Braid new: African hairstyles becoming popular in China

Unlike her peers in Beijing, hairdresser Ruth Wanu Waweru from Kenya tends not to cut, dye or perm hair.

Instead, she braids her clients' locks.

Ruth has been working for a hair salon in Beijing for just over a year. Her bosses, a couple from the Democratic Republic of Congo, opened Paulma Afro Hair Care in the city's bustling Sanlitun area in 2012 and another branch in Shanghai in 2013.

They primarily cater to the African community, but are getting more and more local customers, as Chinese discover more diversified fashions. Ruth has braided the hair of women from Africa, China, and also the United States, Russia and Japan in Beijing.

At Paulma, African-style braiding is priced between 100 yuan (15 U.S. dollars) and 1,500 yuan.

"The hair texture of African people is different from Asians'. Our hair is very dry, making braiding it a convenient choice," Ruth said, stroking her own braids.

"It is more difficult to braid hair for Chinese clients, as their hair is more smooth, thus more likely to become loose."

Braiding hair for a client can take as long as eight hours, but Ruth, with eight years of professional experience in her home country, is confident with her craft.

"If I braid African hair, I do it dry. But for Chinese hair, I wet it with some water."

"Many Chinese young people are now very into fashion stuff like African braids," said Xia Fan, who owns two hairdressing shops in Zhengzhou, capital of central China's Henan Province.

Xia started to learn African braiding three years ago. He sees big market potential for such hairstyles in China.

"Just a few years ago, very few Chinese people knew about braids, but now we have dreadlocks, twisting, two steps and feathers," Xia said, referring to other more esoteric hairstyles.

Ruth got her job in Beijing through a recruitment website. Her boss found her resume online and contacted her when she was still in Kenya.

She did not have to hesitate, setting out as soon as she had her working visa.

"If you find a good job in a country far away, will you accept it?" Ruth asked with a laugh. "Of course you do! It's a chance!"

Ruth's braiding skills earn her about 5,000 yuan a month, much higher than her salary in Kenya.

She has also accumulated about 150 regular patrons in China.

Leo Li, secretary-general of Tsinghua-BMGF China Africa Project, believes the popularity of African hairstyles in China is a result of more exchanges between China and Africa, combined with the influence of American pop culture. Endi