MANTA - Making Every Day A Good Hair Day.
Founder Tim Binnington Interviewed.
MANTA - Making Every Day A Good Hair Day.
6 minutes read
Introduction by: Peter Marshall
At TRunblocked.com we like to track trends, promote new categories and espouse brands that make a difference. Manta ticks all three boxes. I recently caught up with Tim Binnington, Founder, to learn why he thinks that Travel Retail provides a great opportunity for his award-winning product.
Peter Marshall (PM): Tim, welcome to TRunblocked.com. Let’s start this conversation by telling us what prompted you to create MANTA as a business?
Tim Binnington (TB): Care is in our DNA. I created the MANTA Healthy Hair & Scalp Brush for my wife, who lost her hair after a life-threatening illness. As it grew back, I saw her combing her hair with her fingers – too scared of breakage to use a brush. Combining over 30 years of hands-on experience as a professional hairdresser and with the latest raw materials and technology, we developed a brush that would reinvent the way we treat our hair.
PM: That’s a fascinating backstory. What, then, do you see as the product’s USP? Being as follicly challenged as I am, I know I do not qualify as a potential buyer, but there are millions out there who can benefit from your product, aren’t there?
TB: Certainly. Traditionally there was only one way of brushing your hair. It’s our mission to let everyone know that there is a better option. We designed the MANTA to be as gentle as running your fingers through your hair, so people don’t need to choose between their hair brush and hair health.
PM: You have an award-winning and much endorsed and trusted product in your hands. But the fact remains that yours is still largely a one-product company. Yes, you’ve succeeded in securing listings on a number of airlines and cruise lines through your strong partnership with Martin and Magnify Brands and Lenny at Worldclass Brands which is great, but getting into airport retail is rather different. The cost of entry is high and you have to be long on patience. I believe that MANTA lands firmly in the Travel Essentials category. Yet, is the time, the energy that needs to be invested and the expense incurred actually worth it for you?
TB: I’m actually thrilled about the incredible potential for innovation in the global duty free market, particularly in hair care. Hair care is one of the largest segments in the global beauty market, representing about 22% as of 2022, and it’s only growing. With the market valued at approximately 91 billion USD in 2023 and projected to exceed 105 billion USD by 2028, the demand for effective hair care products has never been higher.
Yes, the duty free market has been slower to embrace this trend – especially in the hair brush category, where innovation has lagged behind. For too long the market has been dominated by a single brand, leading to declining sales as travellers saw little reason to repurchase the same products. However we have a new offering – MANTA has revolutionised the hair care space.
MANTA is unique and unlike any hairbrush. It’s the first-ever brush to mould to the shape of the palm of the hand and scalp. This flexibility creates less tension to gently free knots and minimise breakage. The pioneering, patented FLEXGUARD technology on the base enables each bristle to have complete 360 degree motion, so it never reaches the stress point that causes breakage. This brings its challenges, as we are asking people to use a hairbrush in a different way. But once they do, we’ve found that they become completely loyal as they realise how their hair should be treated.
As you said, we have won many awards for this patented innovation and gained so much press attention and devotion, becoming a cult favourite with beauty editors and celebrity hairdressers. It’s because at MANTA we have harnessed technological advancements and listened closely to evolving consumer expectations. And the results have been outstanding. For example, many of our duty free clients, including some large airlines, are seeing monthly sales of over 300 units.
Our listings for MANTA Pulse currently include KrisShop, Eva Airlines and Tiger Air. However, when it comes to onboard offerings, our MANTA Original and MANTA Mirror have become hero products. They’re ideal for keeping hair and scalp healthy and beautiful on the go – whether inflight, carrying them in your handbag or travelling. Their convenience and effectiveness make them perfect travel companions and we’re thrilled to see how well they’ve been received by travellers worldwide.
PM: OK, Travel Retail has arguably been slower than the industry should be to nurture the hair care category. What are you doing when facing some of the challenges you may have encountered?
TB: Understanding and addressing the challenges faced by travel retailers is central to our approach and we are committed to providing them with the support they need. At MANTA, we’ve cultivated strong relationships with our travel retail partners, always ensuring that our products meet their specific requirements. While size and weight can be of concern for some, MANTA products are designed to be lightweight and compact, making them ideal for travel retail environments.
You mentioned airport retail earlier. Well, we are continuously exploring ways to adapt our offerings and we’ve developed user-friendly, space-efficient POS options tailored specifically for airport partners.
And MANTA’s primary focus is on being featured in the main beauty store area, where our products can truly shine as part of the broader beauty experience. We believe in full collaboration with our retail partners and are always open to finding the best placement options that align with their customer base. We are just excited to explore all possibilities.
As retailers, I do see they have a duty of care to show innovative products that their customers might not otherwise see. We want to focus on giving people confidence in their hair and MANTA is ideal for anyone with hair breakage, loss and fineness – or simply wants healthy hair.
PM: So will you be attending Cannes this year?
TB: Absolutely. We’ll be launching new, free standing display units specifically tailored for our airport and cruise partners. We’re confident that these displays will significantly boost sales volumes for our partners and help drive the duty free market forward with fresh, innovative offerings.
PM: Given the increasing desire for newness and innovation from consumers in travel retail, how do you see your product diversifying and expanding in the future?
TB: We are focusing on different hair types to provide a full hairbrush range that works for everyone. There really is a lot of exciting innovation coming in 2025, so watch this space.
PM: Another key point for you to answer: just how sustainable is your product range?
TB: Our MANTA brushes are made from ultra-hygienic, super-soft, medical-grade, heat-resistant and 100% recyclable materials. This ensures no rough edges to catch or tear the hair shaft, meaning it glides responsively through hair for minimum damage and maximum shine. Again, promoting fuller, healthier hair.
PM: Moving on, I know that you have been a supporter of The Little Princess Trust for some time. Can you explain what the charity does and the positive impact it has for cancer sufferers?
TB: We are proud to support the Little Princess Trust, a charity that supplies real hair wigs free of charge to children who have lost their own hair due to cancer treatment or other conditions. So far, we have donated 8,188 wigs with a retail value of 216,170 GBP. Since being founded in 2005, The Little Princess Trust has helped to restore the confidence and identity of more than 15,000 young people up to the age of 24 by providing them with a real hair wig. The charity has also given more than 20 million GBP to researchers focusing on finding kinder and more effective treatments for all childhood cancers.
PM: One last question, Tim. If there is one key thing you wanted to say to the industry, what would it be?
TB: We always appreciate when buyers search for innovative brands that meet consumers’ needs. While we realise it takes a lot to move away from the norm, it’s so exciting when they do. MANTA has proved it. Innovation and care are at the heart of everything that we do and we’re committed to making a positive impact in the industry.
