3 mins
IT’S EASY BEING GREEN
1981 BARBERSHOP, CORNWALL
Based in Truro, 1981 is the first zero waste barbershop in the UK. Owner, Damien Diablo, explains how the impact of global warming in his local area inspires his sustainable ethics.
WHEN DID YOU BEGIN YOUR SUSTAINABILITY JOURNEY?
My journey started before I was barbering, when I was in the music scene playing in bands. I rubbed shoulders with a lot of old school punks who had a different mindset and I carried that ethos into barbering.
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO EMBRACE SUSTAINABILITY?
In the planning of the shop, I wanted to make sure everything was sustainable, recycled, upcycled and reusable, and that there was no disposable aspect of the shop. Moving back down to Cornwall and being surrounded by beautiful beaches had an impact too - especially when you see everything being washed up and you know none of it is going to decompose. It makes you think about how the hair industry contributes to that.
WHY DO YOU THINK SOME SHOPS ARE RELUCTANT TO MAKE SUSTAINABLE CHOICES?
Most people are put off by having to spend a few extra pounds for a sustainable alternative. I’ve always attacked it with a different mindset of passion over profit. If you really believe in something and you want it bad enough, you’ll sacrifice to make that change happen. If everyone made a small sacrifice then those changes can slowly happen.
WHAT HAS THE REACTION BEEN FROM CLIENTS?
Most of our clients know that we are the first zero waste barber shop in the country, and for the other clients that don’t know it’s an added bonus. They walk out feeling like they look good and that they’ve made a positive choice for the planet.
DO YOU OFFER SUSTAINABILITY SPECIFIC TRAINING?
We don’t, but our focus is making sure the staff know the reasons behind why we do or don’t do certain things. No one is saying you have to drop everything and start afresh - if you are a manager or a business owner and you want to be a bit more environmentally conscious, then do a bit of research and make your team aware of what’s going on and how you can make changes to influence positive outcomes for the planet in general.
WHIP, LONDON AND BRIGHTON
We spoke to Lou Brikett, Director at WhiP, a sustainability focused salon in London and Brighton, about the eco-centric ethos at the heart of the business.
WHEN DID YOU BEGIN YOUR SUSTAINABILITY JOURNEY?
From the very beginning! When the salons were conceptualised in 2017, we wanted to be a pioneer in the eco space, and thankfully we achieved it.
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO EMBRACE SUSTAINABILITY?
As the co-founders had already made sustainable choices outside of the salon it made sense to be proplanet and eco-conscious inside the salon itself. We believe that by doing our bit the influence is naturally felt throughout the business from the staff to clients and our online following.
WHY DO YOU THINK SOME SHOPS ARE RELUCTANT TO MAKE SUSTAINABLE CHOICES?
It’s difficult to change habits and people are uneasy when they have systems that work already, it’s the “if it’s not broken don’t fix it” mentality. Some salons may be unknowingly enabling some unethical practices so it’s important to know and investigate how your supply chains operate.
WHAT HAS THE REACTION BEEN FROM CLIENTS?
Many clients choose us purely because we’re sustainable so they are happy we are keeping up the good work! We are constantly reaching new clientele and people find they are making more considered choices.
DO YOU OFFER SUSTAINABILITY SPECIFIC TRAINING?
Yes, we do. Our staff enjoy learning how to better practice sustainability and we believe there is a domino effect through individual networks. We like to improve our systems all the time and we’re keen to listen out for new technologies to make sure our business is at the forefront of sustainability objectives.