MADE IN CANADA, PLANT-BASED HAIR EXTENSIONS RISE ABOVE HARMFUL SYNTHETICS
By: Hillary LeBlanc
It is no secret that the beauty industry heavily relies on plastic. Walking the isles at any pharmacy we are surrounded by plastic and synthetic contents of cosmetics, hair or body care products. As the world continues to ban single-use plastics and evaluate the harm they are doing to our bodies, the beauty industry is challenged by finding more eco-friendly alternatives. Can the beauty industry reduce its plastic footprint?
The Founder of RÓUN Beauty, based out of Toronto, is directly focused on this problem in a way that may have not have been considered before specifically when it comes to Black hair care. Seyi Adaghe, the founder has created the first Canadian-made plant-based braiding hair extensions as well as a recycling program for synthetic hair.
RÓUN Beauty is a bio-cleantech company, specializing in upcycling plant fibers from agricultural waste into bio-based nontoxic hair extension and beauty products that are better for people and the planet. Their forward thinking solution allows people to look fly while also protecting the planet.
Synthetic hair used for braids, extensions, weaves causes tremendous damage to the environment, not to mention damage to our scalps. Surprisingly there are very few alternatives available on the market to combat this issue contributing to our dying planet.
Through her own research, Adaghe learned how harmful synthetic hair truly is. “I’ve learned that synthetic hair is made from a blend of petroleum-based plastic polymers, like acrylic, nylon, and polyester. It has a complicated production process, which makes use of harmful and toxic chemicals. One of the ways that synthetic hair is harmful to the planet is at the end of its life cycle. It is designed to be single-use, so it primarily ends up in landfill after disposal. At landfill sites, synthetic hair waste may be incinerated, which releases harmful gases (i.e. volatile organic compounds which create ground-level ozone) that contribute to global warming. In cases where synthetic hair waste in landfill is not incinerated, because it is made from plastic which does not biodegrade, it only breaks down into tiny particles over several years. These microplastic particles easily runoff when it rains and settle into natural water systems – like rivers and oceans, affecting aquatic life and accumulating in the bodies of seafood that we eat. From global warming to water pollution and food contamination, synthetic hair causes more harm than good to the environment, which ultimately ends up harming us as people”.
As she completed her Masters Degree in Environment and Business, she worked towards a career in Corporate Sustainability. “I wanted whatever I offered to be environmentally friendly, or at least offer a way for people to not create more plastic waste from the use of synthetic hair. I decided to put a pin on the idea. A few weeks later, I came across a video that blew my mind and inspired me to create my own brand of braiding hair extensions that was better for both the environment and the user”.
Adaghe founded RÓUN Beauty based on two principles: reducing the use of synthetic hair and diverting synthetic hair waste from landfills. “We recognized that despite the increased demand for more natural and eco-friendly hair care products in the last several years, there has been little to no innovation with respect to hair extensions. RÓUN Beauty is working to fill this gap with our plant-based braiding hair extensions, which is in its final stage of development and will launch soon”. Made from biodegradable plant fibers and free of toxic chemical additives that typically cause scalp irritation and itching discomfort to synthetic hair users, RÓUN Beauty provides braid lovers with a sustainable alternative, so they no longer have to choose between beauty, the environment, or their comfort.
RÓUN Beauty has created recycling project, ‘Recycle with RÓUN’ to collect and divert all kinds of synthetic hair extensions from landfill. “People can mail us their used or leftover synthetic hair after they are done with their styles or drop-it off at our booth when we’re in their community for pop-up or showcase events. We typically post when we’re going to be in a city on our Instagram page. Through organizations we partner with, the synthetic hair waste we collect is repurposed to create value, such as construction fillers and energy that can be fed into the power grid”.
Through offering surveys and pop-up prototype showcases, RÓUN Beauty has received an abundance of positive interest and feedback from new consumers. The concept of plant-based hair extensions is largely unheard of and their work is often met with a great level of excitement and questions. “Overall, the majority of people we engage with say they can’t wait for our launch and subscribe to our email list for updates. One person we engaged with described our product as something they’ve been looking for but didn’t realize they needed. We have been fortunate to receive this kind of response and support from consumers and industry partners alike, and we expect to receive more interest as awareness of our brand and product grows in the market!”
In addition to being biodegradable, RÓUN Beauty’s plant-based braiding hair extensions come pre-stretched, itch-free, and enriched with ingredients that help moisturize the user’s hair strands. The braiding hair will be made in Canada and will be available in a few popular colours with an option to do a colour customization service. “As we hear from our customers on their colour preferences, we will add more selections to the standard offering. Our first braiding hair product will come in a smooth silky texture for common braid and twist styles. We’d love to offer curly and kinky textures in the near future, so we’re researching ways to make this happen!”
Adaghe hopes that hair care and styling practices, in all its forms, will no longer come at a hidden cost to our health or the planet. “For too long, we (black women in particular) have normalized the scalp irritation and casually dismissed the negative environmental impacts from products like synthetic hair. I recognize that due to the social and economic challenges and inequalities we wrestle with daily, our choices often feel limited. My hope for our future is that caring for ourselves with high quality and eco-friendly products that are better for us would no longer be, or feel like, a privilege that only a few can afford”. Lastly, Adaghe hopes that with the products and programs RÓUN Beauty provides, the Black community can take greater strides towards truly caring for, celebrating, and protecting our hair and planet the way it deserves.
To learn more about RÓUN Beauty, visit rounbeauty.com for more details.