Purposeful, Plastic-Free and Plant-Based: Is Vegan Braiding the Way to Go?

It's a story many of us know all too well. Fresh out of your braider's chair with a fabulous new style, but all too soon, the dreaded itching begins. The head pats, the hives and general discomfort can drive anyone to take their braids down just days after coughing up over £100 for the natural style. Hair is supposed to look good, seem natural, and feel comfortable, and sometimes, braiding extensions miss that last mark. Can a more sustainable approach save your edges, scalp and the planet?! Stay with us here - we may have just found the ultimate alternative to plastic-based, itchy and scratchy braids!

A Long History of Braiding Braiding

Braiding hair is a beauty ritual that's been in existence for thousands of years. In Africa, some of the earliest known hair-braiding tribes were the Himba people of Namibia.

The practice of braiding was considered an art form for our ancestral girlies, and the cultivation of the same in 2022 is a legacy of which we can be proud. The fibres used were natural, far from the low-grade acrylic fibres used today.

 

When Synthetic Hair Gets Suspect

Ladies have recently come forward with scalp issues after the consecutive use of synthetic braiding hair. Redness, itchiness, tenderness and contact dermatitis are just some of the symptoms shared by thousands of women, as seen in this Twitter post by user @Takon_dwa.

Takondwa Semphere, the woman behind the handle, wrote about hair companies coating synthetic braids with an alkaline formula many people are allergic to, found also in synthetic wigs. Check out our previous article on sensitive skin and synthetic hair here!

 

Rebundle: Reimagining Braiding Hair

Ciara Imani May hit the mark with this revolutionary product. Rebundle is her answer to the need for braiding hair that works for us, not against us. Fully biodegradable and created with zero animal products, this braiding hair marks the eco-friendly future we all see ourselves living in.

The hair is quite affordable at around $40, and her site provides all the resources you would need to get your style: braider directory, care guide, different colourways and number of bundles required. We LIVE for it!

 

Nourie: Braiding Hair Food

Yep, you read that right.

The ladies over at Aja labs created a one-of-a-kind braid fibre that nourishes your hair whilst it's braided! Nourie hair delivers a nourishing complex to the scalp and strands of your treasured tresses to improve the hair and scalp damage. We're all about products that help protect our hair under any style we wear (check out our growth-stimulating product here) - whether wig or braids, so we stan 100%! 

 

We're so excited about the recent developments in hair braiding culture, and the industry's commitment to providing more comfortable experiences. Plant-based hair extensions are an innovative way to maintain the beauty and versatility of our hair while being kind to ourselves, the environment and animals. How can you say no to that?