Sustainability

Salons are historically big offenders when it comes to toxic pollutants and water usage, but things are changing and we're doing our part.  Our efforts to become a more environmentally friendly sustainable salon include the following:

  • Recycling 100% of our hair color, chemical products, foils and hair though the Green Circle Salon Program.  This program, combined with our city recycling program, gets us above our 95% recycling goal. The Green Circle Program isn’t cheap, but it’s the only one in North America that recycles hair color and other chemicals, along with foils, hair, PPE and other single use items.  Salons that don’t participate in the Green Circle Program wash excess color and other chemicals down the drain into the water treatment plants that clean our drinking water, causing higher cleaning and electrical demands on treatment plants.  Additionally, used hair foils with color and chemical residue in them aren't accepted by normal recycling facilities, but Green Circle cleans the foils prior to recycling.

  • Using filtered water coolers and recyclable paper cups.  No plastic water bottles here.

  • Carrying organic product lines when possible that feature recyclable/refillable packaging like glass, paper and foil with minimal plastic components.

  • Using 80% less water than many salons through EcoHeads shampoo tech and soft, biodegradable/compostable single use hair towels.  The Ecoheads use about 65% less water than typical shampoo heads, while the towels reduce both water and electrical usage by not having to wash and dry 15-20 loads of towels every day.  An added bonus is that they breakdown in the landfill in 30 days with no toxicity.

  • Unfortunately we're still on city electricity and water.  In downtown Austin, green power and recycled/gray water systems aren't normally available unless you own your building.

  • We're not a 100% sustainable salon yet and don't know of many salons in U.S. metropolitan areas that are, but we're not far off.  And we're always on the lookout for new ways to become a more eco friendly salon.