Business is booming at Rebundle, and founder Ciara May is along for the ride.
The Charlotte-based startup, which manufactures plant-based, biodegradable synthetic hair used for protective styles like braiding and twisting, launched the pre-sale of its first product "braid better" in mid-January. Based on countless inquires about the product leading up to the launch, May said she knew success was in Rebundle's future. She never predicted, however, that it would come so quickly.
"It’s a rewarding feeling, and it makes all of the work worth it," she said. "We didn’t know how it would be received as a brand-new product in the market, so it reaffirms my reason for even starting the company."
Rebundle's "braid better" hair comes in three colors — black, blonde and brown — and costs $20 each. Once a wearer is finished with the hair, it can be added to a compost bin or discarded with yard waste.
May said they're currently only taking pre-sales from within the Unites States, but she's received inquires from countries all over the world including France, Sweden, Germany, South Africa and Nigeria.
She attributed the fast and widespread product reach to a viral social-media presence.
"It’s all been organic sales ... It has this organic re-share value," she said. "A number of our customers were already following us and were ready for the launch, and so many people re-shared Tweets and screenshots of the product."
"Social media did its job," she added. "All we did was put it up, and the community took it from there."
Pre-sales are ongoing. May said customers can expect their orders to ship in late March, after which time product will ship as orders are placed.
"We're here to stay," she said.
