Rebundle, a St. Louis-based D2C hair startup, just scored $1.4m to make extensions out of banana fiber. It’s a unique solution that tackles 2 problems: itchy scalps and plastic waste.
The issue with extensions
Rebundle co-founder and CEO Ciara Imani May told Essence that she started wearing braids frequently as she grew her hair out, but the synthetic extensions made her scalp burn and itch.
Plus, she didn’t like the plastic waste. So in 2021, she launched Rebundle with co-founder and CMO Danielle Washington.
And Rebundle is bananas
Banana fiber, that is, and other plant-based materials. Whereas synthetic hair would have to be intentionally recycled, Rebundle is biodegradable and compostable.
Packs come in several colors, from black to pink, and last ~6 weeks. At $20-$30 per 3.5-ounce pack, Rebundle is pricier than synthetic brands, which retail for $3-$10 per pack, per Vogue.
But they’re not as expensive as human hair extensions, and have been selling out quickly.
Rebundle will use the funding to build a local manufacturing facility…
… which is pretty rare. May told The Hustle that most facilities are located in Asia, “far from the primary consumers and out of touch with our needs.”
Rebundle’s US facility allows the company to provide opportunities in communities where hair extensions are widely known and used, while increasing its control over quality and safety.
Fun fact: Rebundle also recycles used extensions. To date, Rebundle has collected ~235 pounds of plastic hair.
