Creative director, De’Anne Dalhouse, and daughter of Founder Odette Morris stand side by side at a recnt pop up event at Devon House in Kingston. (Photo: Naphtali Junior)

Business

January 11, 2026

Built from scraps: Bandit Headbands

WITH university tuition overdue and borrowing options exhausted, a mother, and now entrepreneur, turned to old fabric scraps at home to generate income. A short-term response to mounting financial pressure would later evolve into Bandit Headbands, a small accessories business built out of necessity rather than strategy, created with no start-up capital and no expectation of growth beyond making ends meet.

“I had borrowed so much, and then my salary would not allow me to borrow from another institution, so I just looked up out of desperation and said, ‘Lord, if you stretch me any more, I’m going to pop,’ ” Odette Morris, creator of Bandit Headbands, told the Jamaica Observer.

The idea emerged out of necessity as her daughter, De’Anne Dalhouse, prepared to attend the University of Technology, Jamaica (UTech) and the family struggled to find the money to cover tuition. At home sat an idle barrel filled with fabric scraps, remnants from past sewing projects, while financial pressure mounted. With limited options left, Morris turned to prayer, a moment she said marked a shift in her outlook.

The following morning, her son secured a job, providing some relief, and around the same time, she began noticing how frequently her daughter pulled pieces of cloth from the barrel to adorn her hair before heading to school. That week, her daughter returned home with unexpected feedback. A classmate had expressed interest in the headpiece and asked to purchase it. The interest was relayed to Morris, who recognised that what had been created out of convenience could also generate income. UTech became Bandit Headbands’ first point of sale, with the slogan “If you can’t comb it, just band it.”

“I just wanted to make money,” Morris said.

Working closely with her daughter, who served as the brand’s creative director, Morris began executing designs and bringing them to life through her sewing skills. As she refined the pieces she added her own creative touches, and by 2013 the headbands had moved beyond individual student sales and were gaining traction across the wider school community. Despite the growing popularity, early challenges persisted. Morris said that whenever money came in, it was immediately used to cover essential expenses. There were no savings, no benefits, and no long-term financial security. At that same time, tuition fees were still a concern; she recalled how every semester the school would call for the remaining balance so as to allow her daughter to do the exams.

“I remember one day they put her out of class; exams were the following day, and she said, ‘Mommy, let’s go over to the dorm,’ ” with an outstanding balance of $13,500 still looming, she recalls vividly. “The night we went over the dorm, we sold exactly $13,500 worth of headbands that night.’”

But as wareness of the brand increased, competition began emerging within the school environment, which she found discouraging at the time. Limited by her own perception of the business’ marketing reach, Morris said she initially struggled to see a path forward.

Determined to push beyond campus sales, however, she made the decision to approach retail outlets — a move that would mark the brand’s next phase of growth. In 2016 Bandit Headbands secured its first retail placement at Pavilion Mall Pharmacy. That initial entry opened doors to additional locations, including Craft Cottage where the brand’s Jamaican-inspired designs resonated with customers. While the COVID-19 pandemic later resulted in the loss of some retail outlets, Morris said the experience validated the product’s appeal beyond its original market. As competition intensified, the business was forced to evolve beyond its original product line.

“It was a necessity, because when people started to compete with me, I had to do what I needed to do to stay on top of things,” she said.

Those pivotal moments led to the development of new products, including Flex It, a headband designed to bend, tighten and loosen to suit individual comfort. Another innovation, known as the double lap, was created to cover most of the hair and can be worn on either side. Turbans also emerged as a strong seller, particularly among customers with locs and those drawn to an Afrocentric, natural aesthetic.

As the business stabilised, Morris said it began to generate more than survival income. The venture supported her daughter’s education until she was able to participate in a work-and-travel programme, after which Morris said she was able to fully clear her outstanding debts. From there came her first savings milestone of $100,000 from the business, prompting her to begin setting her sights on reaching $1 million.

“Right now, I’m proud to say I couldn’t tell the last time I borrowed from an institution. I owed so much debt that I didn’t know what to say about myself; and I can tell anybody [that], by the grace of God, I came out of debt, and right now if my daughter needs help, I can help her,” she said proudly.

Now in a position to assist other students in completing their studies, Morris said Bandit Headbands has become a source of support beyond her own household. As she looks ahead to retirement Morris aims to take the business further by expanding into overseas markets, though she said she is still assessing the most feasible approach. A brief test came when her daughter participated in the aforementioned work-and-travel programme overseas, during which the products attracted strong interest, although the demand was temporary. Beyond growth, she said she is motivated by a desire to inspire others, noting that she has no plans to stop, and believes opportunity can often be found in one’s immediate surroundings.

“Within you there is something that is built in you, [in] everybody. We have an ability and potential, and we just need time to sit and look deep within because that’s where it came from — [from] a barrel of scraps came Bandit,” she said.

Morris assists a potencial customer with a hand made head band.(Photo: Naphtali Junior)

MORRIS…Within you there is something that is built in you, everybody. We have an ability and potential, and we just need time to sit and look deep within because that’s where it came from – a barrel of scraps came Bandits. (Photo: Naphtali Junior)