Tangle Teezer

Tangle Teezer is a British company that manufactures hair care products, most notably hairbrushes. It was founded by Shaun Pulfrey, a hairdresser, and its first product was launched in 2007. The first and signature product, a detangling hairbrush dubbed "The Original" eventually achieved cult popularity and received the Queen's Award for Innovation in 2012,[1] and International Trade in 2014,[2] as well as reaching the Sunday Times Fast Track 100 in 2013 and 2016.[3][4]

History

Tangle Teezer was founded by its inventor Shaun Pulfrey, who started his career as a hair colorist in 1978. He has worked at Pierre Alexandre, Toni&Guy, Nicky Clarke, and Richard Ward salons throughout his career.

In 2003, Pulfrey began to research and develop his idea for a detangling hairbrush to create the world’s first professional detangling tool.[5][6]

In 2005 Pulfrey remortgaged his flat in Brixton, London for six months worth of capital (£25,000) to finance the product launch.[6][7]

In May 2005 Pulfrey published I Wanna Be Blonde, a book sharing his insider hair coloring tips.[8]

Pulfrey appeared on Dragons’ Den in 2007. He pitched "The Original" detangling hairbrush to Peter Jones, Duncan Bannatyne, James Caan and Deborah Meaden. Pulfrey offered 15% of Tangle Teezer for £80,000 but was rejected. Jones labeled the brushes ‘hair-brained’, Caan said they were a ‘waste of time,’ and Bannatyne said he wanted to ‘pull [his] hair out.’ However, when the episode was aired, the Tangle Teezer website crashed due to public demand,[6][9] with 1,500 orders placed.

In 2008, Boots began stocking the brushes, and by 2009 sales had reached £500,000.[10]

In 2011, sales hit £2.2 million, further growing to £28.6 million in March 2016, having expanded into 70 international markets.[10]

In July 2021, Pulfrey sold a majority stake in Tangle Teezer to Mayfair Equity Partners for approximately £70 million.[11]

References
  1. "Full list of 2012 Queen's Award winners | Financial Times". Financial Times. 22 April 2012. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
  2. "List of 2014 Queen's Awards for Enterprise winners | Financial Times". Financial Times. 21 April 2014. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
  3. "Tangle Teezer: A Brush with Success". Data Plastics Injection Moulding. 30 September 2013. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
  4. Team, The Startups (11 April 2016). "Sunday Times reveals names of British businesses with fastest-growing profits". Startups.co.uk. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
  5. Coleman, Alison (15 April 2016). "Celebrity endorsements saved Tangle Teezer a fortune, says CEO". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
  6. Munbodh, Emma; Speirs, Kathleen (24 June 2021). "Tangle Teezer owner made £30m after Dragon's Den knocked back idea". Daily Record. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
  7. "Hairdresser's brush with success". Financial Times. 29 November 2013. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
  8. Pulfrey, Shaun (2005). I Wannabe Blonde. Artnik. ISBN 978-1-903906-58-3.
  9. Dann, Kitty (23 August 2014). "Small business in the spotlight: Tangle Teezer". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  10. Coleman, Alison (15 April 2016). "Celebrity endorsements saved Tangle Teezer a fortune, says CEO". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
  11. "Mayfair Equity Partners backs management buy-out of Tangle Teezer". Private Equity Wire. 2 August 2021.
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