SUSTAINABILITY

Making your hair business more sustainable doesn’t need to be complicated. HJ speaks to salons to find out the simple steps they have taken that you could adopt to kick-start your own sustainable journey for both your team and your clients

“We don’t have mirrors in front of our clients at our salon – we have artwork instead. This means clients aren’t distracted by what’s going on around them so we can use the time to have deeper conversations about the environment and sustainability best practises. We don’t play commercial music either – we play calming music that leads to feelings of relaxation and encourages clients to be completely open with us. Sustainability is incredibly important to our business and we’re in the process of applying for our B Corp status which is a big achievement that will recognise our commitment in this area. We’ve run themed exhibitions within the salon on the environment and we like to see ourselves as educators when we speak to clients. Our team receives sustainable training so all of us can talk to clients’ with confidence about sustainable issues within the salon and also within client’s wider lives.”

Daniel Kelly, DKUK, L’Oréal Salon Partner

“As a salon promoting a sustainable and mindful lifestyle, we’ve installed the Authentic Beauty Concept refill bar. The refill station is a visible marker in demonstrating our commitment to becoming a more environmentally-friendly salon. We’re in a great position to make a difference, not just in terms of changing our own habits but as a trusted source of information. We are in the best place to turn our client’s awareness into action. Now more than ever, consumers are becoming more aware of the environmental impact of the goods they are buying. Highlighting the benefits of the refill station to our clients and refilling their bottles is another step towards a more sustainable future. Why not look into setting up your own refill station in a highly visible part of your salon? This will not only benefit your business sales-wise but more importantly it also allows you to become a more sustainable and eco-friendly salon. Offering a discount or reward is a proven way to entice clients into participating in your refill initiative.”

Dan Mewies, Mewies & Co and Authentic Beauty Concept ambassador

“Green energy supplier prices are competitive and you will achieve a huge reduction in your carbon footprint. There are several green energy suppliers in the market such as Ecotricity, Good Energy and Green Energy. Ecotricity generates 20% of its electricity from its own renewable sources (they own their own wind farms) and buys the rest from independent renewable generators. Climate change is the biggest threat that we all face and hair salons use a huge amount of energy, especially when we use lots of hot water. Switching energy provider means you can make a huge difference. Even more importantly, today’s clients love the sustainable salon vibe, in fact they demand it. Our client numbers and sales have increased 10% year-on-year since 2013, so going sustainable is also good for your salon business!”

Anne Veck & Keith Mellen, Anne Veck Limited Oxford

“We recycle hair, metal, plastic, paper, PPE and chemical waste in separate recyclable bags. We’re also using FFØR’s sustainable products with recyclable packaging which are popular with our clients and support our sustainable ethos.” 

Karoliina Saunders, Karoliina Hair Design

“It was very important to us when the salon opened that we were not wasteful and we wanted to be aware of what we used and how we could work with the local community. All our display shelves, storage and even where we keep our pins and grips (inside empty candle holders) are recycled. We source from eBay and Vinterior. Clients also bring us pieces, which is in tune with our community spirit.”

Adam Reed, Adam Reed London

“We use our outside front garden to replant trees and help offset our carbon footprint. We hope to continue with larger incentives within the wider community. We also use local plants and flowers to attract nature and we have loads of fresh herbs that clients and neighbours can take.”

Mark McCarthy, MARKDAVID

“We’ve made a number of simple swaps that really make a difference. We serve ground coffee in cafetieres from a local organic and fair trade roastery to avoid unnecessary packaging and the carbon footprints that come with pods and other traditional coffee machines. Our team all use their own refillable coffee cups and water bottles which we keep in the salon to avoid unnecessary washing up or single use plastic. We use Simplydry towels that are made in the UK as when researching we found these bamboo towels had the lowest carbon footprint because they are not made and shipped from China. We share our space with our community and put on regular yoga classes and workshops to support local artists. We also have an ‘Outfit Exchange’ event so people can swap items they no longer love with others.”

Jo Dyer, Yoke The Salon

“Installing ECOHEADS into all salon basins reduces our water usage by 80% so it’s a no-brainer. Blue Tit reduces 1,350,000 litres of water wastage a year using ECOHEADS and it also increases the water pressure to make the performance even better too.”

Andi Hinteregger, Blue Tit London

  “Hair salons produce a huge amount of waste that is not recycled correctly. We joined Green Salon Collective who run a recycling system for salons as well as an education and accreditation programme. It has inspired myself and my team. Plus, we have gained new clients that are impressed by our leap forward in sustainability and protecting our environment.”

Syd Hayes, Q Cut

Name of Salon: Ella Hair Salon, Cheltenham Salon Owner: Daniella McLennand

Daniella McLennand began her sustainable journey before COVID-19. She expected it to be a gradual process as she slowly convinced clients and her team to embrace her new vision. The pandemic had other ideas so she had to consider her options more quickly. She’s now using sustainable practises such as using Vish Colour Management to save money for her business.

“When I first opened my salon I had a green agenda but the time wasn’t right, so I had to compromise. By 2019 I was dissatisfied with my colour business and decided to take steps to align it with my values. I thought it might take time to get everyone on board,” explains Daniella.

By the end of 2019, Daniella was working with Davines and had brought in a consultant to advise on sustainability. COVID-19 changed everything and her business was in jeopardy. On the plus side, she had time to research green alternatives to services and products. Shortly before reopening from the first lockdown she brought in Vish Colour Management to boost efficiency and profitability within the colour department and ensure it was more eco-friendly. She also signed up with Green Salon Collective to dispose of her waste sustainably.

 “Using Vish immediately brought my spend on colour down. Comparing the months we were open in 2020 with the same period in 2019, colour spend was down from 13.9% of turnover to 9.4%, while my revenue was actually up. That’s because the team are dispensing less colour as Vish tracks their waste and helps them to recalculate their formula each time a client visits.”

She concludes: “Profits are up and our chemical waste down, which means I can sustain my business and the planet.”She believes COVID-19 is making everyone value what we have. She says: “Everyone came on board from day one because we now know how important it is to protect our planet.”