Weft hair extensions in South Africa: types, bundles and costs
Weft extensions are hair sewn into a strip, which is then sewn or beaded onto your own hair. In South Africa most wefts are sold as bundles, and in our 6 Oct 2026 price check a 20 inch bundle started at R379. The kind of weft, machine, hand-tied or genius, decides how thick it sits and how long it lasts.
Weft hair sold as bundles, at a glance
The kinds of weft, and what our check found
Thick hair that needs volume and strength
Coovip says 6 to 8 months with heavy styling. The Vivien salon blog says 4 months to 1 year.
Bundles from R379
Fine or thin hair that needs a natural finish
4 months to 1 year per both sources. The Vivien salon blog calls it the least durable.
No SA store in our check
All hair types, where a natural look matters
Coovip says up to a year. The Vivien salon blog says 4 months to 1 year.
No SA store in our check
Clients whose salon offers it
Fitted by the salon, so ask what is used.
Salon only
Weight, thickness and lasting
- About 100 gVirgin Human Hair lists 100 g a bundle. Weights vary: Takealot has listings that say 95 g, and one that sells 4 bundles for 200 g in total.
- 0.5 mm to 1.2 mmCoovip puts genius weft at 0.5 mm to 1 mm and hand-tied at 1 mm to 1.2 mm. It says machine weft is thicker and heavier than both.
- 4 months to 1 yearHow long Coovip and Vivien say hand-tied and genius wefts last. Coovip says 6 to 8 months for machine weft, and the Vivien salon blog says 4 months to 1 year.
- 6 to 8 weeksHow often Coovip says hand-tied wefts need a salon visit. The American Academy of Dermatology says weaves and extensions should stay in for two or three months at most.
What to check before you buy
- Ask which weft you are getting: machine, hand-tied or genius. They differ in thickness, cutting and cost.
- Check the weight in grams on the listing. Some say 100 g, some 95 g, and some list several bundles with one total weight.
- Look for the words double weft or machine double weft, as Virgin Human Hair and Hair City use. Ask the seller what they mean for that bundle.
- Ask whether a salon price is per row, per weft or per box. Listings use all three.
- Do not cut a machine weft before you ask. Coovip says machine wefts are not designed for cutting.
- Ask the salon what maintenance costs. One Johannesburg listing shows R300 per weft.
20 inch bundle prices across SA stores
Checked 6 Oct 2026Cheapest first. No store pays to be listed or ranked here.
Colours and where to look next
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Weft hair extensions, explained
What weft extensions are
Weft extensions are hair sewn along one edge into a strip, which is called a weft. The strip is then fitted to your own hair, usually by sewing or beading it onto braided or beaded rows. Easihair Pro describes the sewn method as strong and long-lasting, and suited to textured hair. In South Africa, wefts are mostly sold as bundles, and the same hair is used for sew-ins and for weaves.
This page is about the weft itself: how it is made, how thick it is and how long it lasts. For how a sew-in is fitted and what a stylist charges, see our sew-in guide.
Machine, hand-tied and genius wefts
Coovip, a hair brand's blog, says genius weft is 0.5 mm to 1 mm thick, sits flat and can be cut without unravelling. Hand-tied weft is 1 mm to 1.2 mm and needs salon visits every 6 to 8 weeks. Machine weft is machine-sewn, thicker and heavier, and not designed for cutting. It says machine weft is the cheapest, genius mid-range and hand-tied the dearest.
A salon's blog (hairextensionsvivien.com) makes the same split. Hand-tied has a thinner lining and suits fine, thin hair. Genius is extremely thin, almost invisible, and a mid-range option with more volume than hand-tied. Machine-tied is thick and bulky, and suits people with already thick hair. It says none of the three can be attached with glue or tape. We did not find South African sources for these thicknesses and lifespans, so treat the figures as a guide.
What the hair costs
We found no in-stock listing at the South African stores in our 6 Oct 2026 check that sells hand-tied or genius wefts by those names. What the stores sell is bundles. A 20 inch bundle started at R379 on Takealot, for a straight bundle, and R509 for a Joedir Brazilian body wave bundle. Virgin Human Hair's 13A straight was R542 and its deep wave R570.
Hair City's Brazilian 10A kinky curl and jerry curl bundles were R849 and Hair Majesty's Brazilian Crown bundles R859. Silky Hair's Vietnamese double drawn bone straight was R930, and the dearest row in the table was Shara Hair's 14A body wave at R1,090. Virgin Human Hair says its water wave bundle is machine double weft, and Hair City says its 10A bundle is double wefted for fullness.
Check the weight before you compare
Virgin Human Hair lists its bundle at 100 g. Not every listing does. A Takealot listing for 10 to 22 inch body wave bundles says 95 g, and another listing sells 4 bundles in 8, 10 and 12 inch for 200 g in total. A cheaper bundle can simply hold less hair, so divide the price by the grams where the listing gives them.
What salons list for fitting and maintenance
Fresha listings we read on 6 Oct 2026 show weft installation at R1,200 for 1 hour 30 minutes at one Johannesburg salon and R1,500 for 3 hours 30 minutes at another. A genius weft installation is listed per row at R800 for 2 to 3 hours. In Pretoria, listings show R1,000 for 1 hour and from R1,150 for 2 hours 45 minutes. In Cape Town, one listing shows new weft extensions from R2,500 for 4 hours.
Easihair Pro wefts are listed per box of 2 at R750 to fit and R250 to remove at one Cape Town salon. Removal alone is listed at R220 in Johannesburg, R350 in Pretoria and R300 to R400 in Cape Town. Maintenance is listed at R300 per weft in Johannesburg and R450 in another listing. These are labour prices as listed and not recommendations.
A full set from a studio
Flirt Hair in Pretoria, whose price page is dated 1 March 2026, lists weft extensions from R5,000 to R25,000, with 2 wefts at 50 cm at about R11,000 including installation. It lists maintenance every 4 to 12 weeks at R1,600 to R2,500, and says the hair lasts 1 to 3 years with correct care. It lists single donor, double drawn human hair, so it is not the same product as the bundles in the table.
How long a weft lasts
Sources disagree, which is why we give each. Coovip says machine weft lasts about 6 to 8 months with heavy styling, hand-tied 4 months to a year and genius up to a year. That salon says all three last 4 months to a year, with hand-tied the least durable. Flirt Hair says 1 to 3 years for its hair.
These figures are for the hair. Your stylist will still move the weft up as your own hair grows. The American Academy of Dermatology says weaves and extensions should be worn for two or three months at most before you give your hair a break.
Protecting your hair
The American Academy of Dermatology recommends sewn-in weaves over those using bonding glue, and says cornrows must not be tight. It says to remove extensions at once if they cause pain or irritate your scalp. The British Association of Dermatologists lists the attachment of weaves or hair extensions among the causes of traction alopecia, and says stopping tight hairstyles is the most important step.
Weft extensions: questions
What are weft hair extensions?
A weft is a strip of hair sewn together along one edge. The strip is fitted to your own hair, usually sewn or beaded onto braided or beaded rows. South African stores mostly sell wefts as bundles. Easihair Pro describes the sewn method as strong and long-lasting, and suitable for textured hair.
What is the difference between machine, hand-tied and genius weft?
Per Coovip, genius weft is 0.5 mm to 1 mm thick and can be cut without unravelling. Hand-tied is 1 mm to 1.2 mm and needs visits every 6 to 8 weeks. Machine weft is thicker, heavier and the cheapest, and is not designed for cutting.
How much do weft extensions cost in South Africa?
In our 6 Oct 2026 check, 20 inch bundles ran from R379 to R1,090, with a store and date on each row. Fresha listings show weft installation at R800 to R1,500 at several Johannesburg salons. A Pretoria studio lists 2 wefts at 50 cm at about R11,000 with installation.
How long do weft extensions last?
Sources vary. Coovip says 6 to 8 months for machine weft, 4 months to a year for hand-tied and up to a year for genius. The salon blog at hairextensionsvivien.com says 4 months to a year for all three. Flirt Hair says 1 to 3 years for its hair. The American Academy of Dermatology says rest your hair after two or three months.
Which weft is best for fine hair?
The salon blog at hairextensionsvivien.com says hand-tied suits fine, thin hair and genius is a mid-range option with more volume. Coovip says genius suits all hair types and hand-tied suits fine or thin hair, while machine weft suits thick hair. Ask your stylist what they use before you buy the hair.
What is a beaded weft?
Easihair Pro describes the sewn method as sewing or beading wefts onto a base of braided or beaded rows. Fresha listings include a 2 row weft bead installation at R850 and a weft bead slip at R20 per bead. Ask a salon which method it uses and what it costs.
Can I buy human hair weft in South Africa?
Yes, as bundles. Hair City says its 10A bundle is 100% Brazilian human hair, double wefted for fullness, and Takealot has listings titled 100% human hair. Check the weight, the length and the return policy. The table shows each row with its store and date.
Can weft extensions damage my hair?
Any extension that pulls can. The American Academy of Dermatology says cornrows must not be tight, and to remove extensions at once if they cause pain. The British Association of Dermatologists lists weaves and extensions among the causes of traction alopecia. Check your hairline monthly.