16 17

It’s not easy

being green –

but it could be a

worthwhile move

for your business,

as Helen Bird

discovers from

our eco-friendly

experts.

the eco haven

18 19

In September last year, the EU announced proposals to ban high-powered hairdryers; a move that would have a huge potential impact on the hair industry. The plans were revealed as part of its energy efficiency directive that aims to tackle climate change.

Former National Hairdressers’ Federation president Mark Corary described the plans as “ill thought-out”, claiming they would not result in reduced energy consumption. “The more powerful, the faster the blowdry – it’s as simple as that,” he said at the time.

But, while most hairdressers would agree with the statement, there’s no denying that the industry is a highly

energy-intensive one. Happily, there are measures that can be taken – both by individual stylists and businesses as a whole – to become more energy-efficient, kinder to the environment and, ultimately, more profitable.

eco havenAward-winning Élan Hair Design in Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, decided to go the whole hog with its energy-saving efforts. Three years ago, the family-run salon underwent a complete eco-friendly refurbishment. From 40 percent reconstituted floor to solar thermal panels, the £250,000 refit took every element of the business and turned it green.

Manager Lauren Milton tells Salon Business the move was a no-brainer. A meeting with renowned salon designer Charlie Hearn, in which he mentioned the benefits of LED lighting planted the seed, it seems. “The more we looked into it, the more we could see that we had really high energy use in the salon, and there were a lot of places where we could make a difference,” she says.

Upon hearing from a local business about Energy Saving Scotland, the Élan team approached the organisation with its plans and walked away with an £87,000 interest-free loan towards the project. The rest was funded from within the business, which has been running since 1971.

When it came to the refurbishment, the salon certainly took the ‘go hard or go home’ approach, to the point where every last detail can be seen through green-tinted glasses. For example, Élan became one of the first British hair salons to compost hair waste, recycle foils and install carbon-neutral furniture. “We took it step by step and everything we could make a change to, we did,” says Lauren.

reaping resultsTaking a similarly resourceful approach, Anne Veck opened her Oxford eco salon in October 2013. In a bid to reduce the carbon footprint of both her business and her clients, Anne invested in state-of-the art innovations for the salon: ceramic fuel technology can reduce energy use by half, converting gas to electricity, while a heat exchange system provides hot water at the backwashes.

And her efforts have not gone unnoticed. The salon was nominated for British Hairdressing Business Awards in 2013 and 2014, while its sister salon was selected as one of three businesses to be awarded government Green Deal funding for environmental improvements.

Tangible results are also reported by Lauren: Élan has seen a 25 percent increase in new clients, which has had a hugely positive impact on turnover and profits. And, like Anne Veck, the salon’s profile has increased through local and industry award recognition. “A lot of clients get to know about us because we’ve won a lot of awards, so it’s a good way to get our name out there,” says Lauren.

smart thinkingSalons aren’t the only businesses thinking green. Most product and equipment brands are now recognising the importance of eco-friendliness and the value that consumers are increasingly placing on it, evolving their ranges to meet this demand.

Aveda is a name long associated with nature and the environment, with an ethos to match. Darren Potter, the brand’s general manager for the UK and Ireland, says that, despite it being a relatively recent concern for consumers and salons, caring for the environment has always been a priority for Aveda. “These days, the greater focus on the state of the environment has led consumers to enquire more into their own impact on the planet’s resources and to question the companies they support and the safety of the products they use,” he says.

The more we

LOOKED into it, the

more we COULD SEE

that we had really

HIGH ENERGY use in

the salon, and THERE

were a lot of places

where we could

make a

DIFFERENCE

21

Organic Colour Systems was created to satisfy the growing ingredients-conscious client. With natural and certified organic ingredients that make up a very effective colour range, this a brand to watch.

Other essential products that have come a long way in helping salons to reduce their carbon footprint, and which many businesses have embraced, include single-use, biodegradable towels. Brands such as Easydry allow energy and water use to be reduced, while saving laundry time. Colouring products have also gone green (not literally!) – Matrix, for example, offers ammonia-free Colorinsider, which Anne Veck uses in her eco salon.

And for stylists with ingredients-conscious clients, the retail opportunities are more abundant than ever. Wella Professionals has recently launched ‘free-of’ product range Elements, while Davines has developed the eco-friendly Minu range for coloured hair.

It seems that, as Darren points out: “Beauty is the result, but also the process used in pursuing that result.”

small measuresWhether embarking on an entire eco-friendly refit or choosing small, financially viable steps as a starting point, all salon owners and their staff have the power to make a difference (see box).

Lauren recommends installing LED lighting as an easy and relatively low-cost way to save energy immediately, as well as “making sure you’re recycling properly”.

“We were lucky enough that we could do it all at the same time,” she says. “If a good number of salons did some of what we do then it would make a huge difference.”

THERE ARE LOTS OF UK INITIATIVES OFFERING FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO BUSINESSES LOOKING TO UP THEIR ENERGY EFFICIENCY. TRY THESE RESOURCES:

•���ENERGY�SAVING�FOR�BUSINESSES�[ENERGYSAVINGFORBUSINESSES.CO.UK] OFFERS INFORMATION ON THE VARIOUS FUNDING SCHEMES AND GRANTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE, INCLUDING THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY FINANCING SCHEME AND WASTE PREVENTION LOAN FUND.

•��THE�ENERGY�SAVING�TRUST�[ENERGYSAVINGTRUST.ORG.UK] RECOMMENDS VARIOUS ENERGY-SAVING MEASURES. CONTACT THEM TO FIND OUT WHETHER YOUR BUSINESS COULD ACCESS FUNDING SUPPORT.

•��SMALL�SALONS�COULD�TRY�BRITISH�GAS�[BRITISHGAS.CO.UK] TO SEE WHETHER THEY’RE ELIGIBLE FOR ITS ENERGY EFFICIENCY FUND.

funding helptips for going green

1

23

45

7

1112

1314

1510

Davide Bollati, chairman of sustainable salon brand Davines, offers these selected steps towards eco-friendliness:

USE RENEWABLE ENERGY – On average, you save 600g of CO2 per kilowatt of electricity consumed when you use renewable energy, as opposed to energy deriving from fossil fuels. Contact your local utility company for more information.

MAKE LIGHTING SMART – Choose light bulbs marked CFL [compact fluorescent lights]. They last 10 times longer and use 66 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs.

CLEAN THE WINDOWS – Make the most of the natural light and reduce your electricity bill by keeping the salon’s windows clean. The natural light is ideal for reading your clients’ colour too.

INVEST IN SOLAR PANELS – If possible, install solar panels to produce your own energy.

INSTALL AUTOMATIC HEATING AND COOLING – By setting the thermostat just 2 degrees centigrade lower in winter and regulating for

a temperature 2 degrees centigrade higher in summer, a salon can reduce its CO2 emissions by 499 kg annually.

RECYCLE – Equip your salon with recycling bins for paper, plastics, glass, hair-colouring tubes and foils for mèches.

OFFER RECYCLING DISCOUNTS – For every product container brought back to the salon, why not apply a discount to your client’s next product purchase?

TAKE PART IN ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS – Look into organisations that allow you to donate hair for environmental clean-up projects.

DECORATE SUSTAINABLY – If possible, consider using as many recycled or repurposed materials as possible for furniture and décor, especially if you can support local companies doing so.

SAVE WATER – Always turn off the tap when massaging in products during a hair wash and have a flow reducer fitted: this is an inexpensive device that can reduce your water bill by 50%p percent.

FAREWELL TO PAPER – You don't need paper invitations and flyers: just use email and social media.

GET CLOSER TO NATURE – With just a little space [indoors and outdoors] you can create an organic herb garden. Use the herbs to make your own teas or herbal water for your clients.

TRAIN YOUR STAFF – Arrange monthly meetings to train your staff about consumption.

BE ECO-CHIC – Are you fashion-minded? Try organising ‘eco-chic’ evenings periodically and ask your clients to bring clothes or accessories that they don’t use any more to swap with other clients. Free shopping!

TURN TO AN IPAD WORKSTATION – Use an iPad at each workstation to manage client appointments and other information. It’s more efficient and will save a lot of paper.

• Natural and certifi ed organic ingredients

• Superfi ne and lightweight

• Great for use even on dark hair

• Easy application directional nozzle

• Over 100 washes per bottle

• Non-aerosol

To fi nd out more contact us on 01590 646462 or visit our website www.organiccoloursystems.com

Follow us on

R E V I V EVOLUMISING DRY SHAMPOO

Every professional’s ‘must have’ product

No clumps, no mess, just gorgeous healthy hair!

To fi nd out more contact us on 01590 646462 or visit our website www.organiccoloursystems.com