Bamboo Afro Comb

Plastic combs. Prone to loss and/or breakage…no I’m not talking about your hair or lack therof, just the plastic combs you use to groom your noggin.

I’ve picked up plastic combs during beach cleans… which suggests a sad new definition for the term ‘beachcombing’.

If you have seen the photo on the ‘about me’ page, you’ll know that my hair is naturally flatter than a pancake, so I’ve no place to be waffling on here. Instead, I asked the owner of Curls and Kawaii (my supplier of these combs) to give me some useful info on afro combs. In her own words –

Aieshea: ‘Afro comb's date back to Ancient Egypt, although the earliest Patent for that type of comb was in 1969 by Samuel H Bundles Jr and Henry M. Childrey (Tulloch). They are also known as Picks/Piks and in the 1970's became somewhat of a political statement and a nod to rebellion.

In terms of use, afro combs are mainly used to pick the roots of the hair to create volume hence the term ‘pick’. Men also use them to groom their hair and beards.’

This comb is strong and robust, and is not the kind of comb to snap under pressure, oh no, this comb will be brushing your lovely locks for years to comb. Sorry, I meant years to come, but you knew that.

As with all wood products, occasionally treating the wood by waxing or oiling (e.g. beeswax, danish oil etc.) will keep it in the best condition.

Plastic combs cost a pittance, generally less than a pound. So, clearly, a bamboo comb is more expensive, there aren’t any savings to be made here. The worth comes from the fact that bamboo is a renewable, fast-growing resource, and that this bamboo comb is completely biodegradable when it comes to the end of its useful life. Plastic combs, on the other hand, are easy to lose and also break easily, which means that every plastic comb you’ve ever used will be hanging around until the end of time, in a landfill at best, and as litter somewhere at worst.

What is it made from?

100% Moso bamboo.

 

Where do they come from?

Designed by Curls and Kawaii in Birmingham. Made in Beijing, China.

Curls and Kawaii say that ‘The combs are shipped to me in cardboard boxes, (unfortunately they do have a small amount of bubble wrap in the packages).’

 

Are they sustainable?

Bamboo - The bamboo used here is ‘Mao’(Moso) bamboo. Bamboo is a fast-growing grass that is generally seen as being one of the most sustainable plants due to the speed at which it grows. Its growth rate can be up to a meter per week! When bamboo is felled, no replanting is required, because shoots will re-grow from the root system, making it very efficient, but this means it can be considered invasive if not native to the area (as you may know if you have bamboo in your garden!) Bamboo grows packed close together, so a small area of land can produce a high yield in comparison to that of trees, which need more space to grow. Bamboo naturally contains an anti-microbial substance known as ‘bamboo-kun’ which makes bamboo resistant to fungi growth and pests, which means it can be grown organically. (That isn’t to say that all bamboo is organic, as some farmers do use synthetic pesticides or fertilizers.) Bamboo is good at carbon capture and produces more oxygen than most types of young trees. If bamboo farms are managed sustainably, they can help reduce deforestation, as they provide a multi-purpose fast-growing crop that is easy to harvest, and the same crop can be harvested again and again, unlike conventional logging of hardwood and softwood trees.

 

How about ethical?

Curls and Kawaii have been looking for a UK based manufacturer, but have had no luck so far. Bamboo is not cultivated in the UK in the same way, so most bamboo is sourced from China, and are also manufactured in China, which makes sense considering that is where the source material comes from. Items not manufactured in the UK or EU do have ethical considerations attached, as it can be difficult to be assured that manufacturers labour standards and practices are up to par. Curls and Kawaii have asked if their manufacturer is ethical, but got an answer that showed the meaning was lost in translation. We need to support small businesses with help to look into their supply chains, as it is not as easy as it should be, and until quite recently, there was not much awareness that this was an issue that had to be considered among many business owners, as we are so detached from manufacturing and industry here in the UK at this time. It is easy to ignore when you can just order what you like from a manufacturer halfway across the world via email or trade catalogue sites like Alibaba. We all need to work on supply chain transparency, and this is very much an ongoing process and learning curve for many businesses of all sizes. We can all be better.

 

Extra good stuff:

Aieshea, who founded Curls and Kawaii, started with a blog to document her journey to accepting her hair as it is, voluminous and curly and beautiful naturally. She had spent years straightening her hair, trying to tame it into a shape (or rather lack of) that was seen as how hair should be according to society. Straight hair was what you had to aim for, no matter the cost or harm to your hair it took. Aieshea decided to free her hair from this ‘ideal’ and let it go natural. She writes about the history of black hair care, and her blog encourages everyone to embrace their hair as it naturally is, and to push away those beauty standards that many people cannot live up to, and shouldn’t have to even try!

Aieshea says that she ‘aims to have excellent customer service, and I am working towards an eco-friendly/sustainable shop - currently, the majority of my packaging is plastic free and is all recyclable - I am looking at getting paper tape but I do have a plant-based tape which is 0% plastic.’

 

Conclusion:

Don’t comb-over your use of plastic, switch to an eco-friendly bamboo comb for all your coiffing needs instead!