Building Bridges: Future Mapping Sponsored Rebundle's “Reclaimed: Beyond the Braid” Chicago Screening

On November 17, Future Mapping had the honor of sponsoring the Chicago screening of Reclaimed: Beyond the Braid at the historic Harper Theater. This wasn't just another film screening. It was a gathering of visionaries, changemakers, and artists united by a shared commitment to reimagining the future of the hair extensions industry.

What began as an idea to spotlight Rebundle's East African supply chain has grown into a full documentary that explores the synthetic hair industry's past, present, and future through the lens of the community that use synthetic hair the most. More than a film, Reclaimed is an invitation to investors and connectors building bridges across the African diaspora. Together, we can reimagine the future of the hair extensions industry.

Why This Partnership Matters

Future Mapping's sponsorship of this screening represented more than financial support. It reflected a strategic alignment between our mission and Rebundle's groundbreaking work. Reclaimed: Beyond the Braid showcases how Rebundle is transforming an industry by centering health, sustainability, and cultural intelligence – some of the same principles Future Mapping champions in management consulting.

Rebundle's journey mirrors the futurist thinking we explored in our October entry: the ability to spot signals that others dismiss, the courage to act on a vision despite uncertainty, and the commitment to partnership as a vehicle for transformative change. Ciara Imani May saw widespread scalp irritation from synthetic hair and refused to accept suffering as inevitable. She didn't just create a product; she pioneered a business model that proves beauty should never come at the cost of health or environmental harm.

The Film: A Story of Innovation and Impact

Reclaimed: Beyond the Braid takes viewers on a journey from personal discomfort to industry transformation. The documentary showcases Rebundle's creation of the first U.S.-made plant-based hair extensions, steering the industry toward a safe, non-toxic, and eco-friendly future.

The film illuminates how one woman's refusal to suffer through an inflamed, irritated scalp led to a solution that addresses both health concerns and the plastic pollution that synthetic hair produces. By manufacturing braiding hair from discarded banana stems in partnership with Jakana Foods in Uganda, Rebundle offers a biodegradable alternative to carbon-intensive plastic braiding hair.

But Reclaimed goes deeper than product innovation. It's about building bridges across the African diaspora, creating economic opportunities, and ensuring that the communities most affected by these products have ownership and agency in reimagining the industry's future.

Key Insights from the Panel Discussion

Following the screening, moderator Estelle Richards, Director of Operations at Evergreen Climate Innovations, guided a conversation with Ciara Imani May, Rebundle's Founder & CEO, and Dr. Elissia Franklin, Analytical Chemist and Beauty Justice Researcher.

The conversation underscored themes that resonated throughout the film and with the engaged audience at Harper Theater, particularly around the intersection of health equity, environmental sustainability, and innovation in the beauty industry.

Leadership That Creates Lasting Change

Ciara and Rebundle represent the kind of leadership that creates lasting change. Their approach offers lessons for any organization serious about innovation that serves humanity:

Vision Rooted in Real Experience: Ciara didn't identify a market opportunity through data analysis alone. She experienced the problem firsthand and recognized that her personal discomfort pointed to a larger systemic failure.

Courage to Reimagine Standards: Rather than accepting synthetic hair as inevitable, Rebundle dared to reimagine what braiding hair could be – safer, sustainable, and aligned with the values of the communities who use it most.

Impact Beyond Profit: Rebundle's mission encompasses health equity, environmental sustainability, and economic opportunity across the African diaspora. This integrated approach recognizes that true innovation must serve multiple dimensions of human wellbeing.

Strategic Collaboration: From manufacturing partnerships in Uganda to collaboration with beauty justice researchers, Rebundle understands that transformative change requires building bridges and leveraging collective expertise.

Genuine Understanding: Rebundle doesn't just market to diverse communities – it's built by and for those communities, with a deep understanding of cultural nuances, values, and needs.

Architecting Change

The Harper Theater screening reinforced why Future Mapping does this work. We exist to support leaders like Ciara who and organizations Rebundle that spot signals others miss, who act with courage despite uncertainty, and who build solutions that honor the full spectrum of human experience.

Reclaimed: Beyond the Braid isn't just a story about hair extensions. It's a blueprint for how innovation rooted in human needs, powered by strategic partnerships, and guided by unwavering values can transform entire industries.

As we reflected in our October journal entry: the leaders changing our world didn't wait for permission or perfect conditions. They acted on whispers that others couldn't hear or chose to ignore. They understood that the choices we make today determine whether tomorrow's profound shifts serve everyone or just a few.

Ciara and Rebundle are writing that future. And Future Mapping was proud to stand alongside them in this work.

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