Turning hair into money: Kenya’s first wig making studio

By Liz Njuguna | 7yrs ago | 3 min read

Every woman needs a protective style or at the very least an emergency slay, says Nemps Latoya She is the boss lady of Body of Hair (Boh) which is Kenya’s first wig making hair studio

Why is hair so expensive?

If someone was to buy your hair, how much would you sell it for? Everyone has a price but it’s never cheap.

What did you study in school?

I studied interior architecture at Curtin University.

So what inspired you to venture into hair business?

I was in a foreign country where situations forced me to learn how to style my hair. Braids were too much work, especially undoing them. And because I enjoyed switching up styles, I just had to be a stylist.

But when I started styling my friends, I saw the potential for business.

You are an architect, how did you learn the art of making wigs?

I began teaching myself using online videos but eventually took a course and officially got certified as a wig postichuer (French for wig maker)

When did you know that this was it?

The moment I realised that I enjoyed making wigs and my friends got excited about me making their hair - for a fee of course.

Do you think wigs are more popular than braids?

Yes. Wigs are versatile and you can colour, cut, curl and straighten without damaging your own hair.

With wigs, you can still look cool, especially when you want to properly clean and treat your natural hair.

How do you market your products?

To be honest, most of our clients are friends of friends or referrals. But we are also big on Instagram and Facebook.

Have you faced any challenges?

I think our major challenge is lack of information. Most people don’t understand that making wigs takes time and effort. They are mass produced into small, medium and extra-large sizes.

How long does it take to make one wig?

There are many types of wigs, including lace, closure wig, lace-front and full-lace wigs. Right now, the market also supplies injected wigs, silk base wigs and silicone base wigs. Making a wig can take a day to 30 days, depending on how much lace the wig cap has.

The more the lace, the more detailed the work is and the longer it takes. We have women who come with their hair for wig making daily. Our team can make at least four wigs a day. Styling is done separately.

Describe the process

We measure the clients head to ensure that we give them the best fit, then select length of hair, texture, colour that matches the skin tone and hairline density, then finally we style the hair.

Who are your biggest clients?

Women, every woman needs a protective style or at the very least an emergency slay.

What would you advice someone who wanted to get into this business?

My advice would be to spend time learning about hair so you can give your clients the best value for money.