ReNewHair: An Alternative to Conventional Hair Extensions (Eco-E)

The ReNew Hair Eco-E master’s project is an entrepreneurial undertaking by MESM class of 2026 students, Aaliyah Muhammad and Halle Kuhar-Pitters. The project aims to connect consumers to a toxic-free and sustainable alternative to synthetic hair extensions, addressing the harms affecting its primary base: Black and mixed-race Black women, girls and femmes who wear braids.

Synthetic hair is made from petroleum-based plastic – including modacrylics, nylon, polyester, and PET. They are treated with a host of chemical additives to make the synthetic fibers flexible. These additives contain carcinogens including lead and VOCs. These chemicals have been linked to endocrine disruption, reproductive harm, and respiratory illness – risks that fall disproportionately on frequent, long-term users. These products are then covered with additional coatings such as dyes, heat sealants, and flame retardants. The result is a non-biodegradable product that leaches chemicals into the environment. Like many other textile and synthetic-based materials, synthetic hair ends up in landfills, contributing to the growing waste problem and possible long-term soil contamination.

ReNew Hair addresses a demonstrably underserved segment of the personal care market – one that is highly targeted by consumer identity and cultural practice, but significant in scale. Over 5.5 million American women use synthetic hair extensions annually, challenging the tendency to conflate audience specificity with market smallness. Highly targeted products are not niche products; they are precision-designed solutions for well-defined consumer populations. Our goal is to connect women to a premium, safe, and environmentally conscious alternative to synthetic hair.

Acknowledgements

UC Santa Barbara Bren School: Emily Cotter, Lecturer and Patricia Holden, Professor

UC Santa Barbara, Life Sciences Department: Jackie O’Shay, Associate Professor

Eco-E Advisory Council Industry Advisor: Karla Mora, Alanthe Capital

Our 82 interviewees and outside consultants