St. Louis Inno is publishing profiles of its 2022 Startups to Watch this week. See the entire list of honorees below.
REBUNDLE
Headquarters: St. Louis
Founders: Ciara Imani May and Danielle Washington
What it does: Founded in 2019, Rebundle manufactures and sells plant-based braided hair extensions it says are more environmentally conscious and skin-friendly than traditional hair extensions. It launched its first product, made with naturally extracted banana fiber, in early 2021. The company sells its products through a direct-to-consumer model.
The latest: Initially founded in Charlotte, North Carolina, Rebundle established its headquarters in St. Louis after winning a $50,000 grant from local nonprofit Arch Grants in 2020. The startup says it experienced high-demand for its product following its launch last year. Rebundle sells its hair extensions in six different colors and they retail for between $20 to $30 on the company's website, Rebundle.co.
Why you should watch it: The launch of Rebundle’s first product comes as the plant-based beauty market continues to strengthen. A 2021 report estimated the vegan cosmetics market at $15.1 billion, with the expectation that it will expand to $21.4 billion by 2027. When it comes to plant-based hair extensions, Rebundle believes it has positioned itself as a “category-defining brand” within that market. It says its first year of sales has generated significant demand, proving out the market for its products.
What’s next: In January, Rebundle closed a $1.4 million pre-seed funding round. It plans to use that financing to expand its team, open a new manufacturing facility in St. Louis, expand access to its products and to develop new ones.
More about Rebundle
Founded: 2019
Capital raised: Rebundle in January closed a $1.4 million pre-seed funding round.
CEO: Ciara Imani May
Employees: 6
Investors: RareBreed Ventures, M25, Closed Loop Partners’ Ventures Group, Sku’d Ventures, Arch Grants, Chicago Early, Big Delta Capital, Precursor Ventures, Evergreen Climate Innovations, and Innocreative Capital
