Barbershops are dedicated to making you look and feel your best. However, with the rising environmental concern and climate change, it is our social responsibility to take the necessary steps to make the process more eco-friendly.
Research shows that ethics and sustainability are key drivers in 2021 for nearly one-third of the consumers, who have also reported that they have stopped consuming a service or a product due to related concerns. Today's shoppers are well-researched and well-aware of their ethical and sustainable priorities. Therefore, brands must work hard to make their products and services represent the same morals.
Consider the following steps to make your barbershop sustainable and eco-friendly.
The barber and beauty industry already has a large footprint that you can reduce by using recyclable products. Make sure you only use products that use recyclable materials for packaging. Did you know that most plastics, recyclable or not, contain Bisphenol-A (BPA) and Phthalates that can disrupt the reproduction system in humans? To become an eco-friendly salon, you should put recycling at the top of your list and opt for amber glass or aluminum packaging that can be recycled over and over without degrading the quality.
Research shows that ethics and sustainability are key drivers in 2021 for nearly one-third of the consumers, who have also reported that they have stopped consuming a service or a product due to related concerns.
Hair salons and barbershops require a lot of energy to run different equipment such as hair dryers, razors, and hair straighteners, not to mention air conditioning, water heating, washers, dryers, and lighting. Most of these appliances are run constantly, spiking up the energy consumption of salons. Only use energy-saving appliances in your barbershop and check on them regularly to make sure they're not malfunctioning and consuming more energy. Using environment-friendly hairdryers and bamboo brushes is another effective way to reduce energy costs and takes you one step closer to your eco-friendly barbershop goal.
For salons and barbershops that are already functioning and want to become more sustainable but don't have the budget to go back to the drawing board, discussing your goals with your suppliers can be vital to reaching your sustainability goals. For example, ask them to eliminate the excess packaging and send back the packaging for reuse. You can also switch all your consultation with your suppliers to a paperless method, cutting down your footprint further.
On top of that, choose a non-toxic cleaner to clean your barber furniture to keep your working environment clear of harmful chemicals.
There are a number of super simple swaps you can make in your salon that will create a huge difference. For example, switch to an eco-salon towel that will not only help you reduce water and electricity usage but also save your time. Choose a water-saving showerhead to cut down your salon water consumption furthermore. On top of that, choose a non-toxic cleaner to clean your barber furniture to keep your working environment clear of harmful chemicals. You can also use reusable paper wraps instead of aluminum foils to color your client's hairs — cutting down salon waste even further.
Even though you can take steps to reduce waste to the best ability, you cannot take it to zero completely. However, there are things you can do to make sure your barbershop waste is not ending up in the landfill. For example, you can work with Green Circle Salons to recycle and repurpose up to 95% of the barber salon's beauty waste, including hair clippings, used foils, color tubes, excess hair color, and more. Putting recyclable bins in conspicuous places in the facility can really help too to keep the waste out of landfills. Additionally, donating hair clippings is another excellent way to make your barbershop more sustainable.
Green salons are the leaders of the beauty industry, and it's time for you to hop on board with the sustainability movement. Click here to learn about products and services that you can incorporate to make your barbershop more eco-friendly.
