Braiding hair in South Africa: types, packs and prices
Braiding hair here is mostly synthetic. Single packs of the big names, X-Pression Ultra Braid, Londie London and Darling One Million, cost R31.90 to R59.99 a pack at four stores on 6 Oct 2026. Pick the type by style: pre-stretched for knotless and feed-in braids, yaki for a pressed-hair look, curly packs for boho and goddess ends, human hair if you want to reuse it.
The main types at a glance
Types of braiding hair, and what they start at
Box braids, cornrows, twists
Lightweight and tangle-free, in store words
R23.90
Knotless and feed-in braids
Tapered ends, ready to braid
R9.90
A natural, full look
Pressed-hair texture
R7.90
Boho and goddess braids
Pre-curled strands
R78.90
Thick, quick braids
More hair per pack
R52
Reusing the hair, heat styling
Real hair, so it takes heat (one US seller says)
R289
Packs and weights
- 2 to 3 packsThe 'requires per head' figure on Cosmetic Connection listings: 3 for Ultra Braid 82 inch and One Million 20 inch, 2 for Londie London 100 inch and Super Braid 100 inch.
- 4 to 5 packsOne Gauteng guide's figure for Londie London 100 inch at mid-back fullness. Long, full braids need more than the minimum.
- +1 or -1Gyal Braids, a US seller, adds a pack for thick hair and takes one off for a lighter look.
- 80 g to 330 gPack weights on SA listings run from 80 g (Gold Braids) to 165 g (Ultra Braid 82 inch) and 330 g (Super Braid 100 inch), so count grams, not packs.
How to choose at the shop
- Read the weight in grams on the pack, not only the length in inches.
- Look for the word pre-stretched if you want tapered ends and less prep.
- Ask your braider for the brand, the number of packs and the colour code before you shop.
- Check whether a 100 inch pack is meant to be cut in half for a normal-length braid.
- Keep the receipt until your braider has seen the hair.
Braiding hair prices across SA stores
Checked 6 Oct 2026Cheapest first. No store pays to be listed or ranked here.
Brands and colours
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Braiding hair in South Africa, explained
What braiding hair is made of
Braiding hair sold in South Africa is mostly synthetic: of the 245 braiding hair products in our 6 Oct 2026 check, three say human hair in the title. The big brand names come in long packs that your braider blends into your own hair, which is why pack length and weight matter. Cosmetic Connection lists its Ultra Braid 82 inch, a 165 g pack, as 100% Kanekalon fibre. Kanekalon is the trade name for synthetic fibres made by Kaneka Corporation, and a 2023 paper in The Lancet Regional Health Americas describes it as a modacrylic fibre.
So the short answer to what synthetic hair is: a man-made fibre cut and packed to look like hair. Store listings describe it as lightweight and tangle-free, and it costs far less than human hair. A US braiding hair seller describes human bulk braiding hair as heat-safe and able to be coloured, which is a reminder to read what the pack says before you take any hot tool to synthetic hair. Cosmetic Connection's Ultra Braid listing says only that it can be styled with hot water.
Pre-stretched or standard?
Standard braiding hair has blunt ends, so your braider pulls the strands apart to taper each braid. Pre-stretched hair has already been stretched and tapered at the ends. The same US seller puts the saving at 30 to 60 minutes of prep per install.
In South African stores the word appears on Cosmetic Connection's Candy Braid, 3X Goddess Braid, Deep Bulk Knotless Braid and Yaki Braid 24 inch, on Be Beautiful Hair's Gold Braid Pre Stretched and Yaki Pre Stretched Braids, and on The San Hair's Ruby Love ombre braids. It does not always cost more. At Be Beautiful Hair an 80 g pack of Gold Braids was R25 on 6 Oct 2026 and the pre-stretched version R39, but the Yaki Pre Stretched Braids pack was R16, the same as the standard Yaki Braids. If a pack does not say pre-stretched, expect your braider to separate the hair and to take a little longer.
Yaki, curly, jumbo and human hair
Yaki braiding hair has a pressed-hair texture. Cosmetic Connection describes its Yaki Braid 24 inch as pre-stretched with a yaki texture for a natural, voluminous look. In stock packs of yaki cost R7.90 at Cosmetic Connection, R12.99 at Universal Dealers and R16 at Be Beautiful Hair on 6 Oct 2026.
Curly braiding hair is sold as packs of pre-curled strands. On the same day Mzansi Curls were R90 at Be Beautiful Hair, Gossip Curl R99.99 at Universal Dealers and R129 at Be Beautiful Hair, Curly Pop 260 g R122.90 and Disco Curl 24 inch R78.90 at Cosmetic Connection. A Takealot listing for Italian Curls, pre-curled braiding hair the listing describes as for boho and goddess styles, was R380.
Jumbo is mostly a bigger pack. Be Beautiful Hair's Gold Jumbo Braid is 160 g at R52, double the 80 g Gold Braids at R25.
Human braiding hair is real hair sold loose for braiding. The US seller says it can be heat styled and coloured, lasts two to three months and can be reused two or three times after washing. South African listings are few. Takealot sellers list ACCAHH Natural Yaki, 100% human hair, at R289 and Joedir 100% human hair afro kinky bulk, 10 inch, at R599. Universal Dealers lists a Yaki Human Hair Mix, 14 inch, at R100. The word mix suggests a blend, so ask what is in it.
Lengths and weights on the pack
Lengths on SA packs run from 20 inch (Darling One Million and Yaki Braid) and 24 inch (Fulani Braid and Yaki Braid) to 52 inch (Hot Water Braid), 80 to 82 inch (Mishell Braid, Ultra Braid and Rich Braid) and 100 inch (Londie London and Super Braid). The number is not always your braid length. Afrotex, whose own site lists Londie London, says the 100 inch pack can be cut in half for a normal braid length and still keep its hot water function.
Weight is the better comparison. Cosmetic Connection lists Ultra Braid 82 inch at 165 g for R46.90, Rich Braid 82 inch at 230 g for R64.90 and Super Braid 100 inch at 330 g for R87.90. Be Beautiful Hair lists Gold Braids at 80 g for R25 and Gold Jumbo Braid at 160 g for R52. Our arithmetic from those listings puts them between 3.1 and 3.8 grams of hair per rand, so a cheaper pack is not always cheaper per gram.
How many packs do you need?
Store listings give a minimum. Cosmetic Connection says 3 packs per head for Ultra Braid 82 inch, One Million Braid 20 inch and Yaki Braid 20 inch, and 2 packs per head for Londie London 100 inch, Super Braid 100 inch and the 3X Goddess Braid. For a full set of mid-back braids you may need more. A Gauteng guide to Londie London and X-Pression, updated on 12 March 2026, puts Londie London at 4 to 5 packs for mid-back fullness.
Pack weights differ, so 3 packs of an 80 g hair is not the same as 3 packs of 165 g. Ask your braider which brand, how many packs and which colour code before you shop. Codes such as 1, 1B, 2, 4, 27, 30, 33 and 350 are used across brands, but the same code can differ in warmth and shine from one brand to the next, so use the colour chart and check the pack in daylight.
What it costs and where to buy
On 6 Oct 2026 single packs of X-Pression Ultra Braid, Londie London and Darling One Million cost R31.90 to R59.99 where they were in stock at Cosmetic Connection, Hair City, Universal Dealers and Clicks. Takealot sellers charged R86 and up for a single X-Pression pack. The lowest prices were yaki and gold braid packs, from R7.90 to R25.
Stores that carry braiding hair in our check include Cosmetic Connection, Hair City, Universal Dealers, Be Beautiful Hair, Clicks, Splendit, The San Hair and Takealot sellers. We have not photographed, tested or weighed any pack; every figure here comes from a store listing or a source named below.
Before you pay: heat, flame and how long to keep them in
A 2025 abstract in the Journal of Burn Care and Research from a US burn unit says synthetic hair is more flammable than human hair. It describes a wig catching fire while a patient lit a cigarette and alternative hair catching fire while a patient cooked, and notes that the adhesive used to fix hair may be flammable too. A hot water set avoids a lighter, but boiling water scalds, so keep children well away.
The American Academy of Dermatology says to wear braids for no longer than 6 to 8 weeks, to loosen braids around the hairline and to keep them short, because longer hair is heavier and pulls more. Take the style out if your scalp stings, crusts or hurts.
Braiding hair: questions
What is synthetic braiding hair, and what is Kanekalon?
Synthetic braiding hair is man-made fibre cut and packed to look like hair. Kanekalon is the trade name for synthetic fibres made by Kaneka Corporation. Cosmetic Connection lists its Ultra Braid 82 inch as 100% Kanekalon fibre, and a 2023 paper in The Lancet Regional Health Americas describes Kanekalon as modacrylic. It costs far less than human hair.
What does pre-stretched braiding hair mean?
Pre-stretched hair has already been stretched and tapered at the ends, so your braider does not have to pull the strands apart. A US braiding hair seller says this saves 30 to 60 minutes of prep. Check the pack or listing for the word, because standard hair does not say it. At Be Beautiful Hair, pre-stretched Gold Braids cost R39 against R25 for standard on 6 Oct 2026.
How many packs of braiding hair do I need for a full head?
Cosmetic Connection lists 2 to 3 packs per head for most of its braiding hair, and a Gauteng guide puts Londie London at 4 to 5 packs for mid-back braids. Thick or long hair needs more. Pack weights run from 80 g to 330 g, so count grams, and ask your braider for the brand, the pack count and the colour code first.
How much does braiding hair cost in South Africa?
On 6 Oct 2026, single packs of X-Pression Ultra Braid, Londie London and Darling One Million cost R31.90 to R59.99 in stock at Cosmetic Connection, Hair City, Universal Dealers and Clicks. Takealot sellers started at R86 for X-Pression. Yaki and gold braid packs ran from R7.90 to R25. Curly packs cost more, from R78.90.
Is human braiding hair worth the extra cost?
Maybe, if you want to reuse the hair or heat style it. A US seller says human braiding hair lasts two to three months and can be reused two or three times after washing. Prices are far higher: Takealot sellers list 100% human hair from R289, and a 10 inch afro kinky bulk pack at R599. For a single short-term style, synthetic is cheaper.
Which braiding hair is used for boho and goddess braids?
Curly packs are sold for those looks. Be Beautiful Hair's Mzansi Curls cost R90, Universal Dealers' Gossip Curl R99.99 and Cosmetic Connection's Curly Pop 260 g R122.90 on 6 Oct 2026. A Takealot listing sells Italian Curls, which it describes as pre-curled braiding hair for boho and goddess styles, at R380. Ask your braider which pack and how many they want.
How do I seal the ends of braiding hair safely?
A hot water set is the safer route: dip the braid tips in hot water, pat dry, and the flyaways settle, as one Gauteng guide describes it. Avoid a lighter or flame, because synthetic hair is more flammable than human hair. If you must use heat, do it in a ventilated room and never touch melted fibre.
How long can I keep braids in?
The American Academy of Dermatology says to wear braids for no longer than 6 to 8 weeks. It also advises loosening braids around the hairline, choosing thicker braids over tiny ones, and keeping the length short because longer hair pulls more. Remove the style if it stings, crusts, hurts or your hairline looks thinner.