Dreadlocks have been around for a very long time! The earliest recorded dreadlocked human beings date back to well over 3600 years ago, predating the Egyptian Empire and back to a time when the very first homo sapiens walked the earth. However, even though much time has passed and many other hair trends have come and gone, dreadlocks are still here today and are increasingly making a comeback as a popular, ‘unique’ and highly customizable hairstyle choice which we human beings just can’t seem to get enough of!
Perhaps it comes down to the simple fact that it was, and still is, the easiest and most trendy way to keep long hair!
Gone are the days of styling, combing or straightening your hair each morning!
Fortunately, over the ages, there have been many advances in the field of dreadlock hair care and especially in the world of hair extensions – making it a more practical, accessible and inventive form of hair art than ever before!
Hair extensions are able to instantly add length and depth to any head of hair, and in terms of dreadlocks extensions- a wide variety of vibrant, electric and eye-catching colours and tips which you can wear for a day, a few months or lifetime.
Here at The Knotted Sloth, all our hair is sourced locally in Singapore from trusted and reputable vendors, and are hand crafted into dreadlocks by our team here in our studio. They are made-to-order to your exact specifications and therefore, when an order is placed with us for dreadlock extension bundles or for a full head of dreadlock extensions to be installed in our studio, kindly allow 5-7 days for your customized set of dreadlock extensions to be carefully crafted and ready for installation or delivery.
We will always have extensions available in the studio for our day-to-day appointments should you want to spontaneously add some colour, length or depth to your dreadlocks, but bundles and full-head dreadlock sets may be in short supply on little notice – we will be able to advise you better when you are placing your order with us.
This section may be a little heavy handed with information and look like a lot of reading, but please bear with us! If you are thinking about installing dreadlock extensions in our studio or if you are buying our dreadlock extensions for your own DIY installations then you might want to have a careful read through this section so that you are able to get a better understanding of our methods of installation, dreadlock materials, what lengths, widths, colours and prices are available etc.
So let’s get right into it!
How are dreadlock extensions installed?
This varies from studio to studio – but here at The Knotted Sloth we offer two different methods for our installation of dreadlock extensions.
1. The ‘Lock n’ Fuse’ Method
This method requires us to merge the dreadlock extension directly onto the end of your natural hair. Fusing the extension to your natural hair by locking it in provides for a stronger and more natural looking hold that requires minimum to no maintenance at all once installed. Needless to say, some of your natural hair will need to be dreadlocked as well to form a strong bond with your extension.
The ‘Lock n’ Fuse’ method is recommended when installing dreadlock hair extensions which are made from real hair, or when adding length or coloured tips to the end of your locks. The thing to take note of here is that over time, your natural hair would continue to grow as it does and lock further into the piece of extension that it is fused to. This is a great thing if you plan to wear your dreadlock extensions for a long time – but if you are someone who wants to experiment with many different ideas and styles, and is often prone to changing your mind – you should know that this is a more permanent method of installation. Thus the most practical and hassle free solution to getting the extension out with minimal effort is to simply cut the lock out, often with the dreadlocked portion of your natural hair attached to it.
2. The ‘Braid In’ Method
This method makes use of simple braids to weave around pieces of dreadlock extensions, holding them down securely in place at the root of the dreadlock and at the end of the braid by rubber elastics. The advantage of this method is that ‘Braid In’ dreadlocks can be taken out instantly without damaging or committing any of your own hair to being locked up. This makes them the perfect option for those of you who are looking for something less permanent, perhaps for a party or just for the holidays. When braided in, dreadlock extensions usually last a month or two before needing to be re-braided and tightened back down to the root. Monthly maintenance makes this method of attaching dreadlock extensions a little more costly and time consuming if you intended to wear your dreadlock extensions over longer periods of time.
Can I get dreadlock extensions if I have no hair?
Unfortunately you cannot get real dreadlocks or extensions installed if you do not already have natural hair on your head. We recommend at least 5-8 centimetres of hair for a good lock and strong bond to be formed between your natural hair and the dreadlock extension. The same minimum of 5-8 centimetres of hair length applies as well if you are intending on dreadlocking your natural hair!
What type of dreadlock extensions do you sell?
Dreadlock extensions usually come in three different materials, Wool, Synthetic Hair and Human Hair. Each has different properties. Here in Singapore, wool dreadlocks are simply a bad idea as they are not made for this climate and are too warm to be worn comfortably. Therefore we do not carry extensions of woollen varieties. If you are looking for woollen dreadlocks, you can easily find them online in many other dreadlock stores around the world and we will still be happy to help with your installation if you need.
So let’s look at the two types of extensions which we do offer here in our Singapore studio...