Ruka

What Ruka does

Ruka Hair Ltd is a London-based biotech beauty brand founded in 2020 by Tendai Moyo and Ugo Agbai, specializing in hair extensions and haircare products for the textured hair community. The company's core innovation is Synths 2, a patent-pending collagen-based biodegradable fiber engineered to mimic the look and feel of human hair while being hypoallergenic and addressing sourcing concerns associated with traditional synthetic extensions. Ruka's product portfolio spans human hair extensions (clip-ins, bundles, wigs, ponytails), Synths 2 braiding hair (Textured Straight and Bone Straight variants at $27-30 per unit), hair perfume (S/cent line at $45), the Wet Products Lab haircare range, and styling tools and accessories. The brand operates a hybrid distribution model combining direct-to-consumer e-commerce via its Shopify storefront, a Ruka Curly Bar concession inside Selfridges on Oxford Street (making it the first Black-owned hair extension brand in that retailer), and international shipping to 200+ countries.

Ruka generates revenue through one-time product sales and a recurring Curly Girls Club membership (~3,000 members paying £20 monthly for store credit, discounts, and IRL events), with subscription contributing an estimated ~£720K ARR. The brand employs 11-50 people and has raised $10 million across multiple rounds, including a $4.5 million seed round in May 2026 co-led by Freedom Trail Capital and Henkel Ventures, with participation from Big Issue Invest, Backed VC, and Olympic medalist Dina Asher-Smith. Marketing is community-led across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook, supported by PR in Vogue, Business of Fashion, Glamour, Elle, and the Financial Times. The company projects 101% year-over-year revenue growth by April 2027, driven by planned US expansion including entry into an undisclosed major American retailer in late June 2026, despite the US already representing 47% of its customer base. Ruka holds the position of the number one Afro hair extensions brand in the UK and received recognition at the Business of Fashion Business of Beauty Global Awards 2025.

Name

Ruka

Legal name

Ruka Hair Ltd

Website

https://rukahair.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ruka Hair is a London-based biotech beauty brand founded in 2020 that develops and sells hair extensions and haircare products for the textured hair community, anchored by its patent-pending collagen-based Synths 2 fiber and distributed via DTC e-commerce, Selfridges, and international shipping.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hair Extensions and Textured Hair Care

NAICS

Cosmetics, Beauty Supplies, and Perfume Retailers (456120), Health and Personal Care Retailers (4561)

SIC

Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844), Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600)

akta.pro primary industry

Hair Extensions, Wigs & Hairpieces (CRABABAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hair Fragrance & Finishing (Mists, Shine, Anti-frizz) (CRABABAM), Wig Styling, Customization & Maintenance (HSALAAAL)

Keywords

• Textured hair extensions
• Biotech hair fiber
• Afro hair care
• Human hair wigs
• Collagen synthetic hair

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct-to-consumer e-commerce: Ruka sells hair extensions, wigs, braiding hair, ponytails, and hair care products directly through its Shopify e-commerce storefront (rukahair.com), with per-unit and product-line pricing. The primary revenue stream is product sales to consumers.
2. Curly Girls Club membership subscription: Ruka operates a membership model called Curly Girls Club with approximately 3,000 members paying £20 monthly for store credit, discounts, and access to IRL events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Ruka Hair designs, develops, and sells hair extensions, wigs, braiding hair, ponytails, hair perfumes, and complementary haircare products for consumers with textured (Afro, curly, coily) hair. Its core differentiator is the patent-pending Synths®2 collagen-based biodegradable synthetic fiber, offered alongside Remy human hair extensions and supporting styling tools. Products are sold direct-to-consumer through the rukahair.com Shopify storefront and at the Selfridges London concession, with international shipping to over 200 countries.

Product overview

Ruka is a biotech beauty brand specializing in hair extensions and haircare products for the textured hair community. The company offers two core hair extension lines: Human Hair Extensions (Remy human hair with texture matching) and Synths®2 (patent-pending collagen-based biodegradable synthetic fiber). These are supplemented by a range of product types including clip-ins, bundles, wigs, ponytails, and braiding hair. The brand also offers complementary products including S/cent Hair Perfumes, Wet Products Lab haircare, and styling Tools & Accessories. Ruka operates a Curly Girls Club membership program and stocks products at Selfridges London.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Synths®2: Proprietary protein-based fiber hair extension product line made from collagen, biodegradable and hypoallergenic.
• Wet Products Lab
• Curly Girls Club

Products and services

• Human Hair Extensions Remy human hair extensions offered in texture-matched styles for the textured hair community, sold as clip-ins, bundles, wigs, and ponytails.
• Synths®2 Hair Extensions Patent-pending lab-grown protein-based fiber made from collagen that is biodegradable and hypoallergenic, designed to mimic human hair while avoiding traditional extension material concerns. Available as braiding hair (Braid-it Synths 2 in Textured Straight and Bone Straight variants) and related extension formats.
• S/cent Hair Perfume Hair fragrance products including Joburg Spritz and Dakar Night, designed to add scent to hair without damage. Priced at $45 per unit.
• Wet Products Lab Haircare Haircare products for wet and damp hair styling and maintenance, complementing Ruka's hair extension portfolio.
• Tools & Accessories Styling tools and accessories for hair extension installation and maintenance.
• Curly Girls Club Membership Subscription membership program offering members £20 per month in store credit, discounts, and access to in-person events and braiding masterclasses. Approximately 3,000 members as of the most recent reporting.

Quantifiable outcome

• 101% projected year-over-year revenue growth by April 2027
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• GymsharkminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 December 2024Ruka participated in Gymshark's 'Twist n' Sets' pop-up salon in Shoreditch, London in December 2024, alongside other textured hair brands. The event addressed haircare challenges for Black women during fitness activities.
• Design EssentialsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 July 2024Design Essentials sponsored the Braid-It Reloaded MasterClass hosted by Ruka at Stā Studios in August 2024, targeting independent braiders and salon owners.
• Stā StudiosminorOthers · 1 July 2024Stā Studios served as the venue for Ruka's Braid-It Reloaded MasterClass in August 2024, supporting the brand's community and education initiatives.
• South West Six SalonminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2024Educators from South West Six Salon led braiding training sessions at Ruka's Braid-It Reloaded MasterClass, contributing professional expertise to the brand's community education initiatives.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• UniWigs: Direct-to-consumer wig and hair extension retailer offering a broad range of human hair and synthetic wigs with texture variants. Operates globally with a similar e-commerce-first model and comparable price points to Ruka.
• Zala Hair Extensions: Premium hair extension brand selling clip-ins, tape-ins, and wefts direct to consumers worldwide. Comparable on product category, premium DTC positioning, and international shipping model.
• Glam Seamless: Direct-to-consumer hair extension brand offering tape-ins, clip-ins, and wefts in a range of textures. Comparable on premium positioning, e-commerce distribution, and influencer-led growth strategy.
• Bold Hold: Brand specializing in lace wig adhesive and accessory products for textured hair and wig wearers. Direct overlap on serving the textured hair extension and wig community with adjacent, complementary product categories.

Emerging players

• Pattern Beauty: Beauty brand co-founded by Tracee Ellis Ross serving the textured and curly hair community with styling products and tools. Highly comparable on target consumer (textured hair community), premium positioning, and DTC-plus-retail model.
• Mielle Organics: Textured hair care brand offering a range of styling and treatment products targeted at the same textured hair consumer as Ruka. Comparable on target market and growing retail presence, though focused on hair care rather than extensions.
• Olaplex: Hair science-forward brand focused on bond-building haircare technology. Comparable on science/biotech-led brand positioning and premium pricing in hair care, though Olaplex focuses on hair repair rather than extensions.
• Akt London: Biotech-led premium deodorant brand co-honored with Ruka at the 2025 Business of Beauty Global Awards. Comparable as a fellow emerging science-driven beauty brand with similar premium positioning and sustainability narrative.

Broad incumbents

• Cantu: Established mass-market textured hair care brand owned by Mando. Targets the same textured hair consumer as Ruka but with a much broader product portfolio across styling, treatment, and children's lines at lower price points.
• Dark & Lovely (L'Oréal): L'Oréal-owned mass-market brand specializing in haircare and styling products for women of color, including relaxers, color, and extensions. Direct overlap with Ruka's target consumer and product categories, but at a much larger scale and lower price point.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCzdiqrYGxy80G5-9nz3Y6bg/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/rukahair
• Instagraminstagram.com/rukahair
• TikToktiktok.com/@rukahair
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ruka-hair

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors7 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ruka