Joni Odum, CEO of Firstline Brands, the leading producer of satin bonnets and scarves, pointed out that regularly wearing bonnets and scarves serve a deeper purpose than people realize.
“It is important to use the right materials and products because textured hair can be dry and fragile. I know from hands-on experience that treating textured hair with TLC will help prevent dryness, hair breakage, and split ends. Hair maintenance items guard against excessive dryness, which can ultimately encourage healthier strands.”
Although the controversy may just seem like social media fodder, this topic hits a painful nerve that has plagued Black people, especially women, for centuries.
Throughout history, women’s tightly coiled and kinky hair has been deemed dirty, unkempt, unpresentable and unattractive by the mainstream. During the slave trade, European colonizers in the United States recognized the centrality of hair to Black cultures and subverted it.
Slave owners routinely shaved enslaved Africans’ hair in attempts to strip them of their cultural identity and humanity. Because of this, Black people turned to styles that appeared neater in appearance, but those looks came at a great cost, particularly for Black women.
For example, it has been well-documented that regularly straightening kinky and coily textured hair can cause significant damage over time. Even some protective styling like braids and locs can cause issues if not properly protected and moisturized regularly.
Satin bonnets and scarves that are worn at night and even during certain times of the day can serve as mechanisms to lock in scalp moisture, discourage manipulation and preserve hairline health. A 2018 International Journal of Trichology study says utilizing a protective barrier on the hair such as a satin scarf or bonnet significantly promotes scalp health and reduces oxidative stress, thus improving the look and feel of hair.
Overall, although some may perceive them as an enemy of respectability politics, satin bonnets serve a key role for many women of color’s hair health routine. And most importantly, when it comes to this subject it’s probably best to abide by the age-old adage: if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.