Sustainability Solutions

With the help of the Green Salon Collective and their Green Libertines Hannah Cowell and Sam Caldwell-Smith, we discuss the importance of reducing excess water use in salons.

Hannah Cowell, Butchers Salon

@butcherssalon

Water is essential for a salon to run smoothly, but it’s important to conserve it wherever possible. If you’re looking for ways to cut down on water usage without compromising the client experience, here are some tips to get you started. Initially, you should monitor your current water usage in the salon and determine where water is being used unnecessarily.

The shampoo basin is probably the biggest opportunity for cutting down your water usage, but there are also easy ways to combat this, such as installing water-efficient taps to help reduce the amount of water you use without reducing water pressure. Washing hair can use up to 2 gallons of water; eco taps typically reduce the water used by up to 65%!

Make sure that taps are turned off when you are not using them (the same applies for being at home) and try to educate your guests on how to wash their hair and how often. Increasing the amount of time in between washes and using a dry shampoo on no-wash days is a great way to save water. If you have plants in the salon, use leftover water from drinks to water the plants!

Lastly, using compostable towels reduces the amount of water, time, and energy for laundry. So not only saving water, but it’s also more cost-efficient when you’re only using 1 towel per guest. Overall, educating yourself, your team, and your guests to make small daily changes can significantly impact your water footprint and help the planet.

Sam Caldwell-Smith, BA1Hair

@ba1hair

Saving water in the salon starts with the consultation for me; we’re all so easily drawn into our usual habits of just discussing the haircut and passing our guest over to the assistant for their usual two shampoos, conditioner, or treatment. Taking the time to see where your guest is on their wash cycle can elevate your consultation and start the conversation about home care, scalp conditions, lifestyle, styling tips, and, most importantly, saving water!

We all use salon-quality, high-performance products in the salon, but does your guest really need two shampoos today? Do they even need a shampoo at all? If so, maybe consider a simple investment into some EcoHead taps for your backwash to reduce water usage significantly.

Taking ownership of your consultation is a great way to show that extra bit of care for your guest and the planet. Use the consultation as a great entry point to start a conversation about what other eco initiatives your salon does and reinforce why they choose to continue to visit your salon!