Archive · 16 Aug 2026
Giant 'Tumblehair' Hairball Rolls Through New York City Streets
A giant ball of hair rolled through the streets of New York City.
It was about 10 feet tall, which is as tall as a one-storey house, and it weighed 150 pounds.
People gave it a fun name: The Tumblehair.
Some people watching videos thought it was made by a computer, but it was a real, physical ball.
Artists built it using real human hair from New York salons and fake fibres.
A haircare company called K18 made the giant hairball as a kind of advertisement.
They wanted people to think about hair loss and shedding, which happens to everyone every day.
The creators said the ball represented the 161 billion strands of hair New Yorkers could keep each year with special hair treatments.
A team of five people pushed the giant hairball through different neighbourhoods of Manhattan.
Lots of people stopped to film it, and the videos spread quickly on social media.
A 10-foot-tall, 150-pound physical prop dubbed 'The Tumblehair' rolled through Manhattan's streets as part of a haircare marketing campaign.
The sphere was built by prop stylists at CAD Industries and Decimated Designs for haircare brand K18 and agency Uncommon Creative Studio.
Campaign creators said the hairball visualises the estimated 161 billion strands of hair New Yorkers could retain each year using specialised longevity treatments.
Made from real human hair sourced from local New York salons and synthetic fibres, the sphere was hand-sewn to represent diverse hair textures and colours.
A five-person production crew pushed the installation through Midtown Manhattan, Chinatown and the West Village before it finished near Gansevoort Plaza in the Meatpacking District.
- Who
- Haircare brand K18 and agency Uncommon Creative Studio commissioned the prop, which was built by prop stylists at CAD Industries and Decimated Designs.
- What
- A 10-foot-tall, 150-pound hairball prop called 'The Tumblehair' rolled through Manhattan streets as a real physical installation, with some viewers initially mistaking it for AI-generated footage.
- When
- The street campaign had concluded by August 16, 2026, when the report was published.
- Where
- Midtown Manhattan, Chinatown and the West Village in New York City, ending near Gansevoort Plaza in the Meatpacking District.
- Why
- To serve as a visual metaphor for premature hair loss and daily shedding, symbolising the estimated 161 billion strands of hair New Yorkers could retain each year using specialised longevity treatments.
- Prop name
- The Tumblehair
- Size
- Roughly 3 metres (10 feet) in diameter
- Weight
- Over 68 kilograms (150 pounds)
- Built by
- Prop stylists at CAD Industries and Decimated Designs
- Commissioned by
- Haircare brand K18 and agency Uncommon Creative Studio
- Materials
- Real human hair from local New York salons and synthetic fibres, hand-sewn
- Route
- Midtown Manhattan, Chinatown and West Village, ending near Gansevoort Plaza in the Meatpacking District
- After campaign
- Acquired by prop fabricators specialising in haunted houses and sci-fi sets for their permanent collection