Investigators usually package very small items like hair in special folded paper containers called “bindles” or “paper folds,” and then place those inside labeled envelopes or evidence bags.

Basic idea

For tiny items such as hairs, fibers, paint flakes, or glass splinters, the goal is to keep them from falling out, getting crushed, or getting contaminated. The standard solution is:

  • Collect the hair carefully (usually with clean tweezers or by combing over clean paper).
  • Place it on a small sheet of clean paper and fold that into a sealed little packet (the bindle).
  • Put the folded paper packet into a larger, labeled envelope or paper evidence bag and seal it.

Step‑by‑step: hair in the field

A typical crime‑scene procedure for loose hairs looks like this.

  1. Locate and pick up the hair
    • Use clean forceps/tweezers to lift visible hairs from surfaces like clothing, bedding, or furniture, or collect them with tape lifts or by combing over paper.
 * Avoid fingers so skin oils or extra DNA are not added to the evidence.
  1. Transfer onto clean paper
    • Place the hair on a clean piece of paper or a sticky note (often the sticky edge of a Post‑it) so it does not move around.
 * Keep hairs from different locations or different people separate to avoid mixing sources.
  1. Make a paper bindle (paper fold)
    • Fold the paper several times in a specific pattern so that all edges are closed and the hair cannot leak out even if the outer envelope is jostled.
 * The folded paper acts as a tiny, leak‑resistant container for the hair.
  1. Place in an outer container
    • Put the bindle into a labeled envelope or paper evidence bag and seal it with tape or evidence seals.
 * The outer container carries the information: case number, date, location collected, collector’s initials, description (for example, “hair from pillow” or “loose hair from car seat”).

Why paper, not plastic?

  • Airflow and drying : Biological and trace evidence should be dry, and paper lets moisture escape; plastic can trap moisture and promote mold or degradation.
  • Leak prevention : A proper paper fold is designed so tiny particles cannot escape even if an envelope is torn or kinked.
  • Static issues : Plastic can generate static that might move or scatter very light items like hairs and fibers, while paper is more stable.

Known vs. unknown hair samples

Investigators often collect both questioned hairs (from the scene) and known reference hairs (from a person) for comparison.

  • Questioned hairs
    • Picked up from clothing, bedding, floors, car seats, etc., then packaged in individual paper folds by source or location.
  • Known reference hairs
    • Pulled or combed from a person’s head or pubic area over clean paper, then the hairs and comb are folded in paper and placed in an envelope labeled with body area and person’s name.

Both types are kept strictly separate and clearly marked so the lab can compare them microscopically and, when appropriate, with DNA testing.

Extra tiny or mixed trace

When hairs are mixed with other very small material (like glass fragments or paint chips), the same basic principles apply.

  • Collect everything together from a defined area (for example, the floor under a body) so the context is preserved.
  • Package in a paper fold first, then in an outer labeled envelope, noting the location and type of material.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.