Hair from hairdressing businesses across the UK can be recycled and reused to create new useful products and materials. Waste salon hair doesn't need to go to landfill or incineration! Here are many ways it can be reused...
Waterway Cleanups
Hair has the incredible ability to adsorb oil and pollutants, even in water. We've harnessed this property to clean up oil spills and polluted rivers across the UK and Ireland using hair booms and hair mats. Hair booms are 'sausage'-like tubes filled with waste human hair that adsorb oil and pollutants, helping to contain the spread of oil spills in waterways.
Hair Mats
By felting hair with our unique machinery, we create hair mats that can be used to cover storm drains or clean up waterways. These mats are an effective and sustainable solution for managing water pollution.
Regenerative Bio-Manufacturing
In collaboration with Biohm, a London-based regenerative biomanufacturer, we managed to combine waste salon hair with their unique binding material, 'orb', to create particleboard-like sheets and moulded 3D objects. Biohm is also working with mycelium, the root structure of fungi, to grow around hair and create insulation panels.
Wool Alternatives
We collaborated with Natural Fibre Co., a British woollen mill in Cornwall, to develop a hair-wool fibre alternative to petroleum or cotton-based yarns, ropes, and twines. Our current blend consists of 40% hair and 60% wool, using waste hair from salons and undervalued wool that would otherwise be composted.
Potting Felt
Our Head of R&D, Stephanie Hodgson, conducted an experiment to test the effectiveness of 'potting felt', a product for houseplants made from salon hair waste. The results showed that hair helps to retain water, deter pests, and release nitrogen into the soil, increasing leaf and new growth, offering a sustainable option for indoor gardening.
Architecture
In collaboration with the architecture and research firm, Pareid, we are exploring the application of salon hair waste in architecture and building materials. Pareid is interested in visibly showcasing the presence of hair in final products and installations to compel people to consider hair not as waste but as a valuable resource.
Wigs
Even the shortest of hair can be used in the Green Salon Collective hair recycling projects. However, when the hair is long enough, we create wigs, providing a meaningful and practical use for this resource.
Hair is far more than just a waste product. Through innovative and sustainable practices, we are transforming waste hair into valuable new materials, helping to protect the environment and promote sustainability. Join us in rethinking waste and embracing the potential of hair. Book a call here with the team to find out how your salon can start recycling.