods and setting the pattern with steam and controlled low heat (around 70–80°C), not with a harsh chemical perm. On raw and virgin grades the pattern survives washing because it is heat-set into the strand rather than coated on. The one honest exception: bleached hair has lost its cuticle, so a curl set on bleached hair is much harder to keep after washing.

This guide covers every Vietnamese hair curly texture, how each pattern is made, how to verify it holds, wholesale pricing, and how to style and care for each. Buyers confuse curl types, vendors mislabel patterns, and clients end up with a curl that doesn’t match what they ordered — so this guide is built to be specific.

How Vietnamese Hair Curly Is Made — Steam-Set, Hand-Shaped

Vietnamese donor hair is naturally straight. Curl is created at the factory through a heat-and-steam setting process — not the ammonium-thioglycolate chemical perm used in most Western salons, which permanently breaks and reforms the hair’s disulfide bonds and weakens the strand.

The factory process runs in seven steps:

1. Material selection — the base grade is matched to the target curl (see the matching guide below).
2. Washing — the raw material is cleaned before any shaping.
3. Softening — a light softening treatment preps the strand to take a shape. This is a preparation step, not a full structural perm.
4. Shaping — the hair is formed on rods of a set diameter; a smaller rod produces a tighter curl. This is done mechanically or by hand, and premium Vietnamese curly is still shaped 100% by hand by veteran artisans — a level of manual control mass factories cannot match.
5. Steam setting — the shaped hair is steamed to lock the pattern while keeping the strand soft.
6. Controlled heat cure — the hair is held in a heat chamber kept deliberately low at 70–80°C for 1–2 hours (timing varies by pattern). The low temperature sets the pattern without damaging the cuticle.
7. Final rinse and QC — a clean-water rinse, then curl definition is inspected before the batch passes.

Why the curl holds — and where it doesn’t. Because the pattern is heat-set into the strand rather than coated on with product, it survives washing far better than a product-set curl, and holds best on raw and virgin hair with an intact cuticle. The honest caveat: once hair is bleached, the cuticle is stripped, and a curl set on bleached hair loosens much more easily after washing. For a tight coil or a colored curl, start with the best raw base available and set realistic retention expectations — do not over-rely on bleached-and-curled hair.

Matching Material to Curl Type

Not every pattern needs the highest grade, but tight and colored curls do. Matching grade to pattern is what prevents shedding and tangling in wear.

• Soft waves and larger curls (loose wave, body wave, natural wave, fumi curly): virgin, raw, donor, and baby hair all perform well. Select by budget.
• Tight coils, difficult patterns, or any colored curl (kinky, egg, pixie, colored curly): prioritize top-grade raw material. A weak base shows up as shedding and tangling in wear. For colored curly especially, do not compromise on the base — a bleached-then-curled strand has the least cuticle protection and the highest failure rate.

Vietnamese Hair Curly Types — Full Pattern Guide

Textures below run from the tightest coil to the softest wave.

Kinky Curly (4B/4C)

Rod diameter: 4–6mm (very small). Pattern: the tightest coil available; individual coils spring back when stretched and released, with a high volume-to-weight ratio that mimics 4B/4C natural hair. Length retention: 55–65%. A 20″ bundle measures 20″ stretched but sits at roughly 11″–13″ of visual length when curled. Ordering note: curly hair reads shorter than its stated length, so a client who wants 16″ of visual length should order 22″–24″. This is the most common first-time-buyer issue — set the expectation before purchase. Best for: US Black salon market, Nigerian market, 4C texture blending, protective styles.

Egg Curly (3C/4A)

Rod diameter: small spiral rods. Pattern: compact, uniform spiral “egg” coils with high density and strong spring-back; smaller and more defined than bouncy curly, rounder than kinky. Length retention: 55–65%; apply the same length-up rule as kinky curly. Best for: African and US markets, defined dense small-curl looks, protective styling.

Pixie Curly (defined coil)

Rod diameter: 3–5mm specialty rods. Pattern: tightly defined individual coils with clear separation, rather than a kinky zigzag; higher sheen than kinky curly because the round coil reflects light differently. Length retention: 55–65%. Best for: specialty market — a defined coil distinct from kinky; Caribbean and West African style preferences.

Burmese Curly (3B/3C)

Rod diameter: corkscrew rods. Pattern: a rounded corkscrew coil with dense, full body — tighter than deep wave, rounder than kinky. Reverts to pattern after washing and holds well on raw and virgin grades. Length retention: 65–75%; apply the length-up rule. Best for: US wig-maker and salon market, Nigerian market, defined voluminous natural curl.

Bouncy Curly (3A/3B)

Rod diameter: large round rods. Pattern: large, rounded ringlets with high volume; looser than Burmese curly, formed as rounded ringlets rather than tight coils, holding a defined curl while staying soft. Length retention: 75–80%. Best for: US and Nigerian markets, high-volume salon looks, clients wanting movement without a tight coil.

Deep Wave (3A/3B)

Rod diameter: 10–14mm. Pattern: a tight, defined S-wave with depth and volume — tighter than body wave, looser than kinky curly. Holds definition wet or dry with proper care. Length retention: 75–80%. Best for: US Black salon market, Nigerian premium segment, content creators, fashion-forward installs.

Fumi Curly (2B/3A)

Rod diameter: soft, large rods. Pattern: a soft curl-wave sitting between wave and curl — relaxed and natural rather than defined; one of the gentlest patterns in the curly range. Blends with naturally wavy or lightly curled hair. Length retention: 80–90%. Best for: European, UK, and US mainstream markets, natural everyday looks.

Body Wave (2B/2C)

Rod diameter: 25–35mm. Pattern: a loose S-wave with gentle definition — the most versatile texture, worn as a wave or blown straight. Good volume without dramatic definition. Length retention: 85–90%. Best for: universal — one of the highest-demand wave textures globally, alongside bone straight.

Natural Wave (2A/2B)

Rod diameter: soft, large rods. Pattern: the softest, most natural wave — minimal S-shape, blending with relaxed or naturally wavy hair and easy to wear down or blow straight. One of Govihair’s highest-selling textures and the standard base for natural-wave wigs, closures, and frontals. Length retention: 90–95%. Best for: US mainstream, UK, European, and West Asian markets, natural movement without an obvious curl.

Loose Wave (2A/2B)

Rod diameter: 40–50mm. Pattern: a gentle, relaxed wave with minimal definition — the “beach wave” look, with natural movement that reads as slightly wavy hair. Length retention: 90–95%. Best for: European markets, US mainstream, natural movement without defined waves.

Shared specs for all Govihair curly and wave textures: 100% single-donor Vietnamese Remy hair, cuticles intact and aligned; standard lengths 14″–24″ (up to 28″ on weft); packs of roughly 35–50g; 20+ natural and fashion colors; in-stock production and shipping in about 3–5 business days.

Curl Pattern Comparison Table

Curly & Wave Demand by Market

Demand is not uniform — stock to the market you sell to.

In the US Black salon market, kinky curly leads for 4C blending, deep wave carries fashion-forward installs, and natural and body wave are the entry point for clients new to curly extensions. In Nigeria, pixie and deep curly hold the premium segment while body wave sells for volume. European and UK demand centers on natural wave, loose wave, and body wave, with pixie and kinky curly in a growing niche. West Asia leads with natural wave and bone straight, with curly a smaller specialty segment.

Vietnamese Hair Curly & Wave Pricing (2026 Factory List)

At Govihair, curl tightness does not change the base price. A tight kinky and a soft body wave cost the same at the same length, grade, and color — price is driven by length, grade, and color, plus a flat curl/wave surcharge. This is the 2026 wholesale structure (USD per 100g, orders from 1kg, double drawn):

Base price by length (double drawn):

Surcharges added on top of the base:

• Curly or wave texture: +$6/100g
• Super double drawn grade: +$15/100g
• Luxury grade: +$30/100g
• Dark color: +$6/100g; light or blonde: +$12–$25/100g
• Weft, keratin-tip, tape-in, clip-in, nano/micro ring, or ponytail format: +$10–$15/100g
• Orders under 1kg: +$7/bundle

Worked example: a 20″ Super double drawn curly bundle in natural black = $62.80 base + $6 curl + $15 Super = $83.80/100g. A light blonde adds roughly $12–$25 more per 100g.

MOQ is 500g (5 bundles at 100g). Lengths run 8″–32″+, but from 24″ up only double grade is reliably available on tight curls — Super and Luxury on very long curly are rare.

How to Verify Vietnamese Curly Quality Before Bulk Orders

3-day curl retention test: hand-test a small section, wash with warm water and no product, and air dry fully. The pattern should revert to its original definition on its own. If it loosens significantly after one wash, it may have been product-set rather than steam-set. Factor grade into the test — bleached and colored curly loosens more than raw.

Wet vs dry pattern: genuine steam-set curly is more defined wet than dry — coils tighten when wet and relax slightly when dry. Hair that looks curlier dry than wet was likely coated with curl-enhancing product.

Shedding check: separate a small section and comb from tip toward root. Curly hair releases more strands than straight because of coil resistance; excessive shedding (30+ strands on a gentle comb) points to weft-construction issues or an under-grade base for the pattern.

Pattern consistency: take three sections — near weft, mid-length, and at the tips. The pattern should match across all three. Tight coils mid-section but looser waves at the tips indicate uneven steam-setting.

Styling and Care for Vietnamese Curly Hair

Washing: use a sulfate-free shampoo; wash in sections, working product through in the direction of the curl; squeeze-wash gently without rubbing; rinse thoroughly to prevent product build-up and clumping.

Drying: air dry when possible, since heat drying loosens the pattern. With a diffuser, use low heat and low speed and cup the curls upward. Avoid high-heat blow drying, which degrades the steam-set pattern over time.

Styling: apply curl cream or leave-in to soaking-wet hair, scrunch upward to build definition, and avoid touching the hair until fully dry, since handling mid-dry disrupts coil formation. For pixie, egg, and kinky curly, finger-coil individual sections for maximum definition.

Overnight: use a pineapple (high loose bun) or satin bonnet for all patterns. Do not sleep on curly extensions unprotected — friction causes frizz and disrupts the pattern.

Refreshing: mist with water or leave-in, scrunch, and air dry. Do not use heat to refresh. Deep condition weekly to maintain elasticity and prevent dryness.

Ordering Vietnamese Curly Hair from Govihair

All curl types ship directly from the Govihair factory:

• In-stock: body wave, deep wave, and kinky curly in standard lengths 10″–28″
• Production time (in-stock): 2–3 business days
• Custom lengths (30″+) or specialty coils (pixie, egg): 7–9 business days
• MOQ: 500g (5 bundles at 100g)

Contact: WhatsApp +84 79 574 6986 | govihair.com

FAQs

Does Vietnamese curly hair lose its curl after washing? On raw and virgin grades, no. Steam-set Vietnamese curly keeps its pattern through washing because the curl is heat-set into the strand, not coated on. It may look slightly looser dry than wet and reverts to full definition when re-wetted. The exception is bleached or colored curly: bleaching strips the cuticle, so curl set on bleached hair loosens more easily. For colored or very tight curls, start with the best raw base.

Is Vietnamese curly hair chemically permed? No. It is not the ammonium-thioglycolate chemical perm used in salons. The pattern is shaped on rods (premium curly is shaped 100% by hand), then set with steam and controlled low heat of 70–80°C. A light softening step preps the hair, but the disulfide bonds are not broken the way a chemical perm breaks them, so the strand keeps its strength.

What is the difference between kinky curly and deep wave? Kinky curly uses 4–6mm rods for a tight 4B/4C coil that springs back when stretched. Deep wave uses 10–14mm rods for a defined S-wave with depth. Kinky curly mimics natural 4C hair; deep wave is a defined fashion wave. Length contraction is greater on kinky curly.

How much longer should I order curly hair versus the desired wear length? Kinky, egg, and pixie curly: order 6–8″ longer (a 20″ coil reads as 12″–13″ when released). Burmese and deep wave: 3–4″ longer. Bouncy curly and body wave: 1–2″ longer. Communicate this before purchase.

Can I straighten Vietnamese curly hair? Yes — steam-set Vietnamese curly can be flat-ironed, but repeated straightening will eventually loosen the pattern. Raw grades handle heat better than virgin thanks to a stronger cortex. For clients who want both curly and straight wear, raw double drawn body wave transitions better than tight kinky curly.

Which Vietnamese curl texture sells best? Natural wave and body wave are the highest-volume textures globally because they serve both wavy and straight clients. Deep wave is second in most markets. Kinky, pixie, and Burmese curly hold dedicated demand in the US and African markets where natural texture blending is the priority.

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