Sustainability Solutions
With Green Libertines Hayley Gibson-Forbes and Johnny Kenneally, we discuss how to prepare for plastic-free July, because glamour shouldn’t cost the earth.
Hayley Gibson-Forbes @sjforbesegham, Eco Queen of SJ FORBES
At SJFORBES, we’re embracing Plastic-Free July and inviting other salons to join us. Why? Because we believe true luxury doesn’t come at the planet’s expense.
As a luxury salon, we believe looking fabulous and doing good can go hand in hand. We’re taking steps towards being better to the environment. We’re proving that sustainability can still feel indulgent—and we hope others will follow suit.
Here’s how we’re doing it:
- Single use? Not our style. We’ve swapped plastic caps and wraps for reusable, biodegradable alternatives.
- Refills are the new black. We offer shampoos that can be refillable—elegant and eco-friendly.
- No more plastic water bottles. Clients now enjoy still or sparkling water in proper glassware—hydration, but make it haute.
- Our tools have had a glow-up: recycled plastic brushes and even biodegradable hair bands to use while doing hair up!
- We reward sustainability. Clients who return empty packaging get a treat—it’s like VIP recycling.
- Backstage makeovers include going green with eco-cleaning products… And of course we belong to Green Salon Collective, where we recycle our foils and even hair!
We’re not perfect, but we’re making the effort, and we’d love for other salons to do the same. Plastic-Free July is just the beginning. Let’s raise the bar together and show our clients that sustainability is the new luxury.
Johnny Kenneally @jfkhair_, Lustig & Webb
Going plastic-free may seem like a mammoth task, but small, simple switches and swaps can make your sustainability journey so much easier. One such example is reducing your use of single-use plastics.
In the salon, the use of reusable gloves will drastically reduce your PPE waste & the amount of plastics sitting in landfill. At first the initial cost may seem higher; however, you will find that as the gloves are not only reusable but also more durable and resistant, you will spend less over time on large packs of disposable gloves, which will mean your salon income can stretch much further.
Eco Gloves are also another fantastic alternative, as they are made from biodegradable materials and are coated with a bio-agent that is activated when they are placed in landfill. This enzyme attracts tiny microorganisms to break down the gloves much faster than a pair of standard disposable nitrile gloves.
For comparison, the average pair of disposable nitrile gloves can take up to 100 years or more to break down in landfill, whereas Eco Gloves are up to 90% broken down within 490 days!
Biodegradable shoulder capes are yet another great alternative to disposable, single-use plastic capes. Using these biodegradable products reduces your day-to-day impact on the environment without compromising on client care or your salon services.
