Crochet braids in South Africa: hair, packs and cost

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Crochet braids, explained

What crochet braids are

Crochet braids are a style where your own hair is braided into cornrows and synthetic hair is then looped onto the rows with a hook. Wikipedia calls the tool a latch hook or crochet hook and says parts of the extension hair are pulled through the underside of each cornrow, working from the front of the head to the back. The extension is looped on rather than braided in, which is what separates crochet braids from box braids.

Wikipedia lists three popular methods: traditional, individuals and invisible knot. The hair is synthetic. It can be loose bulk or braiding hair, or sold pre-looped, which one US seller describes as hair already separated into a pack of 110 to 120 g so your braider does not have to section it.

Crochet hair styles and what is on the shelf

Crochet hair styles in South African stores come in a few families. On 6 Oct 2026 Cosmetic Connection listed Ceres 60 inch crochet braid, 120 g, at R69.90, Afro Kinky Crochet Braid, 24 inch, at R77.90, Soft Twist 70 inch, 120 g, at R80.90 and Gossip Curl at R117.90, all in stock. The Afro Kinky listing says 100% Premium Japanese Fiber. The Ceres listing says 100% synthetic fibres and suitable for low-heat styling.

On Takealot the sellers' listings on the same day included Admire Ocean Curls, deep wave crochet hair, 20 inch, at R150 and R210 (the dearer one is colour 1/30), coloured crochet hair braids, 24 inch, at R180, ombre box braid crochet hair, 14 inch, at R249 and a 22 inch pre-looped boho box braids pack at R250 and a 24 inch deep water wave pack, listed as heat resistant synthetic hair, at R279. A crochet hair piece is simply one of these packs. Check the length and the weight, because a 14 inch pack and a 60 inch pack are not the same amount of hair.

Crochet hook or crochet needle for hair?

Sources use both names for the same tool. Wikipedia says latch hook or crochet hook, and Hermosa Hair, a US seller, says crochet hair uses a latch hook or, as it is popularly called, a crochet needle. A South African natural hair blogger describes a crochet latch hook for her wool faux locs. We found no source that ranks one over the other, so ask your braider what they use.

What matters is the fit. The same seller's install guide says hook size should match the thickness of the cornrow and the loop opening of the product: a hook that is too large splits the braid, and one that is too small makes the loop drag. Universal Dealers listed a Crochet Needle at R35 on 6 Oct 2026.

How many packs of crochet hair do you need?

Start with the pack. Cosmetic Connection says 3 packs per head for Afro Kinky and for Ceres Extra (60 inch, 180 g, R89.90) and 4 packs per head for Soft Twist. At those counts hair for one head comes to R233.70 for Afro Kinky, R269.70 for Ceres Extra and R323.60 for Soft Twist, using our multiplication of the 6 Oct 2026 prices.

A US seller's table for 100 g packs puts curly hair at 2.5 to 3 packs at 20 inches and 3 to 4 at 24 inches, and straight hair at 4 to 5 packs at 20 inches and 5 to 6 at 24 inches. The same seller says pre-looped packs need 2.5 to 3 packs and loose bulk 3 to 4. These are one seller's figures, so use them to check what your braider tells you, not to overrule it.

What a salon charges, and how long it takes

Salon prices vary widely. On 6 Oct 2026 Fresha listings for Cape Town included crochet braids at R500 for 4 hours, with the fibre excluded. Johannesburg listings included kids crochet braids to shoulder length at R621 (2 hours 45 minutes), a tangle-free curls crochet at R2,000 (3 hours 30 minutes) and a long weft crochet at R3,500 (3 hours 30 minutes). We could not tell from those listings what each price includes, so ask before you book.

On time, Wikipedia says the process can take up to 4 to 6 hours. A US install guide says a first full-head install often takes three to six hours, and more for small braids or long styles, and that the cornrow base is the slowest part.

How long they last, and protecting your hairline

A US seller gives wear times of 6 to 8 weeks for boho box braids and 4 to 6 weeks for knotless crochet, and says crochet locs last 6 to 8 weeks. Treat those as the top end. The American Academy of Dermatology says to wear braids for no longer than 6 to 8 weeks, and to loosen braids around the hairline.

Your cornrow base decides comfort. The US install guide says the cornrows should lie flat without causing pain, that thick raised braids create bumps and that very small tight rows add unnecessary tension. Take the style out if your scalp stings, hurts or crusts. To take it down, the same guide says to find the extension loop before cutting anything, then cut only the added hair well below the attachment.

Crochet braids: questions