If you scour the internet and even shopping sites for a haircutting razor and sometimes straight razors, you might see them referred to as a ‘Feather Razor’ but let’s set the record straight. Not all haircutting and straight razors are ‘Feather Razors.’ It seems that over time people have come to associate a ‘Feather Razor’ as a basic term for a haircutting razor or sometimes a straight razor. Let’s look at this deeper so that you are not confused or mistaken on what you’re actually purchasing.

If you think of tissue you might generically call it Kleenex. Or if you think of a bandage, you  might call it a Band-Aid. What we forget is that Kleenex and Band-Aid are actually brands and not generic terms for the product. Afterall, there are many brands of tissue out there such as Puffs, Cushelle, Presto! and more. But if you call it Kleenex you’re actually referring to a brand and not a type of product. It just happens to be that Kleenex has become the most popular and most well-known brand for tissue in the world. It’s a registered trademark name that has become so popular people say ‘tissue’ and ‘Kleenex’ interchangeably like they are same thing.

Same with bandages. There are many bandage brands out there. Nexcare, Welly and Curad are just a few. And many drug stores have their own brand of bandages like Rite-Aid, CVS and Walgreens as well. Band-Aid, however, is the most popular and well-known bandage brand so ‘Band-Aid’ is often associated with the word ‘bandage’ and used interchangeably.

So now that you understand this concept we can apply it to a Feather Razor. ‘Feather’ is a brand name. It is not a generic term for all haircutting razors or straight razors. However, the Feather Razor was the FIRST guarded haircutting razor on the market and has become the most popular one in the world. And since it is the first one, it is also the one that has been around the longest. So people have come to associate a ‘Feather Razor’ as a haircutting razor.

If you see a razor labeled as ‘Feather’ ask yourself if you are looking at an actual Feather branded razor or an off-brand razor but using Feather in the name. Being able to decipher between the two might not seem critical but it is important if you want the Feather quality. Feather products are made in Japan and have a reputation for high quality products where the blades are reliable, dependable and consistently sharp. Other hair brands have created their own, but they are not Feather. We cannot attest to their quality, function or usability.

The misuse of ‘Feather Razor’ is recognizable on shopping sites where sellers might call their razor a Feather Razor when it’s actually a different haircutting razor. Since Feather is a registered trademark name, they can get into big legal trouble for using a brand name in the name of their razor.

But the misuse has been noticed in social media as well. On sites like TikTok and Instagram where people talk about their favorite products, influencers can unknowingly misspeak when talking about products and call them the wrong name. This is detrimental to the brand as their viewers and followers may take what the influencer says as truth.

So how do we navigate this situation? It starts here. First, understand what’s happening and where the problem lies. Then, make sure that you yourself don’t call all haircutting or straight razors a ‘Feather’ razor unless it really is. And thirdly, inform others nicely if they have misspoken.

You might think this who situation is good for Feather because it’s getting the brand name more noticed. However, while there is some truth to this, it also creates confusion and misrepresentation and could lead to someone purchasing a razor they thought was a Feather Razor when it’s not.

So there you have it…a deep explanation to set the record straight. Not all haircutting and straight razors are Feather razors. If you already knew this, then great! But if you didn’t hopefully it gave some clarity. If you’re interested in a real Feather Razor, you can check them out here.