It looks like there might just be a plant-based version of everything these days, including hair!

Rebundle — a hair-focused startup based in St. Louis founded by Danielle Washington and Ciara Imani May — just announced that it raised $1.4 million in a pre-seed round, according to TechCrunch.

The company creates and sells hair extensions made exclusively from plant-based materials. Now, it’s on its way to shaking up the hair game one plant-based hair extension at a time.

Extensions That Work For The Environment

After realizing the amount of irritation caused by plastic extensions, Rebundle co-founder Ciara Imani May created her startup. She had the intention of not only making the environment better with the removal of plastic from the products, but she wanted a solution for helping customers’ heads feel better following an installation as well.

“In 2019, I was looking for a solution to the itchiness as well as the waste associated with hair extensions,” said May in an interview with The Business Journals. “I got a lab sample on a couple of brands to find what they were made out of and learned they were made out of core materials that didn’t belong on our bodies nor in the environment.”

The extensions are made using banana fiber, which is the core material for the extensions at Rebundle and it’s offered in an assortment of colors.

Continued Success

The latest funding round led by venture firm, M25, which takes a geographic approach with a focus on the Midwest, brought in $1.4 million for the hair startup.

“We couldn’t be more excited to partner with Rebundle as they deliver amazing products that are healthier for people and the environment,” said Mike Asem, a partner at Chicago-based venture firm M25. “Getting to know the amazing team, and seeing how much their audience truly loves them and their products — we see a clear opportunity for this company to build a category-defining brand.”

For May, this isn’t the first time the company has seen success when it comes to securing the funds needed to run the business.

According to May, before the pre-seed round, Rebundle locked in what she says is about six-figures worth of grant money as well as other capital that did not cause the company to give up equity and ownership for funds.

With the products in high demand, she says that the most recent funds will be geared toward investing in her team and the supply chain.