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.
[5][6] In 2005[citation needed] Pulfrey remortgaged his flat in Brixton, London for six months' worth of capital (£25,000) to finance the product launch.
He pitched "The Original" detangling hairbrush to Peter Jones, Duncan Bannatyne, James Caan and Deborah Meaden.
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.
[10] In July 2021, Pulfrey sold a majority stake in Tangle Teezer to Mayfair Equity Partners for approximately £70 million.