Image credit: Pipsqueek in Saigon. Instagram: @pipsqeekinsaigon
Small actions can mean big change!
Want to level up your sustainability game in salon? The good news is that there are some simple steps you can take that help to make a big difference to the planet. We understand that being more sustainable in your salon might seem like a monumental task, so we’ve broken down 5 simple ways you can be more sustainable in your salon to help get you started + some salon sustainability tips to help you on your positive planet journey!
1. Bins, bins, bins
The first place to start when moving forward on your sustainability practices is with the bins you have in the salon. To begin with, you can focus on recycling metals, paper and plastics in their respective bins. Then when the time is right, investigate hair, ponytail and chemical recycling. Small steps are key, and every little bit helps.
Use the below table to help you with what items can be placed in which bin:
|
SALON ITEM |
GENERAL WASTE BIN |
RECYCLE BIN |
ORGANICS BIN |
|
Cleaning cloths and sponges |
✓ |
|
|
|
Broken crockery |
✓ |
|
|
|
Glossy or coated paper take away coffee/drink cups |
✓ |
|
|
|
Any broken glass |
✓ |
|
|
|
Soft plastics (chocolate, lolly wrappers etc) |
✓ |
|
|
|
Paper |
|
✓ |
|
|
Cardboard boxes from salon deliveries |
|
✓ |
|
|
Plastic bottles/ containers (rinsed and lids removed) |
|
✓ |
|
|
Hair foils – scrunched up |
|
✓ |
|
|
Glass bottles and jars (rinsed and lids removed) |
|
✓ |
|
|
Aluminium/steel cans and lids |
|
✓ |
|
|
Aerosol cans – empty |
|
✓ |
|
|
All rigid plastics – drink bottles, shampoo, detergent etc |
|
✓ |
|
|
Cut hair (if not being wig donated) |
|
|
✓ |
|
Tea bags and coffee grounds |
|
|
✓ |
|
Flowers |
|
|
✓ |
|
Paper towel and tissue |
|
|
✓ |
Note: always check your local council's website for up-to-date guidelines
2. Align with likeminded haircare Group brands
Evo is doing wonderful things in the sustainability space:
- Evo utilise solar at an operational and manufacturing levelto further help reduce their carbon footprint.
- They offset operational greenhouse gas emissions by purchasing credited carbon credits that help to fund revegetation projects.
- They use FSC® (forest stewardship council® FSC-C120918) certified recyclable paper for their printed materials and hardwood for their brushes.
- Partnering with plastic bank, Evo are helping to stop ocean-bound plastic pollution while providing collectors with a path out of poverty. For every evo retail bottle sold, plastic bank collectors will retrieve the same amount of ocean-bound plastic.
Moroccanoil are doing their bit, believing they have a responsibility to positively impact the world around them.
- No animal testing. Moroccanoil has been a partner of the Humane Sociaty since 2011, committed to not testing on animals and never commission third parties to do so on their behalf.
- Moroccanoil is a proad partner of Ocana, and organisation dedicated to protecting and restoring the world's oceans.
- They reduce their emissions by using solar power at thier proimarty factory, reducing 80 tonnes of CO2eq per
year in GHG emissions.
Their best-selling treatment are made from 40% recycled glass and are 100% recyclable.
Lakmé have been thinking about conscious beauty for a while now, in 2022 they revamped their Lakme Reshaping Colour Range packaging, the changes were signifigant;
- All packaging is either recycled, biodegradable or compostable, without compromising the shelf life of products.
- Lakmé has applied CIP cleaning systems that reduce water consumption, with solar panels and recycled water practices in place throughout the manufacturing process.
Electrical styling brand Kaleo has a great tool recycling system in place, were they partner
with Cleanaway e-waste to processing old tools and recycling them into a waide range of new products.
Read our article on brands with sustainable practices for more information.
3. Education sensation
If becoming a more sustainable salon is something you’re passionate about then we encourage you to educate everyone. Begin with your staff and talk about why being a sustainable salon is important to you as the owner. Explain your plans to make the salon more sustainable – you never know what other passions your staff have. Then, encourage this same message with your clients. Discuss the sustainable brands you use when relevant and what your salon is doing to make your contribution. You might be surprised how this word-of-mouth marketing helps your salon bookings, especially as individuals become more aware.
4. Get an organisations support
The strongest way to move forward as a salon is to have an organisation behind you. Sustainable Salons and Green Circle Salons are two organisations doing amazing work to help push sustainability practices forward.
Sustainable Salons minimise the salon footprint by having established a network of collectors, recyclers, manufacturers and distributors to make sure up to 95% of materials from salons are diverted from landfill.
Green Circle have a program to recover and recycle up to 95% of salon’s beauty waste. They partner with companies across North America to help reclaim salon waste and work together for change.
5. Talk with other salons in your network
We spoke with Bel Mills, owner of Adelaide based salon Pipsqueek in Saigon, to learn about their in salon efforts and how other salons can also contribute.
What is sustainability to you?
“Sustainability to me means doing your bit, being conscious and leaving the planet better than how you found it.”
How do you act on sustainability practices in your salon?
“At Pipsqueek we’ve aligned ourselves with Sustainable Salons. An incredible organisation that recycles and reuses 95% of all our waste. From hair and foil to plastics and colour waste.
The brands we stock must be like-minded in our ethos. They too, are moving forward to be more and more sustainable and are conscious of the ingredients they put in their products, to be safer for us and our planet.
We also use eco heads at our basins to save on water.”
What is your best salon sustainable tip?
“The importance of sustainability must come from the top. Educate your team about why it’s important to you as a business owner. Sustainable Salons are amazing to connect with if they are available in your area. If not, most of our salon waste is recyclable in our council bins.
If sustainability is important to you, contact the brands you work with to see how you can best recycle their packaging and maybe ask what they are doing to work towards a more sustainable future.”
Do you have any advice for other salons?
“Sustainability for many companies is becoming a necessity not a choice.
Consumers nowadays are searching for brands and businesses that care and are making changes. I believe this is a movement that won’t go away but will get much stronger. Those that don’t jump on board may get left behind.
Initially, bring practices in like eliminating colour wastage as much as possible, and recycling your foil (I know we all go through so much of it) *Call your local council to find out how best to do this. Ask for an extra recycling bin if you need one.”
How do you weave sustainability into your life outside of the salon?
“At home, I try not to use any nasty chemicals for cleaning. I like to keep my home as low tox as possible. I buy local and organic produce wherever I can. This can be expensive, but it means so much to me. You are what you eat right?
I think most importantly, we teach our kids about living minimally. We explain to them about pollution and plastic waste to hopefully encourage them to make better choices in the future.
Being conscious of what they are eating and why. Where it came from. What is in it. At home, we have a holistic approach to life. We do what we can and are always learning how we can do more.”
Bel – Owner of Pipsqueek in Saigon
Salon Sustainability tips
Our friends at sustainablesalon.org have tremendous resources should you find yourself wanting to learn more.
Remember, small steps still make a significant impact so it’s better to start today and work your way up the sustainability pole than to not begin at all. Shop our range of sustainable haircare products, including vegan products and natural hair products at Haircare Group now.
