Juliet Tumusiime Hit Gold After Discovering the Wonders of Banana Stem

At a time where sustainability and innovation are at the forefront of business, Ugandan entrepreneur Juliet Tumusiime has crafted a unique solution to a common problem, the itchy, synthetic wigs many women wear.

Her company, Cheveux Organique, offers a groundbreaking alternative, hair extensions made from the stems of banana plants, providing an eco-friendly and biodegradable option to synthetic wigs.

It might sound unusual – hair made from banana stems – but Juliet’s journey is a testament to human ingenuity and resourcefulness. Drawing from her Ugandan roots, where bananas are an agricultural staple, she has developed a product that appeals to customers not only in Africa but across the globe, with a strong customer base in Sweden, the U.S., and the UK.

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How She Started

Juliet’s entrepreneurial journey began from personal frustration. She struggled with the side effects of synthetic hair, and knew there had to be a better alternative. 

“Like many women, I had trouble dealing with an itchy scalp, allergies and dandruff whenever I would use synthetic hair,” she says.

Her “eureka” moment came while working on a research project to explore the banana plant’s value chain. The project focused on identifying banana species that could withstand climate change and pests. Alongside discovering climate-resistant banana varieties, she began to see untapped potential in the banana stems that were often discarded after harvesting.

Recalling her childhood memories of making dolls from banana stems, she wondered if there was a way to take that raw material and transform it into hair. 

After extensive research, she learned that banana stems were already used to create fabric in countries like India and the Philippines.

“I was inquisitive to know how they were doing this, and when I saw the process, it looked like the fibre could be turned into strands of hair,” says Juliet. So, she was inspired to set out to discover if banana fiber could be adapted for hair extensions.

From Concept to Reality

The path from idea to product was far from easy. In the early days, Juliet faced a lack of access to the machinery needed for fiber extraction. Undeterred, she and her team improvised with manual scraping techniques. 

The first attempts resulted in stiff, white strands, good enough for dolls but not suitable for human hair. However, after years of research, experimentation, and collaboration with scientists, they finally cracked the code. 

By 2018, they had a prototype of soft, flexible banana fiber that could be dyed and styled like traditional hair extensions.

Today, Juliet’s banana fiber hair is known for its durability and eco-friendly properties. Unlike synthetic hair, which is made from non-recyclable plastics that pollute the environment, banana fiber hair is completely biodegradable. Customers love that it is not only sustainable but also itch-free and reusable up to three times.

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The Eco-Friendly Edge

What sets Cheveux Organique apart is its dedication to sustainability. The company’s hair extensions are biodegradable, breaking down completely within weeks if discarded, making them an ideal alternative to synthetic options. 

Juliet has also partnered with salons in Kampala to promote responsible disposal practices for synthetic hair, ensuring it doesn’t contribute to the growing issue of plastic pollution.

Even the production process aligns with her eco-friendly values. The waste generated from manufacturing banana fiber hair is repurposed into items like lampshades and other decorative crafts. Juliet’s business model is a full-circle approach to sustainability, turning what would otherwise be waste into value-added products.

Growing Pains and Future Prospects

Currently, Cheveux Organique produces about 5 kilograms of banana fiber hair each month, with each 150-gram bundle priced at around $50. Although this may seem expensive compared to traditional synthetic hair, the hair’s reusable quality and eco-friendly credentials make it a worthwhile investment for many customers.

Still, Juliet is acutely aware of the need to scale up production to bring down costs. With the production process still largely manual, efficiency is a challenge, but it’s one she is determined to overcome. Her vision is to make banana fiber hair more accessible to a wider audience, both within Uganda and abroad.