AN innovative fashion-meets-haircare line may have finally solved the problem of hat hair once and for all.
With baseball caps, beanies, and hoodies all lined with satin instead of strand-snagging materials, it’s founder promises you can keep the look you want without ruining your ‘do.
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Kin Apparel CEO Philomina Kane, 29, was struck by the idea when she started embracing her natural hair in college.
“I started my freshman year at Princeton University, and I realized that it cost $100 to get my hair done there and I did not have that money as a freshman in college,” Kane told The U.S. Sun.
Kane decided to undergo a big chop to give herself a fresh start, but her hair wasn’t cooperating in certain styles.
“I found that no hoodie or hat could fit my hair,” said the Bronx, New York native.
By 2019, Kane introduced the first satin-lined hoodie to address her wardrobe concerns.
According to Kane, materials that hoodies are typically lined with, like cotton, suck the moisture out of hair.
Satin, on the other hand, keeps styles intact.
FANS ‘WAITED 60 YEARS FOR THIS’
Kin Apparel has since grown into a much larger brand with rave reviews from customers that Kane said she loves reading.
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“There was one lady, she was like, ‘I waited 60 years for this,'” Kane, who is now based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, recalled.
“It was an older woman, 60-something years old, and she was wearing a hoodie and she had these huge curls.
“They were silver now. And it was just so beautiful.
“And the whole hood fit on her head, because we make it a point to make our hoods huge, so it can actually fit the demographics here that we’re reaching.”
Kane recalled reviews from customers who have been searching for a product like hers for years.
“Some people were saying, ‘Where has this been all my life? Why has it taken this long for this to happen?'” she said.
“A lot of people say, ‘This is genius.'”
Her creations aren’t just a hit with customers next door — she also has some celebrity fans.
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“Trevor Noah has worn has worn our apparel a few times,” she said. “He loves our hoodies.”
Other fans include NBA player Thanasis Antetokounmpo and CEO of Good American and founding partner of Skims Emma Grede.
FOR THE ‘BIG HEAD COMMUNITY’
Kin Apparel grew with the seasons, incorporating satin-lined hats and visors for warmer months when hoodies aren’t an option.
The headwear is also waterproof, making them an ideal wear to stand up to the elements while protecting the hair.
Our hats range from small, average, large, and extra-large, and extra-large is always sold out, even if we make like thousands of them.
Philomina Kane
She said she wanted to take things a step further and produce the hats in sizes that fit all kinds of head and hair sizes.
“I always say that we appeal to the big head community,” she said.
“Our hats range from small, average, large, and extra-large, and extra-large is always sold out, even if we make like thousands of them.
“That community for so long could never find a hat to fit in their hair.”
TRAVEL MUST-HAVE
Kane also added accessories to the line, including a satin bonnet pillowcase, which can be slipped around any pillowcase the way a bonnet fits over one’s head.
While it can be used for haircare on-the-go, Kane quickly saw the versatility of the product.
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The pillowcase stretches enough to fit a lot of larger items, leading customers to use it on everything from work and gaming chairs to airplane headrests.
“It’s very convenient and that’s what inspired it,” she said.
SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS
Kane’s products were also featured on the TV show Shark Tank, where she was called “too creative.”
“I take it as a compliment. It’s all right, creativity brought me this far,” she said.
She’s sure to keep her products true to it’s name.
“KIN is an acronym for ‘keep it naturally,’ a play on my YouTube name NaturallyPhilo,” she explained.
“Every time I signed off on a video, I said, ‘Until next time on NaturallyPhilo, keep it naturally.’
“I made hair care videos on YouTube for six years. Thats how I built my community and eventually called them the Kinfolk.
“Even though KIN is an acronym, the name also means family, community, something that the brand holds dear, because it was a brand built from the Kinfolk.”
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