What propelled East West Barbershop into world's Top 10 grooming brands?

From Great Clips in the United States with more than 4,400 salons, to the UK's TONI&GUY operating across 50 countries, as well as Japan's QB House and China's Yongqi Beauty & Hair, the world's leading hair brands all share one defining characteristic: they have built business models that can scale.

Against this backdrop, the emergence of East West Barbershop (Dong Tay Barbershop) has attracted growing attention. It is one of the few Asian brands to earn a place among the world's Top 10 largest hair brands. What has enabled a Vietnamese barbershop brand to stand alongside grooming chains that have been established for decades?

The common formula behind the world's grooming empires

The global men's grooming industry is becoming increasingly competitive, with barbershop and salon chains operating hundreds, even thousands of locations worldwide.

Brands such as Great Clips, Supercuts, Sport Clips Haircuts, TONI&GUY, QB House, and Jawed Habib Hair & Beauty have all built their success on a similar foundation: standardised services, franchise expansion, and continuous investment in professional training.

The global men's grooming industry is becoming increasingly competitive

Great Clips leads the market with more than 4,400 salons across North America, supported by its quick-service haircut model and online check-in technology.

Supercuts has expanded to around 1,800 locations through its convenient neighbourhood salon concept, while Sport Clips has carved out a distinctive identity by creating a sports-themed grooming experience designed exclusively for men.

In the premium segment, TONI&GUY has built its reputation on hair fashion and a global education network. Japan is home to QB House and 3QCUT, both known for their efficient 10-minute haircut model.

India's Jawed Habib Hair & Beauty operates more than 900 salons, while China's Yongqi Beauty & Hair has grown to over 1,000 stores offering a broad range of beauty services.

Among a list dominated by brands from the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, China, and India, the inclusion of East West Barbershop reflects the growing presence of Vietnam's barber industry on the global stage.

Sport Clips Haircuts focuses exclusively on men and boys and has expanded to nearly 1,800 locations

East West Barbershop: A leading name in Asia's modern barbering industry

Founded in 2018, East West Barbershop has grown to more than 130 locations across Vietnam while expanding into Thailand, China, Europe, and the United States. In less than 10 years, it has become one of Asia's largest barbershop chains.

With a customer-centric strategy and continuous innovation, East West Barbershop is steadily strengthening its position as a globally competitive Vietnamese barber brand

What sets East West Barbershop apart is the way it has redefined the modern men's haircut experience.

The company pioneered what it calls the ‘Experience Barbershop’ concept, where customers can relax in contemporary spaces featuring green interiors, children's play areas, car-themed barber chairs, billiard tables, chessboards, pianos, and reading corners.

The experience is complemented by a wide range of personal care services, including massage, hair restoration treatments, haircuts, perms, colouring, nail care, shoe cleaning, and phone sanitisation.

Rather than offering only a haircut, the brand aims to transform every visit into a leisure and lifestyle experience.

The brand aims to build a network of convenient neighbourhood barbershops, offering a full range of services, and without compromising quality

Alongside its investment in customer experience, the company has focused on building a standardised operating system.

Its network of more than 1,000 professionally trained barbers helps ensure consistent service quality across every location, creating a solid foundation for franchise expansion both in Vietnam and overseas.

From Vietnam to the world: The power of standardisation and social responsibility

Looking at the world's leading grooming brands, one pattern becomes clear. Although each has chosen a different business model, they all share the same fundamentals: standardised operations, professional workforce development, and a consistent customer experience.

East West Barbershop has chosen the same path. The company has developed its own barber training system to ensure that customers receive the same level of service regardless of which location they visit.

Beyond business growth, the brand has also integrated social impact into its long-term strategy. It provides free vocational training for young people, operates mobile barbershops offering complimentary haircuts, and allocates a portion of its profits to community welfare programmes.

The combination of a scalable business model, professional training, and social responsibility has become a defining characteristic of East West Barbershop.

Its inclusion among the world's Top 10 largest hair brands is more than a milestone for one company. It signals that Vietnam's barber industry has begun to establish a meaningful presence in the global marketplace.

As consumers place greater emphasis on experience, service quality, and consistency, these strengths are expected to provide a solid foundation for a Vietnamese brand to further expand its international footprint in the years ahead.

What sets Dong Tay Barbershop apart is not only the pace of its expansion but also the strength of the foundation underpinning its growth. A scalable business model, standardised operations, a long-term brand strategy, and a strong commitment to social responsibility have positioned the company for sustainable international growth.

As the global grooming industry continues to expand and demand for professional, standardised service chains rises, companies with operational excellence and the ability to scale internationally, such as Dong Tay Barbershop, are well positioned to create long-term value and capture new growth opportunities.

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