10 Ways How To Become An Eco-Friendly Salon

As a consummate hair professionals, we are accustomed to making others feel beautiful, but with rising environmental concerns about the depletion of our Earth’s natural resources, it has become our social responsibility to turn our attention to the beauty of the world we living, and how to become an eco-friendly hair salon.

10 Ways To Become An eco-Friendly Salon

1) Only Sell And Use Recyclable Products

Did you know over 14 billion pounds of plastic is dumped into our ocean waters yearly? With the world’s population increasing, this number has only been projected to increase. Plastic in our oceans is something to be concerned about not only because of the detrimental effects on animal life and essential ecosystems, but what most plastic is made of is another rising concern. Most plastics recyclable or not, contain Bisphenol-A (BPA) and Pthalates. These materials have been known to disrupt the reproductive systems of humans, cause birth defects, and in some studies even cancer and weight gain. There are certain recycle codes that are less likely to contain both Pthalates and BPA, click here to read more about different salon product recycle codes. To become an eco-friendly salon, recycling should be at the top of the list!

2) Offer Products With No Animal Testing, or Animal-Derived Ingredients
Over 100 million animals a year die from animal testing, and millions more are captured and caged for the sole purpose of animal testing. Not only is this cruel to animals, this could pose sustainability concerns in areas of the world that animals are captured. Disrupting nature’s balanced ecosystems in the name of animal testing is both risky and more expensive that non-animal testing. It is best to choose products that conducive to becoming an eco-friendly salon, and are endorsed by People For The Ethical Treatment Of Animals (PETA), and do not support animal testing. For example, Organic Color Systems is a line of cruelty-free salon products, that is recognized by PETA and has a strict company ethos that does not allow them to carry products tested on animals. Choosing to carry these cruelty-free products not only will make you feel better knowing no animals were harmed in the making of your salon success, but you will be one step closer to becoming an eco-friendly salon!

3) Offer Truly formaldehyde-Free keratin Treatments
As salon professionals, we are no strangers to the whirlwind of controversy surrounding the growing popularity of keratin treatments. A lot of companies hide behind the false claims of being formaldehyde-free, but in laboratory tests many of these company’s keratin treatments were found to have extremely high levels of formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is found organically in nature, but is a known human carcinogen (cancer-causing); thus, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has regulations on the emissions of formaldehyde from some industrial facilities, but the EPA has established limits and requires facilities to report the amount of formaldehyde used. EPA also regulates the amount of formaldehyde emitted in automobile exhaust. Wouldn’t it be great to not contribute to formaldehyde in the air, as well as offer keratin services that are safe to you and your clients? But before you fall for those false claims, take initiative to ask for lab reports or request a sample to lab-tested yourself! Providing truly formaldehyde-free keratin treatments is just another way to become an eco-friendly salon.

4)Use Eco-Friendly Decor
We all want our salon decor to express our salon’s culture, and of course, look clean and beautiful for our fabulous clients, but choosing to decorate your salon with eco-friendly decor is just on more way to become an eco-friendly salon. What is eco-friendly decor? Art or decorations that can be recyclable, produced sustainably, and did not harm animals in its making. Try out some fun eco-friendly decorations and re-modeling from this awesome book. To compliment your eco-friendly decor, be sure paint your salon using voc-free paint! VOCs are known as Volatile Organic Compounds and are emitted as gas into the air. VOCs are known to cause considerable health threats in those exposed (in your salon), the effects include, but are no limited to throat irritation, breathing issues, and possible carcinogenic effects in humans.1

5) Use Eco-Friendly Salon Equipment
Using styling chairs, dryer chairs, and washing station equipment that will help you become a more eco-friendly salon can be both cost-saving and stylish. While there are no Greenstar salon equipment on the market yet, employing these little energy saving tips can help your salon conserve electricity and water. For example, using energy efficient lighting like these GE Energy Smart Energy light bulbs. Make it a habit to always check on your salon sinks pipes, and faucets to be sure that no excess water is being spent. Using eco-friendly bamboo brushes and hair dryers is another way to cut down on energy costs, and puts you one step closer to your eco-friendly salon goal. Some salons have started to reduce their water consumption by mandating water-saving practices and installing water recycling systems. Reusing rinse water is one of the most common and effective water-saving practices currently in salons today.

6) Use organic hair color
Choosing to offer your clients organic hair color is in our opinion, one of the best things you can do for both their health and yours. Choose a line that does not contain ammonia! Not only has ammonia been linked to many health and breathing issues, it also makes your salon a incubator for toxic smells and fumes. Ammonia is used to blast open the cuticle, so that the color molecules are able to reach inside the hair. Due to the corrosive effects of ammonia, the hair’s pH is then altered to an extreme and has a hard time closing; thus, locking in the beautiful color you just applied. Choosing an ammonia-free color line will not only let people in your salon breathe again, it will make your color services more vibrant, long-lasting and shiny! Choosing a color line that maximizes the use of certified organic ingredients, is also very important. Organic ingredients are those that have been grow without the use of chemicals and pesticides, making the color gentle and nourishing to the hair and scalp.

7) Choose To Offer Products With A Negative Carbon Footprint
Now, we understand that for a product to have a truly negative footprint is rare, and maybe up until you read this article non-existent, but there are products on the forefront of sustainable technology. For example, O’Right’s Tree In A Bottle is a shampoo that manufactured in a factory powered by solar and wind energy! The packaging itself is biodegradable, and when planted breaks down to fertilize a seed within and grow a tree! Yes, you heard right, your shampoo that you offer clients can grow it’s on tree! Did you know a single tree can absorb CO2 at a rate of 48 lb. per year? There are over 300,000 salons in the U.S. today, imagine if every salon planted one Tree In A Bottle.. that’s over 300,000 trees and over 14 million pounds of CO2 eliminated a year (told you we could make a difference)! Find out more about this revolutionary green product here.

8) Use Products With Available Refills
This may be another concept that is foreign to many salon owners and stylist. Truly eco-friendly salons and companies are beginning to understand the valuable plastic saving techniques by offering refillable packets for your favorite in-salon products like back bar shampoos and conditioners, and styling products behind the chair. For example, O’right also offers refillable packets for their eco-friendly salon products here, eliminating the amount of plastic dumped into environment. Also, the refills cost less than purchasing brand new plastic products every month! Talk about eliminating waste and becoming an eco-friendly salon!

9) Wash Salon Towels Efficiently
Whether you wash your salon towels at home or in the salon, be sure to try these energy saving tips. Try purchasing a washer or dryer that is a Greenstar appliance, meaning it conserves the most electricity and water! We know appliances are expensive, so if that’s not affordable use gentle, and efficient laundry detergent. There is laundry detergent on the market that practices the ‘less is more’attitude and is only needed in small amounts. Be sure to choose a more natural detergent for some of your clients can have a sensitivity to towels that have been overly bleach, and washed with many of the harmful chemicals found in laundry detergents today. Also, only do laundry when needed, try to conserve as much as possible!

10) Implement Fun Environment Saving Adventures With Your Fellow Stylists And Clients
Never think that a small group of dedicated people can’t change the world! Most salons are closed on Mondays, so take advantage of this to create a fun event for salon owners, stylists, and hey, even invite clients to join you in an eco-friendly project once or twice a year! Go to a local park or beach and pick up trash! Have a vegan baked goods drive to generate income, and give some or all profits to your favorite environmental organization. Take pictures! Put them on your salon website or Facebook, and let current and furture clients ( and the world!) know your salon is here to stay and making a difference. Trust us, people will appreciate the good deed and take notice! The possibilities are endless for you and your salon to make a difference and change salons for the better.

Sources:

http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-experimentation/default2.aspx

http://www.formaldehydefacts.org/environment

http://www.epa.gov/iaq/voc.html#Health_Effects