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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

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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.
ecohaven
Award-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.
reapingresults
Taking 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.
smartthinking
Salons 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
LOOKEDinto it, the
more we COULDSEE
that we had really
HIGHENERGYuse in
the salon, and THERE
were a lot of places
where we could
make a
DIFFERENCE

3. 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.”
smallmeasures
Whether 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.
fundinghelp
tipsforgoinggreen
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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 certified organic ingredients
• Superfine and lightweight
• Great for use even on dark hair
• Easy application directional nozzle
• Over 100 washes per bottle
• Non-aerosol
To find out more contact us on 01590 646462 or
visit our website www.organiccoloursystems.com
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REVIVEVOLUMISING DRY SHAMPOO
Every professional’s ‘must have’ product
No clumps, no mess, just gorgeous healthy hair!
To find out more contact us on 01590 646462 or
visit our website www.organiccoloursystems.com