GET A HAIRCUT AND HELP SAVE THE PLANET
You may be surprised to learn that the salon industry sends more than 1,500 tons of recyclable aluminium back to landfill each year in Australia and New Zealand alone. That’s one and a half million kilos, about 715 cars, or four jumbo jets!
Unfortunately aluminium doesn’t degrade easily, it actually contaminates the soil for 500 years. Add to this the waste of plastics, colour tubes, cut hair and more, and you soon see that beauty at any price is no longer an option.
After joining Sustainable Salons, local salon Suede is set to change all this.
Suede now recycles up to 95% of its waste by using the comprehensive resource recovery program offered by Sustainable Salons. “We are committed to sustainable growth that encourages social responsibility and respect for the planet. This simple initiative can make all the difference to what was once landfill waste becoming a future resource”, says DJ, owner of Suede.
Salon plastics – including soft plastics – are recycled into outdoor furniture, underground sheeting to protect the NBN and closed-loop consumer products such as glasses frames, coasters and pet leashes!
Collected ponytails are redirected to charitable wig-making services and organisations to provide wigs for those suffering from alopecia or cancer, while hair clippings swept up from the salon floor are made into Hair Booms used in oil-spill clean-up operations.
What’s more, Suede staff and clients love that all proceeds from recycling are donated to OzHarvest and KiwiHarvest to fund meals for disadvantaged people – Sustainable Salons donates more than 2,000 meals every month! As clients become more aware of the impact salon products have on the environment, they have also welcomed the opportunity to make a difference.
“The salon industry needs to take action now, and take care of the environment and our communities as much as we take care of clients”, says Paul Frasca, co-founder and Managing Director of Sustainable Salons. “DJ & Nikki really cares about making their salon as eco-friendly and community-minded as possible. When they looked at what they could do to become more sustainable ecologically and economically, Sustainable Salons was the obvious choice.”
By joining Sustainable Salons, Suede is happy it can support charities and benefit the community, while also taking care of a huge waste problem.
