Kenyan women transform discarded synthetic hair into stylish handmade bags
Queening Afrika, a Kenyan social enterprise, collects discarded synthetic hair from salons and transforms it into stylish handmade bags. This initiative empowers women by providing sustainable income and skills training, addressing waste management issues and supporting Kenya's large informal job sector.
Kenyan women are turning discarded synthetic hair extensions into stylish handmade bags, thanks to the social enterprise Queening Afrika.
Once used for braids and plaits, synthetic hair often ends up as waste, polluting drainage channels and dumpsites. Queening Afrika partners with beauty salons to collect this hair, which is then sorted, cleaned, and hand-crafted by an all-women team into fashionable products.
Experienced artisans like Veronica Musyoka, a mother of six and two-decade weaver, mentor younger women, teaching them weaving skills and life guidance to help avoid social challenges. For many, including Rose Auma, weaving provides a vital income to support their families.
The initiative aligns with Kenya’s economic context, where the informal sector created 87.2% of new jobs in 2025, according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. Youth adviser Joyce Gitau highlights that projects like Queening Afrika offer women better economic opportunities beyond typical waste collection.
