Wig Fitting-Dressing-Cleaning Template-Shield and Method

Abstract

A wig fitting-dressing-cleaning template-shield made of a see-through flexible shrinkable barrier sheet material in hood form that is placed over the head of a person to be fitted for a wig in its expanded state as a hood, is shrunk to a shape-conforming envelope retaining the shape of the person's head and hair profile by hot air not causing injury to the person, and is then marked with the location of the person's hairline, creating a template to be sent to and used by a wig maker to make a proper fitting wig. During the making of the wig and during use of the wig, the template-shield protects a wig block from damage and staining during dressing and cleaning of the wig.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention provides a wig fitting-dressing-cleaning template-shield, and a method for fitting, dressing, and cleaning of wigs using a template-shield constructed of a see-through flexible shrinkable barrier sheet material.

Wigs of human hair or imitating human hair have been known for many centuries, and are still used today, especially in the visual and performing arts.

Although mass-designed wigs can be made for informal uses, such as Halloween costumes, wigs for professional uses, such as the visual and performing arts, require some amount of custom fitting to the anticipated wearer of the wig. The location of a person's hairline and the shape of the head are critical information in the making of a wig for professional use.

An actor who is to wear a wig in a performance, if he or she has long hair, will usually gather his or her own hair into a compact clump or bun, contained by a binding such as a section of nylon hosiery, if necessary, and will have a resulting hair profile that includes the gathered and bound hair. This information is also critical for wig making.

Before a wig for an individual can be made by a wig maker, the wig maker needs to know the shape of the individual's head and hair profile, and the location of the individual's hairline. Conveying such information to a wig maker, who might be located at a long distance from where a wig is initially fitted, is often a problem because of errors in taking, transcribing, and transmitting measurements, and errors of translating languages or converting different units of measurement.

The wig blocks upon which wigs are made, dressed, and cleaned are subject to damage and staining from water and the substances and solvents used in making, dressing, and cleaning wigs. At present, many wig professionals use a homemade system of cellophane or plastic wrap secured with tape as protection for wig blocks, but such a homemade system is not durable, is time consuming when done properly, requires frequent re-adjustment and re-covering, and is prone to failure.

Various different configurations of head caps made of shrink-wrap material have been used outside of the art of wig making, dressing, and cleaning, for enclosing substances close to a person's scalp or for protecting a person's scalp from substances or injury.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,294,593 issued on Sep. 1, 1942 to Jessie M. Bailey for “Head and Face Protector” discloses head protector for preserving a woman's hair and makeup intact when trying on a garment. The protector consists of a hood formed of one piece of flimsy translucent material. The hood has a seamless front with two side portions; the side portions have upper edges located above the level of the wearer's eyes and connected together in a seam extending rearwardly from the forward and upper portion of the hood. The edges are unattached at the rear so as to form two flaps with tying cords to be extended forward and tied under the wearer's chin.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,445,487 issued on Jul. 20, 1948 to Dorothy Lester et al. for “Head Cover” discloses a bag having front and rear edge seam connected panels with inverted V-shaped notches adjacent the opposite lower ends of the seams. The lower end portions of the panels have horizontal open-ended pockets, and separate drawstrings running slidably through the respective pockets, the free ends of the strings being adapted to be pulled in opposing directions, the opposite ends of said drawstrings being anchored on opposite panels and end portions of the mouth of said bag. The head cover uses open-ended hems or pockets on front and rear panels of the bag-like hood, these serving as pockets for drawstrings. The drawstrings are arranged and anchored on predetermined portions of the panel and at predetermined ends or the pockets. The drawstrings are gathered around the mouth of the hood. Co-acting end portions of the drawstrings are in slidable riding contact in order to apply the pulling strain on the string-ends so as to minimize the likelihood of tearing adjacent areas and regions of the tear-able stock from which the hood is, in practice, made.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,722,100 issued on Feb. 2, 1988 to Barbara J. Greer for “Makeup and Clothing Protector” discloses a substantially flat panel of pliable material having a main panel portion of generally rectangular shape having a front edge and a rear edge. Ties are integrally attached to the rear edge to allow positioning of the protector over a user's head. The ties have a pair of opposing end portions and a central portion, which is fixedly attached to the main panel portion and forming a part of said rear edge of the main panel portion. The main panel portion has a front edge-to-rear edge dimension substantially equal to three times the vertical height of the user's head whereby said main panel portion can be draped over the head with the front edge thereof below the chin and covering the throat, the rear edge behind the neck and the end portions of the ties passing around the neck to gather the lower extremities of the panel and be tied in front.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,101,512 issued on Apr. 7, 1992 to Carol Weinstein for “Disposable Water Impermeable Transparent Personal Body Cover” discloses several embodiments of the cover, including the embodiments for protecting the wearer's head. The cover is constructed of water impermeable transparent sheet material transparent at least over a portion corresponding to the lines of sight of the user, and having perforations to provide ventilation to the user. An endless elastic band—or other type of band—is tensioned about the cover and the head or slipped loosely around the neck of the user to retain the sheet material in position about the head of the user. In one embodiment the band is not endless and is capable of having both ends connected during use as by tying or fastening both ends. Preferably the cover is formed from a polymeric material, such as transparent flexible plastic material of polyethylene or polyvinylchloride. The ties can be an endless elastic band or two bands dimensioned to be positioned and tensioned about the sheet and the head of the user to retain the sheet in position or, in an alternative embodiment, the retaining means is a separable fastener of the hook and loop-type.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,069,597 issued on Jul. 4, 2006 to Wendy Hardenbrook for “Heat Activated Form Fitting Hair Cap” discloses a heat activated form fitting hair cap designed for substantially sealing an area of a body, such as the scalp, from the environment. The hair cap includes a heat activated shrinkable body having at least one layer of material generally sized to receive a portion of a human head. The cap is bounded substantially by a distal edge. Once the cap is placed on the head, the heat activated shrinkable body may be activated by exposure to a heat source, such as by a hair dryer. Due to its material properties, the heat activated shrinkable body shrinks, thereby reducing the open interior volume, forming a tight fit around the area of the body that is to be enclosed. The cap may also include at least one cap retention means located substantially near the distal edge for ensuring that the distal edge conforms to the head prior to activation and that allows the cap to be adjusted to fit a wide range of head shapes and sizes prior to activation. The retention means may include an elasticized band, a drawstring, or a plurality of ties. To further increase the adjustability of the cap, another embodiment may include a plurality of tear away stress lines that are substantially concentric with the distal edge, thereby imparting adjustability of the volume. In this embodiment, the user may tear away portions of the cap along any of the plurality of tear away stress lines, either before or after shrinking the cap, thereby achieving a custom fit. One primary illustrative use for the cap is for applying hair/scalp care products to the head. As such, the material of the heat activated shrinkable body may be substantially moisture resistant and/or substantially gas impermeable to aid in the hair/scalp treatment. For example, a user may seek to infuse their hair and scalp with a conditioning treatment. Variations of the cap may incorporate aspects to further retain the heat that is generally lost through the head, such as employing multiple layers of cap material. Such multilayer embodiments may include air spaces and/or infill material between the multiple layers to further reduce heat transfer. The cap may be made from shrink films made essentially of PVC, polyolefin, polyethylene, polyester, nylon, or saran. Additional variations of the heat activated form fitting hair cap may further include methods of introducing treatment fluids directly from the cap, such as including at least one treatment pouch on the inside of the cap housing a treatment fluid. While the description herein focuses on the use of the heat activated form fitting hair cap for applying treatment to the hair/scalp, other exemplary applications include situations wherein it is desirable to keep the hair or scalp dry to reduce the chances of hypothermia, such as during swimming, watersports, or virtually any outdoor activity. Additionally, the cap may be used to protect the wearer from undesirable gripping of the hair or scalp during sporting activities such as wrestling. Further, the cap may be used as a hygienic measure to retain loose hair as may be desired in the medical professions and in the food service industry.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,854,025 issued on Dec. 21, 2010 to Thomas Spinelli for “Protective and Decorative Covering for Sports Helmets” discloses a band having at least a portion composed of a first heat shrink material, the band being sized to cover the sports helmet after an application of heat to the first heat shrink material. The covering can further comprise at least one edge band disposed on an edge of the band, the edge band being composed of a second heat shrink material, the second heat shrink material can have a different shrink rate than a shrink rate of the first heat shrink material. The shrink rate of the second heat shrink material can be greater than the shrink rate of the first heat shrink material. The band can have one or more holes, each of the one or more holes corresponding to a hole in the sports helmet after the application of heat to the first heat shrink material. The covering can further comprise at least one hole band disposed on a periphery of at least one of the holes, the hole band being composed of a second heat shrink material, the second heat shrink material having a different shrink rate than a shrink rate of the first heat shrink material. The shrink rate of the second heat shrink material can be greater than the shrink rate of the first heat shrink material. The covering can further comprise one or more markers for aligning the cover with corresponding markers on the helmet. The sports helmet can further comprise a peripheral groove formed in the outer surface in which is disposed an edge of the covering. The means can comprise a cutting groove formed in the outer surface for facilitating removal of the covering from the outer surface. The means can comprise one or more removable button snaps.

U.S. Publication No. 2011/0179557 published on Jul. 28, 2011 to Frederick Rabie for “Helmet Pro System” discloses a protective helmet having at least one inner liner for absorbing mechanical energy; and an attachable outer liner comprising shock absorbing material. The protective helmet comprises at least one sports helmet such as those used in contact sports or non-contact sports. The attachable outer liner is applied to an external portion of the protective helmet to provide shock absorption. The shock absorbing material preferably comprises foam or other such deformable material. The outer liner may be adhesively attached to the protective helmet using epoxy. A kit for the helmet liner system may comprise: a protective helmet; a plurality of the attachable outer liner(s); the adhesives such as epoxy and/or glue; and a set of user instructions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a wig fitting-dressing-cleaning template-shield made of a see-through flexible shrinkable barrier sheet material in hood form that is placed over the head of a person to be fitted for a wig in its expanded state as a hood, is shrunk to a shape-conforming envelope retaining the shape of the person's head and hair profile by hot air not causing injury to the person, and is then marked with the location of the person's hairline, creating a template to be sent to and used by a wig maker to make a proper fitting wig. During the making of the wig and during use of the wig, the template-shield protects a wig block from damage and staining during dressing and cleaning of the wig.

The wig fitting-dressing-cleaning template-shield of the present invention solves several existing problems of obtaining and transmitting complete accurate fitting measurement to a wig maker, and of providing more secure durable protection for wig blocks by an easier method than loose wrap and tape.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Reference will now be made to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals, and wherein

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of the invention in use.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the invention prior to use.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the invention prepared for use.

FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of a person prepared to be fitted for a wig.

FIG. 5 is a schematic side view of the invention at an intermediate stage of use on a person to be fitted for a wig.

FIG. 6 is a schematic side view of the invention after heat-shrinking to conform to a person to be fitted for a wig.

FIG. 7 is a schematic side view of the invention after tracing of the hairline.

FIG. 8 is a schematic side view of a wig-styling head block.

FIG. 9 is a schematic side view of the invention at an intermediate stage of use on a wig-styling head block.

FIG. 10 is a schematic side view of the invention after heat-shrinking to conform to a wig-styling head block.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, my invention provides a wig fitting-dressing-cleaning template-shield 1 made of a see-through flexible shrinkable barrier sheet material in hood form that is placed over the head of a person to be fitted for a wig in its expanded state as a hood 11, is shrunk by hot air not causing injury to the person to a shape-conforming envelope 12 retaining the shape of the person's head and hair profile, and is then marked 30 with the location of the person's hairline, creating a template to be sent to and used by a wig maker to make a proper fitting wig. During the making of the wig and during use of the wig, the template-shield is provided to protect a wig block 40 from damage and staining during dressing and cleaning of the wig.

In a preferred embodiment, the see-through flexible shrinkable barrier sheet material used is a heat-shrink-wrap thermoplastic material exhibiting bidirectional shrinkage upon the application of a moderate and safe level of heated air, an approximate 2:1 shrink ratio, a moderate and safe shrink force, and shape memory sufficient to return to shrunken shape after being slightly stretched during removal and replacement. Appropriate thermoplastic materials include polyolefins like polyethylene and polypropylene, PVC, fluoropolymers, neoprene, and silicone elastomer. Appropriate production techniques for creating heat-shrink-wrap sheet material having the desired properties from extruded thermoplastic material include cross-linking to create a memory in the material followed by heating, expansion, and rapid cooling. The material also serves as a barrier to water and to the types of substances and solvents used in the making, dressing, and cleaning of wigs.

Referring to FIG. 2, a hood 11, such as a sack or bag, or closed-ended tube or sleeve of see-through flexible shrinkable barrier sheet material is made up in a size appropriate to fit around a human head of large size. Generally oval approximate dimensions of 8 inches to accomodate the head horizontally from ear to ear 13, 10 inches to accomodate the head horizontally from nose to back 14, and 12 inches vertically 15 from the top of head toward the neck and shoulders is sufficient to accomodate the largest heads likely to be encountered, because the dimensions correspond to a US hat size of 9, where hat sizes of 8 or 8.5 are considered to be very large and are usually the largest sizes regularly manufactured, stocked, and sold. When using a heat-shrink-wrap material having the preferred approximate 2:1 shrink ratio, shrinkage down to 4 by 5 by 6 inches, corresponding to a US hat size of 4.5 and corresponding to the size of an infant's head, is possible.

Referring to FIG. 3, before placing the hood 11 on the head of a person, a breathing opening 16 is created at the position corresponding to the person's nose and mouth. The breathing opening can be created by tearing or cutting the heat-shrink-wrap material of the hood. The size, shape, and evenness of the cut or torn breathing opening is not critical. Optionally, a visual form of reminder to create the breathing opening, such as a printed line, can be made on the hood. Optionally, a line of perforations can be made on the hood to facilitate the tearing of the breathing opening.

Referring to FIG. 4, a person to be fitted for a wig will have a hairline 21 that varies from person to person and that is critically important in the making of a wig for that person, as the wig will need to either cover that hairline or blend with that hairline. While shorter hair might be worn loose or combed back under a wig, longer hair will generally be consolidated and compacted into one or more curls or a bun, and might be bound up under a cap made of light material such as nylon hosiery, creating a hair profile 22 different than the scalp profile 23. The size and shape of the hair profile 22 is another critical factor in making the wig.

Referring to FIG. 5, in use during fitting of a wig, the wig fitting-dressing-cleaning template-shield 1, in its unshrunken form as a hood 11, is placed over the head of the person to be fitted for a wig, in such a way that the breathing opening 16 is positioned to allow the person to breathe.

Then heated air from a standard hair-styling blow dryer is blown upon the unshrunken hood 11 in order to cause it to shrink and conform to the shape of the person's head and hair profile 22. The blow-dryer heat is regulated and limited to heat below 140 degrees F., which can burn skin, and the heat-shrink-wrap material has been chosen to perform properly at such a temperature of approximately 115-125 degrees F.

Referring to FIG. 6, after heat shrinking, the wig fitting-dressing-cleaning template-shield 1 takes the form of a shape-conforming envelope 12 retaining the shape of the person's head and hair profile 22, which is important fitting information to be conveyed to the wig maker.

Referring to FIG. 7, because the wig fitting-dressing-cleaning template-shield 1 can be seen through, the hairline 21 of the person can be seen underneath it, and a hairline tracing 30 can be made upon the shape-conforming envelope 12 using a standard marking pen. After such a hairline tracing 30 is marked, the shape-conforming envelope 12 is removed from the person's head. The heat-shrink-wrap material has been chosen to have the flexibility and shape-memory properties to allow any slight stretching required for removal, without permanent distortion of the conformed shape of the envelope.

The wig professional who performs the wig fitting might or might not be the wig maker, and the wig maker might be close by or far away. The wig fitting-dressing-cleaning template-shield 1, as a shape-conforming envelope 12 retaining the shape of the person's head and hair profile 22, and having a marked hairline tracing 30, can easily be conveyed to any local or distant wig maker, with the result that the wig maker gets possession of critical information on a shape-conforming template that the wig maker can work directly upon.

Referring to FIG. 8, the initial making of wigs, and the subsequent dressing, cleaning, and storage of wigs is done using a wig block 40, traditionally having a canvas cover over a wood or cork structure. The shape-conforming envelope 12 resulting from the use of the invention in the wig fitting is placed upon such a wig block 40 by the wig maker, and is used in the making of the wig. Because the see-through flexible shrinkable barrier sheet material chosen acts as a barrier to water and to the substances and solvents used in wig making, the invention also provides protection to the wig block of the wig maker.

After the wig is made and delivered, ongoing use of the wig will require several instances of dressing and cleaning, which is also performed on a wig block 40. The wig fitting-dressing-cleaning template-shield 1 of my invention is used as a sheild to protect the wig block from the substances and solvents used in the dressing and cleaning of wigs. The template-shield used as a sheild can be the original shape-conforming envelope used in fitting and making the wig, if it is available, or it can be a new, not-yet-shrunken hood 11, which upon shrinking will conform exactly to the wig block 40.

Referring to FIG. 9, in use as a protective sheild for a wig block, the wig fitting-dressing-cleaning template-shield 1, in its unshrunken form as a hood 11, is placed over the wig block 40.

Referring to FIG. 10, heated air from a standard hair-styling blow dryer is then blown upon the unshrunken hood 11 in order to cause it to shrink and conform to the shape of the wig block 40 as a shape-conforming envelope 12. Because the see-through flexible shrinkable barrier sheet material chosen acts as a barrier to water and to the substances and solvents used in wig dressing and cleaning, the invention provides protection to the wig block during those operations.

Many changes and modifications can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit thereof. We therefore pray that our rights to the present invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A wig fitting-dressing-cleaning template-shield, comprising:

an unshrunken hood made from a see-through flexible shrinkable barrier sheet material having the properties of exhibiting bidirectional shrinkage upon the application of a moderate and safe level of heated air, an approximate 2:1 shrink ratio, a moderate and safe shrink force, and shape memory sufficient to return to shrunken shape after being slightly stretched during removal and replacement;

where said unshrunken hood has the general configuration of a sack or bag closed at one end and open at an opposite end;

where said unshrunken hood has dimensions adapted to fit over a large person's head; where said unshrunken hood is adapted to be cut or torn to create a breathing opening for a person;

where said unshrunken hood is adapted to be placed over the head of a person to be fitted for a wig, after said breathing opening is created, and subsequently shrunken by application of heated air, shrinking said unshrunken hood into a shape-conforming envelope retaining the shape of the person's head and hair profile;

where said shape-conforming envelope made from said see-through material is adapted to allow visual location of a person's hairline and marking of the hairline upon said shape-conforming envelope;

where said unshrunken hood is further adapted to be placed over a wig block and subsequently shrunken by application of heated air, shrinking said unshrunken hood into a shape-conforming envelope protecting the wig block from damage and staining by water and substances and solvents used in wig making, dressing, and cleaning;

where said wig fitting-dressing-cleaning template-shield is adapted to retain and transmit to a wig maker the dimensions and relative locations of the head shape, hair profile, and hairline of a person to be fitted for a wig, in the form of said shape-conforming envelope, and to protect the wig block from damage and staining.

2. The wig fitting-dressing-cleaning template-shield of claim 1, where said see-through flexible shrinkable barrier sheet material is a thermoplastic material selected from a group comprising polyolefins, polyethylene, polypropylene, PVC, fluoropolymers, neoprene, and silicone elastomer.

3. The wig fitting-dressing-cleaning template-shield of claim 1, where said dimensions adapted to fit over a large person's head of said unshrunken hood further comprise generally oval approximate dimensions of 8 inches to accommodate the head horizontally from ear to ear, 10 inches to accommodate the head horizontally from nose to back, and 12 inches vertically from the top of head toward the neck and shoulders, corresponding to a US hat size of 9.

4. The wig fitting-dressing-cleaning template-shield of claim 1, where said application of heated air further comprises application of heated air from a standard hair-styling blow dryer.

5. The wig fitting-dressing-cleaning template-shield of claim 1, where said bidirectional shrinkage upon the application of a moderate and safe level of heated air further comprises application of air below the temperature of 140 degrees F.

6. The wig fitting-dressing-cleaning template-shield of claim 1, where said approximate 2:1 shrink ratio further comprises a shrink ratio adapted to provide sufficient potential shrinkage of said unshrunken hood of a size appropriate for a very large head down to said shape-conforming envelope of a size conforming to a very small head;

7. The wig fitting-dressing-cleaning template-shield of claim 1, where said moderate and safe shrink force further comprises a shrink force that is not strong enough to cause damage to the head of a person being fitted for a wig.

8. A method for fitting of wigs, comprising:

providing a wig fitting-dressing-cleaning template-shield, comprising:

an unshrunken hood made from a see-through flexible shrinkable barrier sheet material having the properties of exhibiting bidirectional shrinkage upon the application of a moderate and safe level of heated air, an approximate 2:1 shrink ratio, a moderate and safe shrink force, and shape memory sufficient to return to shrunken shape after being slightly stretched during removal and replacement;

where said unshrunken hood has the general configuration of a sack or bag closed at one end and open at an opposite end;

where said unshrunken hood has dimensions adapted to fit over a large person's head; where said unshrunken hood is adapted to be cut or torn to create a breathing opening for a person;

where said unshrunken hood is adapted to be placed over the head of a person to be fitted for a wig, after said breathing opening is created, and subsequently shrunken by application of heated air, shrinking said unshrunken hood into a shape-conforming envelope retaining the shape of the person's head and hair profile;

where said shape-conforming envelope made from said see-through material is adapted to allow visual location of a person's hairline and marking of the hairline upon said shape-conforming envelope;

where said unshrunken hood is further adapted to be placed over a wig block and subsequently shrunken by application of heated air, shrinking said unshrunken hood into a shape-conforming envelope protecting the wig block from damage and staining by water and substances and solvents used in wig making, dressing, and cleaning;

where said wig fitting-dressing-cleaning template-shield is adapted to retain and transmit to a wig maker the dimensions and relative locations of the head shape, hair profile, and hairline of a person to be fitted for a wig, in the form of said shape-conforming envelope, and to protect the wig block from damage and staining.

preparing a person to be fitted for a wig by arranging the person's hair into whatever configuration and under whatever wrap or binding will be used under the wig;

preparing said unshrunken hood for wig fitting on the person by cutting or tearing said breathing opening in said unshrunken hood;

placing said unshrunken hood on the head of the person with the breathing opening properly positioned;

applying air heated to a moderate and safe temperature to said unshrunken hood for the purpose of shrinking it down to a shape-conforming envelope;

marking the person's hairline on said shape-conforming envelope by tracing the hairline through said see-through material;

removing said shape-conforming envelope from the person's head by gently stretching said shape-conforming envelope if necessary; and

delivering said shape-conforming envelope to the wig maker as a template for making the wig.

9. A method for protecting a wig block during dressing and cleaning of wigs, comprising:

providing a wig fitting-dressing-cleaning template-shield, comprising: an unshrunken hood made from a see-through flexible shrinkable barrier sheet material having the properties of exhibiting bidirectional shrinkage upon the application of a moderate and safe level of heated air, an approximate 2:1 shrink ratio, a moderate and safe shrink force, and shape memory sufficient to return to shrunken shape after being slightly stretched during removal and replacement; where said unshrunken hood has the general configuration of a sack or bag closed at one end and open at an opposite end; where said unshrunken hood has dimensions adapted to fit over a large person's head; where said unshrunken hood is adapted to be cut or torn to create a breathing opening for a person; where said unshrunken hood is adapted to be placed over the head of a person to be fitted for a wig, after said breathing opening is created, and subsequently shrunken by application of heated air, shrinking said unshrunken hood into a shape-conforming envelope retaining the shape of the person's head and hair profile; where said shape-conforming envelope made from said see-through material is adapted to allow visual location of a person's hairline and marking of the hairline upon said shape-conforming envelope; where said unshrunken hood is further adapted to be placed over a wig block and subsequently shrunken by application of heated air, shrinking said unshrunken hood into a shape-conforming envelope protecting the wig block from damage and staining by water and substances and solvents used in wig making, dressing, and cleaning; where said wig fitting-dressing-cleaning template-shield is adapted to retain and transmit to a wig maker the dimensions and relative locations of the head shape, hair profile, and hairline of a person to be fitted for a wig, in the form of said shape-conforming envelope, and to protect the wig block from damage and staining; placing said unshrunken hood on the wig block; applying heated air to said unshrunken hood for the purpose of shrinking it down to a shape-conforming envelope; making or transferring any needed markings onto said shape-conforming envelope; and leaving said shape-conforming envelope on the wig block for the purpose of protecting it from damage and staining.