How does it work?

Frequently Asked Questions

• 1. How can my salon participate in Green Circle Salons?

  To join Green Circle Salons and contribute to a more sustainable beauty industry, you can follow the following steps:

  1. Sign up: Visit the Green Circle Salons Benelux website and fill in the contact form or send an e-mail to info@greencirclesalons.eu to express your interest.

  2. Receive information: After your registration, you will receive a welcome pack containing all the necessary information and materials to start the programme.

  3. Separate waste: Start collecting and separating salon waste such as hair, aluminium foil, colour tubes and colour scraps. Green Circle Salons provides you with guidelines and tools to make this process efficient.

  4. Waste processing: Once your waste is collected, Green Circle Salons provides collection and further processing, ensuring that up to 95% of salon waste is recycled or reused.

  5. Communication to customers: Inform your customers about your participation in the programme and the eco-friendly steps your salon is taking. Green Circle Salons offers marketing materials to get this message across effectively.

  By following these steps, your salon will become part of a growing community of sustainable salons contributing to a better environment.

• 2. How can I persuade my customers to support this initiative?

  In our experience, most guests are happy to pay a small Environmental Stewardship Fee (ESF) to know that their beauty waste is handled responsibly. There are even many guests who want to support sustainable salons. A recent survey shows that 84% of guests think it is important for salons to do their part to reduce their impact on the environment. We encourage you to share with your guests how they are contributing to environmental change and sustainability.

• 3. What if I decide to exit the program?

  At Green Circle Salons, we do not work with contracts. You can stop the programme at any time.

• 4. Can I do more than just recycling?

  Absolutely! Our Full Circle Program, currently under trial with 40 salons in the Benelux region, offers advice on reducing the impact of various aspects including energy and water consumption, transportation, infrastructure, and procurement. Feel free to contact us for more details.

• 5. Is the program financially beneficial?

  We encourage salons to include an eco contribution in their prices. At just 50 cents per visit, you can make the programme completely cost-neutral, while generating additional revenue to make further eco-savings and accelerate your salon's sustainability transition. One of our participating salons surveyed customer reactions and found that more than 90% responded positively to a contribution of even €1!

• 6. How many boxes will I need?

  One box fits waste of about 700 visits. Count on 0.5 box/full-time employee annually for barber shops or if you don't use aluminium foils. For a salon that also does decolourisation, count up to 1-2 boxes per full-time employee per year. 

• 7. Is recycling difficult?

  Not at all! You're likely already sorting paper, cardboard, and plastic. We'll guide you in our workshop on adding hair, excess hair coloring, and metals to your recycling routine, making the process even more streamlined.

• 8. What do you do with the hair?

  We work with several partners to process hair. For example, 1 of our partners processes hair into hair mats and hair socks to absorb oil from rivers, port or industrial sites. Did you know that 1 kilo of hair can absorb up to 8 liters of oil? We are also studying the possibility of making combs, acoustic panels, fertilizers, etc. from hair!

• 9. How do you handle metals, especially aluminum?

  Aluminium is infinitely recyclable, but unfortunately not if it has chemicals on it. No problem for us! Our partner decontaminates the metals from your barbershop to then be infinitely recyclable again.

• 10. What do you do with the disposal of excess hair coloring?

  Discarding colouring can badly affect your pipes. Therefore, we like to recycle this along with it. This is not the best solution, we are still searching for a better circular way. Be sure to let us know if you have any ideas.

• 11. How can I encourage my team to participate?

  We find that onboarding is very important. In 45min. 1h, we explain everything in detail to your salon staff. 

• 12. How can I persuade my boss to join the initiative?

  By working with Green Circle Salons, your boss is committed to a more sustainable planet. Moreover, it brings a pack of positive consequences for the business. For instance, the hair salon gets extra turnover and can save costs such as on colouring and residual waste. The hair salon also gets a positive image, which attracts environmentally aware customers and new employees. 

• 13. What should I do when a recycling box is full?

  Very simple: you send us an e-mail to transport@greencirclesalons.eu with the number of boxes to be picked up, and the date you want to get rid of them. If required, our transport partner will be at the doors of your salon within 24 hours. Do you wish for new boxes? Then be sure to let us know too!

• 14. I have limited space in my salon. Can I still accommodate the recycling boxes?

  You don't need much space. The bins for hair and metal measure 75cmx28cmx28cm, so they can easily stand in your salon. The box for colouring measures 28cmx15cmx35cm and you can easily place it in the colouring lab next to the sink. The return box measures 90cmx40cmx40cm, which is delivered flat. You are certainly not obliged to work with our bins either. 

• 15. Is Green Circle Salons only active in Benelux?

  Green Circle Salons does not only operate in the Benelux, but has a broader international presence. The initiative started in North America and has expanded to several regions, including Europe. In the Benelux, we work specifically with salons to implement sustainable hairdressing practices, but globally there are other Green Circle Salons operating with the same goal: minimising the ecological footprint of the hairdressing industry.

• 17. How can I make an appointment?

  You can always make an appointment at info@greencirclesalons.eu or you can schedule a call with Nicolas on the contact page. 

• 18. Why is sustainability important in the hairdressing industry?

  Sustainability is important in the hairdressing industry because it produces a lot of waste each year, such as hair waste, chemicals and plastics, which are often harmful to the environment. By adopting sustainable practices, such as recycling and using eco-friendly products, salons can significantly reduce their carbon footprint. This creates a ‘ripple effect’: customers are inspired to make more conscious choices, suppliers are encouraged to develop sustainable innovations, and other sectors follow suit. 

• 19. What is Green Circle Salons?

  Green Circle Salons is an international initiative that helps hairdressers work more sustainably by recycling salon waste and implementing eco-friendly practices. Its mission is to reduce the industry's carbon footprint and combine beauty with sustainability.

• 20. How does Green Circle Salons contribute to sustainability?

  Green Circle Salons contributes to sustainability by recycling and safely disposing of salon waste such as hair waste, foil, and chemicals. For example, hair scraps are reused to make oil barriers, and foil and metals are recycled. They also promote the use of eco-friendly products and energy-efficient practices in salons. In this way, they help the hairdressing industry reduce its carbon footprint and make it more sustainable.

• 21. Where does Green Circle Salons operate and where can I find them?

  Green Circle Salons operates in Benelux, North America. Our salons are located all over the Benelux from Friesland to Amsterdam!