Cancer survivor from Braintree inspired by banana-bark braids

A breast cancer survivor who lost her hair during chemotherapy has created a business selling braided hair extensions using bark from banana trees. Fashion and design consultant Jacqueline Shaw, 47, who lives near Braintree, Essex, supplies the product to hair salons, and also uses it herself. The CEO of The Canerow Company said she wanted an alternative to the "toxic plastics" commonly found in braided hair extensions. "Using the fibres from banana tree bark is a healthier option, and people are becoming a lot more interested in it as an alternative," she said. Shaw, who was diagnosed in 2021, came up with the idea while sitting at home recovering from chemotherapy, and she set up the business in 2024. She began importing most of her supplies from Uganda last year during Black History Month. "I knew about this type of bark several years ago when I was in Africa but only recently decided to use it as part of my business," she said. "I am getting a lot of interest from people who are concerned with the challenges of plastic in hair – people want something healthier and better." Shaw said that banana farmers often had a high volume of production, and there was a lot of waste from tha