The British Nigerian entrepreneur taking afro hair care secrets mainstream
“Definitely not,” Stella Ekebuisi replied emphatically when I asked if her business, Chidora Hats, could have existed without a .uk domain.
Roughly two years ago, the Nigerian British entrepreneur spotted a gap in the market when she was unable to find winter headgear that wouldn’t damage her tightly-curled, afro hair.
“For years I wore my hair in braids and extensions and never really thought about the damage it was doing,” she explained. “Then I started doing some research. There’s loads to learn from specialist online forums and blogs, but the main message was that moisture is key to keeping my hair healthy — and that cotton and wool are very drying for hair like mine.”
“I started sleeping with my hair tied in a silk scarf. When winter came, I worried that my woolly hats would reverse all the good work I’d put in over the warmer months. I searched online for a winter hat that was lined with silk and found one company based in the US, but they didn’t ship to the UK.”
She decided to take matters into her own hands, and Chidora was born. Named after her youngest sister — Stella is the second of six siblings — the business is very much a family operation. Indeed, the first batch of products were actually produced at the Ekebuisi family kitchen table.
“I bought wool bobbles and beanies from a wholesaler and my sister and I lined them with pure Indian silk,” she recalled. “We made 120 and sold all of them. After that, I sourced a supplier in Leicestershire who used British wool and could create knitwear to my own designs. I also began working with a garment maker in Cheshire who lined the hats.”
Chidora sells almost exclusively online, allowing the company to reach customers across the country in ways that wouldn’t otherwise be possible
Chidora sells almost exclusively online, allowing the company to reach customers across the country in ways that wouldn’t otherwise be possible. For a small start-up that aimed to sell to a relatively niche group — women in the UK with afro-textured hair — this has been vital.
“I knew immediately that I wanted to sell online,” said Stella. “Without the internet, how would I have promoted my product to those women scattered around the country who really need to know about it? My target customer discusses hair care tips and techniques in online forums all over the place. There isn’t a specific physical location.”
Chidora has been able to tap into the thriving UK hair and beauty blogging network, gaining particular attention from individuals focused on natural afro hair care. “A few bloggers have been keen to review my products which is really flattering,” Stella enthused. “And they look so good in the pictures!”
“I’ve had a lot of interest from women of all races”
What’s more, operating an online store allows her to sell the products without the costs associated with opening a physical shop. “It would not have been possible for me to launch my range if I’d had to invest in premises,” she explained. “I have coding skills from a previous career so I mostly built the website myself.”
Maintaining the family ethos of the business, one of her sisters has lent a hand with search engine optimisation — making sure that chidora.co.uk is the top result when potential customers google “silk lined hats”. Web developer forums have also provided essential advice when things have gone wrong with the website.
As the company has grown, Stella has found that her customer base is more diverse than she’d originally anticipated. “I’ve had a lot of interest from women of all races,” she revealed. “It’s turned out that black and mixed-race women do not make up the majority of my customers. Afro hair is naturally dry, but women with curly, bleached or colour-treated hair also need to put some effort into retaining moisture.”
“I think it’s a happy by-product of being an online business, you can reach all individuals even if you’re targeting a particular group. My hats are unique in the UK market: pure lambswool and pure silk make a luxury item that any women would covet.”
Last year, Chidora was featured in a Guardian Weekend fashion article — something which “felt like a bit of a breakthrough” for the entrepreneur, who currently works a second job to supplement her income. “It’s still really early days,” she told us. “During this third year, I hope to expand the reach of my brand so that more people know about us and what we have to offer.”
Now it’s clear that the market for silk-lined hats isn’t limited to women with afro hair, Stella seems to believe that the sky is the limit for her business. We don’t blame her. Chidora hats has already come a long way since 2013 — when it was just her, her sister and their mum’s old sewing machine. Who knows how much further it might grow?
This story is one of 30 celebrating the launch of .uk domain names in 1985. To read the others visit our 30 Years of .uk hub. To start your own .uk story check out www.agreatplacetobe.uk.
