06:30, 01 October 2024
Words by Cheyanne Bryan, Editorial and Campaign Marketing Executive, London
October marks the beginning of Black History Month in the UK, a time dedicated to recognising the invaluable contributions of Black individuals and celebrating the achievements of their communities.
And what better way to launch this significant cultural period than with National Hair Day?
In a similar spirit, both events highlight the importance of self-expression and cultural identity, fostering a deeper appreciation for the rich tapestry of experiences and histories that shape our society. That is exactly why we are introducing you to Kynd Hair.
Kynd Hair, a black and women-owned company that is set to disrupt the braiding hair extensions industry while simultaneously empowering and educating about black hair.
“I just want to make something that's for people like me,” Cosima Richardson, CEO and Founder of Kynd Hair tells Smiley News.
“I've been wearing braids pretty much my whole life, and I wasn't happy that there were no sustainable alternatives. And ever since then, "I've been doing pretty much everything in my role to make it happen,”
With production on Kynd Hair starting over 3 years ago, Cosima is responsible for the business strategy, finding suitable research partners, as well as the initial marketing and PR.
Set to be Europe's first plant-based braiding hair, which is currently not in public distribution yet, the hair fibres are made from cellulose – a renewable material, which is a carbohydrate derived from plants and utilised in various applications including as dietary fibre and in manufacturing.
From her experience of wearing braids for many years, Cosima says, she became appalled by the amount of plastic waste that was created. Traditional braiding hair is made from synthetic fibres, which has been reported to cause scalp irritation, link to serious health conditions and contribute to global plastic waste.
She says: “At some point, I started looking it up, and was really shocked when I found out that regular synthetic hair is made from toxic, carcinogenic chemicals, which when you heat the hair, it can create fumes that may cause asthma or even cause cancer that was just a huge shock to me to realise that I had been using this product since I was a child.”
Besides the health and environmental benefits, Kynd Hair wants to support their target audience and build a brand that cares about the consumer.
“When it comes to education, we have two tasks: One is educating the white population. Discrimination against natural afro hair or Black hairstyles such as braids is still such a prevalent issue We would love to contribute to decreasing discrimination and prejudice against Afro Hair.”
“And the second thing is that not everyone in our community knows how problematic plastic synthetic hair is, because there are not many studies.”
The initial launch of Kynd Hair is set to happen in 2025 in the EU, with hopes and plans to push further out to other countries such as the UK, US, Brazil and the African continent.
Their range will start with popular and natural hair colours before expanding to different colours, lengths and textures based on consumer demand.
To be notified on any updates for Kynd Hair, subscribe to their waitlist here: https://kyndhair.com/pages/waitlist
At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.
Hatch Enterprise. This charity supports underrepresented entrepreneurs across the UK to gain the skills, funding and confidence to launch a business. Find out more.
World Afro Day. This organisation hosts World Afro Day, a global day of celebration and liberation for Afro hair and identity, endorsed by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human rights to tackle hair discrimination. Learn more here.
Every Can Counts. This is a not-for-profit recycling programme, encouraging people to recycle more often, to protect our planet. Support them here.
