FFØR X Green Salon Collective

As a sustainable brand, we actively champion sustainability in all that we do as it’s important to remember the impact our industries have on the world at large. At FFØR we pride ourselves on striving for sustainability in every aspect of our business. We are constantly reviewing processes and making greener changes where possible. We understand that climate change is ongoing and that we need to incorporate sustainable measures into our everyday as much as possible. With the salons reopening globally we want to support both businesses and consumers to ensure they too can incorporate environmentally conscious practices.

One way in which we are supporting salons is through our partnership with the Green Salon Collective (GSC). An initiative which facilitates the recycling of salon wastage, GSC was established by environmental experts, hairdressers and eco campaigners. They are the original authority on salon sustainability throughout the UK and Ireland. The wastage they recycle covers everything from hair, used foil, colour tubes, excess bleach and most recently PPE. It also publishes educational material for salons to help adopt ethical and sustainable practices. Recycling salon wastage is fundamental to ensuring our industry’s products can have a true circular disposal solution. We believe that whilst our products are involved we are responsible for ensuring their sustainability, from production to disposal, that is why we have partnered with GSC.

We reached out to Fry, Co-founder of GSC, to find out more about how the Collective came to be, how it works and the future of making the hairdressing industry more sustainable within the UK and Ireland.

Where did the idea of Green Salon Collective come from?

Hair recycling systems are common around the world but there wasn’t anything in the UK or Ireland, so we wanted to come up with something that meant salons could recycle not only hair, but all the “unrecyclable” items too, like colour tubes, foil and excess colour & bleach.

What are the basic logistics of the programme?

It’s really easy for salons – we provide them with in-salon bins, bin bags, stickers, leaflets, education and marketing tools. The salons fill up their bags of wastage and they then put them into a Green Salon Collective returns box. When the return box is full of bags, they let us know and we pick it up the next day. It’s as simple as that!

What criteria does Green Salon Collective look for when partnering with a brand?

We tend to look at the people driving the company rather than the company or its reputation, we partner with both global companies and start-ups. We want to be with companies who have people that share our passion for creating a sustainable industry.

What is it that drives the company’s passion for sustainability?

All three founders have always had a passion for our industry and living a more sustainable life. We’re conscious about what we eat, what we buy, what we drive, how we live and how that affects the planet. We all have children and we want them to see that we did the best we could, with what we had, and that’s all we want the salons to do too.

What charities and local communities are you currently working with?

Foodcycle, Haircuts 4 Homeless and Mossy Earth at present

What’s the dream aspirations for Green Salon Collective?

For me, this is just the beginning of what is to come for GSC. We have some great services and launches coming pretty soon, so watch this space!

We believe that the Green Salon Collective’s initiatives are very aligned with our brand values. From recycling to educating those in the industry, we take great pride in this partnership and how together we further our effort to better the industry. Being transparent and accountable in our efforts towards sustainability are inherent to our ethos. We are excited to see this partnership grow and all the many environmental benefits to come.

Find out more about the Green Salon Collective