Curly weave in South Africa: textures, lengths and cost
A curly weave is hair in a curl or wave pattern sewn onto braids. A single 12 inch curly or wavy bundle cost R330 to R650 across seven stores on 6 Oct 2026. Curls sit shorter than the measured length, so order two to four inches longer than you want to wear.
The main curly weave textures at a glance
Curly weave textures, and what they start at
Volume
The most volume of the waves
R224
A natural curl look. Mayvenn says curly wears about 32% shorter.
Soft and fluffy
R224
Wet or dry curls
Springy
R220
Check the store photo
Not described by the stores
R224
Shrinkage, bundles and heat
- 26% and 32%How much shorter Mayvenn says deep wave and curly hair wears. Its examples: 22 inch deep wave looks about 16 inch, 22 inch curly about 15 inch.
- 2 to 4 inchesMayvenn's advice: order two to four inches longer than your target worn length in any wavy or curly texture.
- 2 to 4 bundlesHermosa Hair gives curly hair 2 to 4 bundles and straight hair 3 to 4 for a full sew-in.
- 120 degreesHair City's heat advice for its human hair bundles, in Celsius (250 Fahrenheit). Mayvenn's limit for hot tools is 375 Fahrenheit. Use the lower.
How to choose at the shop
- Ask for the exact pattern name and look at the store's photo, because deep wave, water wave and jerry curl are not defined the same way everywhere.
- Add two to four inches to the length you want to wear.
- Check the listing says human hair and ask what heat it takes.
- Check how many bundles the stylist wants, since curly hair can use fewer.
- Check what the salon price includes before you book.
Curly and wavy bundle prices, 12 inch
Checked 6 Oct 2026Cheapest first. No store pays to be listed or ranked here.
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Curly weave, explained
What a curly weave is, and the names stores use
A curly weave is hair in a curl or wave pattern, sewn onto a braided base the way any weave is. Mayvenn, a US seller, sorts textures into straight, yaki straight, kinky straight, body wave, loose wave, deep wave and curly. It calls deep wave a tight, defined S with the most volume, and curly four coil patterns running from loose curl to 4C.
South African stores use their own names on top of those. On 6 Oct 2026 the 12 inch curly and wavy bundles we found were sold as deep wave, kinky curly, water wave, jerry curl, kinky curl, natural wave and Vietnamese curly. None of the South African pages we opened ranks these names by tightness, so use the store photo and ask the stylist.
What a jerry curl weave looks like
Jerry curl is the most searched name. Hair City describes its Brazilian 10A jerry curl bundle as soft, defined curls with incredible volume and bounce, and lists it as 100% virgin human hair that can be dyed, bleached and styled. Hair Majesty describes its Brazilian Crown jerry curl as soft, springy curls with natural bounce, texture and volume that can be worn wet or dry. Remore Hair lists a Peruvian jerry curly bundle as 100% virgin human hair that can be washed, curled, straightened and coloured.
At 12 inch the three were R549 (Hair City), R489 (Hair Majesty) and R450 (Remore Hair) on 6 Oct 2026. Hair City lists 12, 16, 18 and 20 inch, Hair Majesty 12 to 22 inch and Remore Hair 8 to 14 inch.
How curl shortens the look
Curls pull the hair up, so a 12 inch curly bundle does not look 12 inch. Mayvenn says deep wave wears about 26% shorter, curly about 32% shorter and loose wave about 16% shorter. Its example is a 22 inch bundle, which wears at about 16 inch in deep wave, 15 inch in curly and 18 inch in loose wave. Its advice is to order two to four inches longer than your target worn length in any wavy or curly texture.
Luvme, another US seller, gives the same warning: curly and wavy hair shrinks more, so choose several inches longer. Our weave length guide shows how lengths read on the body for straight hair, so add the shrinkage on top.
Short and long curly weaves, and how many bundles
Short curly weaves are the cheapest. Virgin Human Hair's deep wave and kinky curly bundles were R224 at 8 inch, R272 at 10 inch and R330 at 12 inch on 6 Oct 2026. For long curly weaves, the same store's curly lines stopped at 24 inch (R854), while its straight bundle went to 30 inch. Hair City's kinky curl and jerry curl stopped at 20 inch (R849).
Hermosa Hair gives 2 to 4 bundles for curly hair and 3 to 4 for straight, for a full sew-in. Kendra's Boutique says curly hair shows fuller, so you can use fewer: at 24 to 26 inch it gives straight 4 and curly 3 to 4, and at 28 to 30 inch straight 4 to 5 and curly 3 to 4. Volure Hair, in South Africa, says 2 bundles for 10 to 14 inch, 3 for 16 to 22 inch and 4 for 24 to 30 inch.
Care, and what to spray on a curly weave
Hair City's advice for its curl bundles is sulphate-free shampoo, conditioner combed from the ends to the roots, lukewarm water, air drying, a satin bonnet at night and a wig stand when not worn. It also says to use a spray bottle with water to define the curls, and a heat protectant spray before heat. Heat is where sellers differ: Hair City says to keep it to 120 degrees Celsius (250 degrees Fahrenheit) where possible, Mayvenn says hot tools stay under 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Mayvenn says to use light, water-based products on extensions, because heavy creams, butters and mineral oil do not absorb into them the way they do into growing hair. For curly and wavy textures it recommends a leave-in conditioner or detangler and a mousse, and says the thing that makes straight hair look greasy is the same thing that makes curly hair look alive. Take the sew-in down at 6 to 8 weeks.
Cost in total
Hair is the main cost. At Virgin Human Hair's 12 inch price of R330, two bundles are R660 (our multiplication), and Fresha sew-in fittings read R450 to R700 in most listings we opened in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town and Durban on 6 Oct 2026. See our weaves guide for the city by city ranges.
Curly weave: questions
What is a curly weave?
A curly weave is hair in a curl or wave pattern sewn onto a braided base. Mayvenn sorts textures into body wave, loose wave, deep wave and curly, and calls curly four coil patterns from loose curl to 4C. SA stores sell it as deep wave, kinky curl, jerry curl and water wave. Virgin Human Hair lists its bundles at 100 g.
What is a jerry curl weave?
Jerry curl is a store name for a soft, defined curl. Hair City describes soft, defined curls with volume and bounce, and Hair Majesty soft, springy curls that can be worn wet or dry. At 12 inch on 6 Oct 2026 a jerry curl bundle cost R450 at Remore Hair, R489 at Hair Majesty and R549 at Hair City.
How much does a curly weave cost in South Africa?
On 6 Oct 2026 a single 12 inch curly or wavy human hair bundle cost R330 to R650 across seven stores. Virgin Human Hair was cheapest at R330, and short lengths started at R224 for 8 inch. Fresha sew-in fittings read R450 to R700 in most listings, so a set of two bundles plus fitting is a larger total.
How much shorter does a curly weave look?
Mayvenn says deep wave wears about 26% shorter and curly about 32% shorter. A 22 inch deep wave bundle looks about 16 inch and a 22 inch curly one about 15 inch. It advises ordering two to four inches longer than the length you want to wear in any wavy or curly texture.
How many bundles do I need for a curly weave?
Sources give a range. Hermosa Hair says 2 to 4 for curly and 3 to 4 for straight. Kendra's Boutique says curly shows fuller, so at 24 to 26 inch it gives straight 4 and curly 3 to 4. Volure Hair says 2 bundles for 10 to 14 inch, 3 for 16 to 22 inch and 4 for 24 to 30 inch. Ask your stylist.
What spray should I use on a curly weave?
Hair City says to use a spray bottle with water to define the curls, and a heat protectant spray before styling. Mayvenn says to use light, water-based products and recommends a leave-in conditioner or detangler for curly textures, as heavy creams, butters and mineral oil do not absorb into extensions. We do not recommend a brand.
Are short curly weaves cheaper than long ones?
Yes, by length. Virgin Human Hair's deep wave and kinky curly bundles were R224 at 8 inch, R272 at 10 inch and R330 at 12 inch on 6 Oct 2026, rising to R854 at 24 inch. Curls shrink, so a short curly bundle looks shorter still. Mayvenn advises ordering two to four inches longer.
How long does a curly weave last?
A sew-in is meant to stay in for 6 to 8 weeks, per Mayvenn, Hermosa Hair and Honest Hair Factory. Mayvenn says a well-cared-for virgin set can be reinstalled three or four times, and tells you to take it down at 6 to 8 weeks, because tension on your own hair at the braid line and buildup at the root compound after that.