When you are working in the hair industry, you see a lot of waste. In hair salons, there is often a lot of harsh chemicals, a large amount of water usage, little recycling and constant electricity being used. Due to seeing this on a regular basis, it is very common for hair salon owners to be curious about ways they can be more environmentally friendly in hairdressing. We have the top 5 environmentally sustainable work practices for hair salons that will be the easiest and most effective to implement.

Five environmentally sustainable work practices in hairdressing include using energy efficient lighting, only using electricity when required, recycling whenever possible, working with suppliers to stop preventable waste, and using reusable items when possible. These work practices are both simple and easy to implement, but they will have a long-lasting positive impact on the environment.

Use Energy Efficient Lighting

In hair salons, lighting is essential. It is critical for hairstylists to be able to properly see the correct shades of hair, products they’re mixing and hair they’re trimming. Customers also often read magazines or books while in the salon, which means they need to be able to see properly. Although you may not be able to cut out a good portion of your lighting usage, you can easily use energy efficient lighting in your salon.

One of the best parts about this environmentally sustainable work practice is it is very quick and easy to implement! You will find a large amount of energy efficient light bulb options on Amazon. Energy efficient lighting can also be purchased at any of the major home improvement retailers, like Home Depot or Lowes. First, you will need to find out what type of light bulbs you will need for your hair salon and then purchase the lighting at the store of your choice. Depending on your lighting situation, you will likely be able to switch out the light bulbs yourself in many situations (like lamps or lighting you’re familiar with).

Learn about the best types of LED lighting for your salon!

Only Use Electricity When Required

Electricity is required to be used often in a salon, like how we discussed that lighting is essential for a hair salon to work properly. However, there may be times when electricity is being used when it is not needed. In many instances, staff members simply don’t think about turning the electricity off. It becomes a habit to leave it running. However, by implementing the rule or guideline of only using electricity when required in your salon, staff members will start to pay more attention to the amount of electricity that they’re using.

For example: It is common for lighting to be used in rooms when no one is in the room. An employee might leave the light on in the employee breakroom, when all the employees are in the front of the salon. Lights in the main part of the salon can be turned off while employees are doing laundry or closing procedures towards the back of the building. There are also a lot of tools and electronics that can be unplugged or at least turned off when they’re not actively being used. All these things will help you cut down on the amount of electricity you use, which will also cut down your utility bills!

 

Recycle Whenever Possible

Recycling whenever possible is another easy and quick environmentally sustainable work practice to implement in hairdressing. Many hair salons don’t have any type of recycling container or way for their staff to recycle. This causes a large amount of preventable waste because there’s no other option besides throwing items away in the regular garbage. Recycling can be added to your salon quickly and it is also likely an activity that many staff members are already doing in their homes. This means it will be easy for them to pick up the habit at work.

Although there may be a large amount of harsh chemicals and things in your hair salon that can’t be recycled, there still may be more available for you to recycle than you think. All the paper you use in your salon should be recycled (like the paper you likely use in your office when going over business responsibilities). A lot of the packaging that products arrive in can also be recycled safely. By having a recycling bin in your salon, you’re giving both your staff members and customers a way to make a positive impact on the environment.

Work with Your Suppliers

One environmentally sustainable work practice you may not expect is working with your suppliers. The products you receive can often be a large portion of the waste you see in your salon. This includes extra plastic packaging that products may arrive in, packaging that can’t be recycled, etc. However, your supplier may have more environmentally friendly options that you aren’t aware of. By working with your suppliers, you can ensure that your hair salon is doing everything it can to leave a positive impact on the environment.

We recommend reaching out to any suppliers you use and asking them if they have any environmentally friendly options for you to use. This could mean products that contain less harsh chemicals, packaging made from recycling material, including less plastic in the containers you’re receiving, etc. This work practice may take more time and effort than the other work practices we’ve mentioned, since you’ll have to reach out to your suppliers. However, it can easily add up to make a massive difference!

Use Reusable Items When Possible

When it comes to a hair salon, you may not expect there to be many items that can be reusable, but it may surprise you what options are available. By using reusable items when it’s possible, you can cut down on a large portion of waste that your salon was previously causing.

Our two top reusable items to use in a hair salon are glasses and books. Many hair salons offer their clients water bottles when they’re getting a service done. However, switching to glasses for the water is more environmentally friendly. Staff members can wash the glasses at night, and they can be reused the next day. This cuts down on water bottles that are thrown away and keeps more money in your pocket.

When it comes to having magazines available for clients to read, the magazines need to be recent editions. A client would likely be annoyed if you only had magazines that were dated 6 months or a year ago. Therefore, you must purchase the magazines regularly, which creates more waste. By switching to books that don’t have to be switched out as often, you can cut down on your waste. Your clients will still have something to entertain themselves while they are waiting or getting a service done, but books will last much longer.

With the concern of wanting to take care of our environment, many hair salons are looking for more ways for their salon to become environmentally sustainable. With the 5 environmentally sustainable work practices we provided above, your hair salon will be on its way to making a positive impact on our environment. Not only will you be helping our planet, but many of these work practices will also help your salon cut down on your costs as well!

 

Related Questions

1 . How many employees are required to operate a hair salon?

The number of employees required to operate a hair salon will largely depend on the size of the salon, the way the salon operates, and the services that are offered. For example: If the stylists join the salon as independent contractors, then the salon wouldn’t need as many employees. If your hair salon is larger or offers a wider range of services, you will likely need more employees as well.

2. If I open a hair salon, do I have to offer coloring services?

When you open and own your own hair salon, you have flexibility when it comes to the types of hair services you provide. Although many hair salons do, there are salons out there that don’t offer coloring services. Instead, they focus on providing haircuts and treatments (like scalp treatments or deep conditioning). Some salons focus entirely on blowouts and styling. You get to decide what services you want to provide and how you want to brand your salon (what you want to be known for) when you open your own hair salon.

 

Looking to start your own Salon? Get the documents you need to get organized and funded here.

Please note: This blog post is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Please consult a legal expert to address your specific needs.