Our woolen dreads are made from high quality, super soft NZ Merino wool. They are the softest and most flexible type of dreadlock extension and they tend to also be the lightest type of extension except when wet. We have intentionally made them with lumps and bumps to emulate real dreads. Because of their comfort level, they are fast becoming a popular choice for extending real dreadlocks and they can of course, be braided into undreaded hair.
What to expect
Unlike other types of dreadlock extensions, wool dreads will instantly be soft and flexible without the need to 'wear them in'. They can be worn long term and during all your regular activities such as showering and swimming etc. They do tend to become quite heavy when wet so we suggest ringing out the excess water to speed up the drying process. We have extra large swim caps and shower caps which makes keeping them dry a breeze when partaking in water activities. If they are braided into undreaded hair, you will be able to wear them from anywhere from 1 to 3 months. How often you need to remove them and reinstall really depends on how quickly your hair grows out. Some people also choose to wash them in a wool laundry detergent between wears. They hold their shape well long term and can be used over and over again without requiring maintenance.
How to braid them into undreaded hair
1. Each dread needs to be installed in a section of hair which is about 2cm squared at the scalp. You may wish to pre plan the sections by tying elastics around each bundle of hair. If you want less volume, you can make the sections bigger and vice versa, if you want more volume and more dreads then make the sections a little smaller. 2. Now take a section of hair and one extension. Split your hair in half so you have two bundles. Lay the extension in between the two bundles and make sure the half way point of the extension is at the top of the section. 3. Since you have split the bundle of your own hair in half, along with the extension you will now have 3 pieces that can be braided/plaited together. Braid down as far as you can and secure with a rubber band and thread. Our Heavy Duty Pro Elastics are the perfect band to secure the braid in place as they are strong and durable yet still tiny. Making the braid nice and tight will avoid the extension slipping down. It is easier to braid tightly when your hair has not been recently conditioned. If your hair is particularly soft and silky, you may also consider applying a small amount of Dread Dust to each section of hair before braiding. The Dread Dust will texturise the hair so you can grip it better.
How to make the Single Ended and braid them into undreaded hair
Cut the extension in half and use a thick needle to push a hole about 1cm from to the top of the extension. Increase the size by pushing a thicker needle or pencil to expand the hole. Use a Latch Hook to pull sections of your own hair through the loop. Your Single Ended extensions can be now be installed by following the below:
1. Each dread needs to be installed in a section of hair which is about 2cm squared at the scalp. You may wish to pre plan the sections by tying pro elastics around each bundle of hair. If you want less volume, you can make the sections bigger and vice versa, if you want more volume and more dreads then make the sections a little smaller. 2. Now take a section of hair and push it through the loop at the top of the extension. The Latch Hook makes pushing the section of your own hair through the loop easy. Push the extension right up to your scalp. 3. Split the section of your own hair in two so that along with the extension, you will have three pieces to braid or plait. Avoid conditioning your hair just before installing as it will make your hair soft and slippery and difficult to make the braid tight. You may also want to consider applying a small amount of Dread Dust to the section of your own hair as this will texturize the hair and give you something to grip on to. 4. Braid the extension together with your own hair as far down as you can and secure it with a thread or elastic. The video below demonstrates a braid known as a Blanket Stitch. Our Heavy Duty Pro Elastic is the perfect band to secure the braid and extension in place as they are strong and durable yet still small and slimline.
How to lengthen existing dreadlocks
1. Start but cutting the extension in half. In preparation for attaching it to your own dread, pry the top of the extension open so that it is looser and not as condensed. If your own dreadlock ends are round and blunt, you will also need to comb the ends out so an overlap can be created. 2. Nestle the top of the extension into the fanned out section of hair at the bottom of your dreadlock. Use a 0.6mm crochet hook to pull your hair through the extension. Repeat this until all the loose hair is pulled into the extension and a solid join is formed.