The Scottish hairdresser using salon hair to save the oceans

Each year 6,700 tonnes of human hair waste is produced in hairdressing in the UK - and 98 percent of it ends up in landfill. But Edinburgh salon, Paterson SA, is part of a growing scheme to prevent waste from their industry from being dumped. 

How is the beauty industry going green?

The beauty industry may not have been the most environmentally friendly in the past, but some Scottish firms are attempting to change that, featuring GSC member Linton & Mac. 

Say Hello to the Wella Education Book 2023

As part of Wella’s continued environmental commitment, the Yearbook is printed on 100% recycled, carbon balanced and FSC certified paper using vegetable based inks – making it fully recyclable. Wella has also partnered with the Green Salon Collective, in its quest to promote salon sustainability throughout the UK. 

Seaweed textiles to shoe sole doorstops, eco-friendly products redefining innovation

Founded by environmental experts, hairdressers, and eco-campaigners, Green Salon Collective has been exploring innovative ways to add value to salon hair waste. The collective works with designers, architects, researchers, and manufacturing companies to discover opportunities for the abundant yet overlooked material. The designers and the research and development team have devised a range of recycled products such as hair booms, hair mats, hair mycelium, wool alternatives, and fertilisers for gardening. 

Meet the designers creating everyday objects and art from human hair 

"One of these initiatives is Green Salon Collective (GSC), which works with hairdressers across the UK and Ireland to recycle hair. GSC collaborates with manufacturers or designers (including Visser) to turn hair into new objects and products -- from hair booms (cotton or nylon tubes packed with hair cuttings used to stop oil spreading in seas and on beaches) to building materials. The latter sees GSC working with architecture and design studio Pareid on an installation also at this year's LDF, comprised of two intertwined, hair-covered columns at a salon in West London. The hair used for the project, titled "Chiaroscuro 1," is felted and applied as a surface covering."

“Recycling all these elements of salon waste is truly disruptive and taps into an area I’m sure many of us won’t have even considered in the past, says Marie Claire Sustainability Awards judge and podcaster, Gemma Styles. “Having worked in a salon previously myself, I know how much waste can be produced and how difficult it is to recycle through standard means – this could make a real difference.”

"Green Salon Collective have released details of their upcoming monthly events, aimed at educating both existing members and those interested in finding out more about the Collective’s work."

"Hair today, recycle tomorrow?

What happens to your hair once it leaves your head and what about the chemicals?"

"Recycling the 'unrecyclable': How are hair salons going green?

Fry Taylor founded the Green Salon Collective which is encouraging sustainable working practices in the hairdressing industry. The collective recycles everything from bleach and dye to people’s actual hair."

Click on the image to watch the BBC video. 

"Hair waste from salons recycled to mop up oil spills on sea shores."

Behind the scenes for The One Show, showing how our recycled hair booms work to clean up oil spills. Click on the image to watch our BBC appearance on YouTube.

Euronews Green talk to some of the GSC team and members about how hair waste can be used to absorb oil spills as well as being a fantastic fertiliser. Your chemical waste can also generate electricity!

Read FFØR's interview with Co-founder Fry Taylor about how Green Salon Collective came to be, and why GSC's recycling initiatives are aligned with the core values of FFØR. Click on the image to read the article.

"Beauty with a green ethos."

How green is your hairdresser? It might be worth finding out.