Celebrating Women's History Month with Britney Sadè, the founder of CurlCap

To celebrate Women's History Month, we are featuring some of our favorite Versatile IT Girls, across all categories of work. This week we are celebrating Britney Sadè, the founder and incredible visionary behind CurlCap! Most proudly, she secured a patent for her bestselling cap design. CurlCap is the satin lined, backless cap made with natural hair in mind and has become a universally accepted cap with over 5,000 five star reviews. CurlCap has helped countless people embrace their natural hair. Britney’s determination has inked historic cobranded licensed collections highlighting Princess Tiana and Black Panther with Disney and Susie Carmichael from Rugrats. The pathway to success has pivoted into uniforms with the official USPS CurlCaps as well as NASA CurlCaps. At just 6 years in the game, CurlCap is a trailblazer in headwear and a Black-woman owned legacy brand in the making. 

1. What did your journey to begin look like?

My journey to begin CurlCap started on YouTube university. I knew I wanted out of my 9-5 REAL BAD! I was stressed and my hair was showing the symptoms (refer to question 2 lol) The first video I looked up was “how to file a trademark with the USPTO”. I applied for CurlCap trademark myself because I couldn’t afford to pay an attorney fee. I used every drop of the limited resources that I had. l made samples myself from my dad’s old hats that I cut up and I knew how to sew from spending time with my Aunt Darlene who makes clothes but also from watching my mom install sew-in weaves. The basics of handling a needle and thread was all I needed. I grew up in my mom’s hair salon and that really prepared me for this journey. Then I placed my order with a manufacturer on Alibaba. My cousin Lauren was my first model and we took pictures at the gym to show it was practical. The first CurlCap wasn’t even satin lined because I didn’t know whether people would see the value, but as the reviews came in that’s the only suggestion that my customers had. I still remember when I made the Etsy shop in the middle of the night and posted on Instagram to announce it. Within 24 hours, it was reposted by a popular natural hair page at the time called CWKGIRLS where it went viral. It sold out in a week with minimal efforts and certainly no marketing dollars spent. That’s when I knew that it was really something. 

2. What inspired you to create the Curl Cap?

I was inspired to create CurlCap after an outbreak of psoriasis of the scalp. (This was following a holiday season in retail that stressed me out like never before.) I was deeply insecure about it because psoriasis in your scalp looks like severe dandruff but it’s also painful and in the beginning it would scab. Then I would stress about THAT so my hair would fall out in patches. My doctor gave me a prescription and it burned so badly that I cried in the shower. Long story short, it was the worst! I had seen scalp conditions when taking down weaves in my mom’s shop like seborrheic dermatitis was the most common but nothing like this. I stopped using a lot of hair products and used only baby shampoo for a while. My natural hair journey took a turn because I couldn’t even do my signature slick back ponytails; they were too tight. I didn’t want to use gel because most gels have alcohol.. queue more irritation and burning. Everything was uncomfortable. Even brushing too much caused sensitivity. I needed a low manipulation, minimal effort style. I would use a stretched scrunchie but wouldn’t wrap it, just letting my hair hang loose. Voila, a puff that cannot fit in a hat! With that said, I made my own hat with half of an opening then a cut up stocking sewn across the back. This was in the height of the natural hair movement, so when I wore it people asked about it. Their excitement motivated me to make it official. That’s how CurlCap was born.. it wasn’t labor but it was definitely painful lol and I can say that it was in fact worth it. 

3. What is your favorite part about inventing, creating, and executing your designs? 

My favorite part of creating is watching something that I envisioned become real. The first time that happened was with a hat that had a Kente print backstrap. I had dreamt about it months before. I could see it vividly in my mind so I ordered the materials and made it myself. When I had it in my hand, it felt surreal. It was a top seller which meant SO much. This was the first time in my adult life that I appreciated my imagination. It’s easy to dismiss our imagination when we get a 9-5 and start to fall into that cycle. CurlCap brought me back the gift of imagination and that’s something I hope more people experience. There is no age limit for dreams and creativity. And I strongly believe that imagination is a form of divine communication. It’s best to be shared to inspire one another. It certainly makes me feel connected to a higher power and acting on those ideas is what aligns us with a bigger purpose. I’m so grateful when people tell me how CurlCap has improved their life or helped to boost their self esteem and embrace their hair. It reminds me that it’s bigger than me. It keeps me motivated. Certainly the kids reaction to it is my all time favorite because kids don’t sugarcoat.. definitely NOT my nephew. But he genuinely loves it. I actually redesigned it to have an adjustable strap for him. Selflessness and doing things with other people in mind is a sure way to success and making God happy. Doing both simultaneously is a blessing. 

4. If anyone is interested in creating a brand, or just simply don't know where to start to put out a design and/or invention, what are some tips that you would give them?

My top tips for creating is to get it out of your head in any way. Draw it, sew it, describe it with words, mold it with Play-Doh, but DO something to see it outside of your mind’s eye. A lot of us creatives struggle with planning but I noticed that it’s because we want perfection so we are stuck on the hamster wheel of being critical. My friend Sakita Holley who happens to own a successful PR agency reminds me often, “Done is better than perfect”. I read an amazing book by Agent Nicole Lynn where she gives a play by play on just doing something everyday to get closer to your goal. One day it may be a big move and the next could be small, but it is the collective effort that propels you. We all have to find our motivation and it will change at any given time. Those are my encouraging tips. The practical tips are to make a business plan that includes working with other people who are also serious about their business. Like Issa Rae said, network across. Don’t make business decisions out of desperation or haste because intent matters; that includes reading contracts (ideally getting a lawyer - Upwork is great for a small budget) and doing your due diligence on potential partners. In a world that’s heavily invested in AI, use it but don’t abuse it because real community cannot be replicated by tech. You have to meet people and make an impact for longevity. Maya Angelou said, “People will never forget how you made them feel.”  Get an accountant EARLY. That’s the first thing you should delegate to a vetted professional to get comfortable talking about finances. And most importantly, include God in your plans! Everyone won’t see the vision that He puts in you but that’s YOUR BUSINESS in Auntie Tab’s voice.

Britney's story behind the cap is one many can relate to and often we don't know what to do when faced with the struggles of our hair. However, she saw a problem and a need, so she created a solution. A solution that has helped millions of women and given them a safe haven and a space where our hair is welcomed and honored. For this Women's History Month we celebrate Britney Sadè, the pioneer behind the Curl Cap.