Category: Blogs & News

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On her bike! Making hairdressing education effective and sustainable!

Sustainability and training are two of Anne Veck’s greatest passions, and with an inspired re-work of her educational offering for local Oxfordshire salons, she has found a way to combine the two with phenomenal effect!

“Keeping it local has been a really revolutionary training move for me, it has so many advantages and I think meets team and individual training needs in a very ‘of the moment’ way. ” Says Anne.

Anne came up with some creative and sustainable solutions for local hairdressing training:

• A problem I hear time and again is the cost of training, the time it takes out of the salon and the expenses incurred by team members getting there.
• An optimal learning period is two hours – covering a topic at a time and keeping a short, sharp focus.
• There was an inconsistency, one big burst of training, a day or a two day course, and then nothing for weeks or months.
• The solution to these problems has proven remarkably simple.
• I keep training close to home, that way I work around the time that the salon has available – rather than the other way around, it is trainee and salon led. This means short, regular training sessions that really meet the current and emerging needs of the business and the team. Budget savvy and mindful of the impact on the planet.

With this approach, Anne has met the frustrations of salon owners with current training head-on, and gone are the full day absences and holidays and the big financial impact with the ‘all or nothing’ effect.

“Ultimately, I observed that the effectiveness of full-day training was limited by the staff’s ability to retain information, often only remembering around 50% of the content, and that does not serve anyone well, either the learner or the salon funding the training.”

Anne’s solutions and response to these difficulties has been a new model of local hairdressing training.

I have developed 2-4 hour sessions for nearby salons (within a 30 mile radius of where I live). Preferring to maintain my commitment to the in-person training (again retention rates are shown to be higher for in-person training versus online).

This flexible approach allows for easier integration into salon schedules. Limiting sessions to 2-3 participants enables me to deliver highly targeted training.
Keep in touch training means that I provide supplementary learning materials for trainees to review between sessions on Instagram.

I am now part of the in-house training teams for three salons and bring weekly or bi-weekly input.

As part of this I have found it essential and valued to uphold regular communication with the owners to drive through the training’s positive impact.

I love that this combines the best of all worlds, and with the training being local, I take to the road on my bike, with my training materials in my back pack, mental as well as physical fitness!

Want to know more? Want to book Anne for some hairdressing training? email anne@anneveckhair.com, call 01865 744612 or grab your copy of her new education brochure here! Or for an overview check this out.

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IT’S EARTH MONTH- SIMPLE STEPS FOR YOUR HAIRDRESSING BUSINESS TO TAKE

IT’S EARTH MONTH – SIMPLE STEPS FOR YOUR HAIRDRESSING BUSINESS TO TAKE
We hear a lot about how to reduce our carbon emissions, including amazing tech solutions. But there still seems to be a lack of awareness that we can tackle both nature and climate simultaneously. Whilst not everthying you can do to address climate change is good for nature, pretty much everything you can do for biodiversity is also good for climate. Creative HEAD magazine asked us for some ideas about this for the April issue ( April is Earth Month) so here is what we told them…

“How to get Started – how to reduce your hairdressing business’s negative impact on nature as well as your impact on climate at the same time. Applies to salon/space owners, individual hairdressers whether employed or freelance. Because saving the planet is something everyone can help with!

Because hair salons and freelancers generally don’t own or manage huge areas of land or have private nature reserves (!), then the major impact and difference we can make is through our suppliers.

Here’s a check list of “nature positive” actions arranged by nature/climate impact.

Stop forest destruction. Not just in the Amazon, South east Asian and African rain forests but closer to home as well. Help save rare species like orang utans and bonobos, as well as the trillions of plants and animals that make up the ecosystems that support human society. And of course essential for absorbing and retaining carbon.

What you can do:

Ditch paper and card price lists, appointment cards, loyalty cards etc. All the well known salon software brands can do this digitally much better and paper free via your and your clients’ mobiles and devices.

Go paper free with your books and accounts too. Small business accounting software can do this for you.

Check your colour house/product supplier for FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) and ROSPA (Round Table for Sustainable Palm Oil) accreditation. With these there is less chance that original tropical rainforests and temperate old growth forests have been trashed to produce their products and packaging. Palm oil is in almost everything but alternative oils use up even more land, so banning palm oil is not a solution. Just need to use less!

Ditto if you use compostable towels. Several of the best known brands have impressive accreditations including FSC which is important because these towels are made from trees! But check before you buy because one or two say the right things but don’t have independent certification. Danger of greenwashing.

Consider using a mineral based building industry by product manufactured meche instead of aluminium foils. (That was a mouth full! I think there is one brand available.) The manufacture of aluminium foils includes a proportion of virgin aluminium. There are NO foils made from 100% recycled aluminium, despite what some wholesalers tell us! The raw material for aluminium is bauxite, sourced mainly in open cast mines in tropical Africa and South America, sometimes involving human rights abuses as well as forest destruction.

Reduce waste and pollution which kills marine (and freshwater) life. And which reduces the capacity of our oceans to absorb CO2.

What you can do:

Check your product supplier for the type of plastic packaging they use, whether you can return it and whether they offer a refill service. Whether they support one of the plastic reclamation schemes like Plastic Bank. Some manufacturers use glass or aluminium, better for nature although fairly heavy on energy use in the manufacturing process.

Minimise the amount of plastic microfibres you release into the environment by avoiding microfibre products such as microfibre towels and by using a microfibre collection device in your washing machine. Microfibres are everywhere, literally, including your body!

Use one of the colour software products on the market which help you reduce colour waste. Unless you use one of the 100% organic planet and people friendly brands ( mainly smaller, less well known) colour waste contains nasty chemicals that kill wildlife, which reduces the capacity of the oceans to absorb carbon. There is also a comprehensive colour management product available which, if used correctly, will reduce waste to zero. Or just take care, measure your waste in a bowl and make sure you use less!

And squeeze every last drop from the colour tube!

Make sure your recycling service accepts and cleans used foils and colour tubes. If they don’t then these aluminium products will be incinerated or sent to land fill (God knows where!). There are several very well known hair and beauty specialists, check their websites for the details.

Stop cruelty to animals and go veggie or vegan.

Scientists tell us that the single most important thing we can do to reduce our carbon emissions is to reduce the amount of meat and dairy products we eat. (Just so you know, its cow burps more than farts that do the damage!) Indoor and battery farming are cruel and even outdoors and free range, cattle and chickens are deprived of a natural herd or flock life. Eg all or most male offspring slaughtered at birth. (So this is a good thing I hear you say!)

What you can do:

Use oat milk instead of cow milk. Oat milk is better for the environment than most of the others. Pea milk is good apparently, but I never see it in the supermarket!

Look out for the Leaping Bunny certification on all sorts of products. This guarantees that no new animal tests were used in the development of any product displaying it. The logo can be seen on packaging, advertising, and websites for refreshments as well as cosmetics and cleaning products.

Raise awareness and support nature conservation charities.

What you can do:

You can of course make a donation or sign up as a sponsor (your local county wildlife trust will have a business sponsors’ scheme) but maybe a better idea is to organise a charity hair do day with all proceeds going to the wildlife charity. We used to do this at Anne Veck salons and it was always successful.
Shout about everything you are doing to be more sustainable, to reduce your carbon emissions and to be more nature positive. Think about this as part of your marketing mix. Your clients will love it and tell their friends.
Get your team (if you have one) on board. Talk about what you are doing with your clients and with maybe a million or more people having their hair done every week, that’s potentially a powerful force for change!

For more info and support

Get hold of Anne Veck’s sustainable hairdressing tool kit: either Freelance RE:Source or Salon RE:Source. Everything ( well almost) you need to know! Here are the links:

Salon version bit.ly/SalonReSourceUK

Freelancer version bit.ly/3zOdCJE

Check out the Anne Veck Nature Positive Business Plan. The only nature plan in the world written by a small business to be endorsed by Business for Nature. We are feeling lonely, if we can do this, so can you!

Have a look at the Nature Positive Business Pledge. The blueprint for going nature positive. We used it to write our plan.

Join the UK Business & Biodiversity Forum. A “safe space” for businesses of all sectors and sizes to exchange ideas and information on including nature friendly practices into your business.

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Anne Veck Investigates: Foiled Again!

Anne Veck Investigates:  Hair foils. Foiled Again!

You probably already know that aluminium, including hair foils,  is almost infinitely recyclable and globally, most of it is still in use after many, many years.

You may have seen suppliers advertising that their hair foils are made from recycled aluminium, with the wording leading the reader to believe that they are 100% made from 100% recycled aluminium.

There is at least one supplier in the UK who states categorically on their website that their foils are manufactured 100% from recycled aluminium. Keith has spoken to them and after some verbal squirming and wriggling, they admitted that this wasn’t the case.

The truth is that all aluminium colour foils are made from a mix of recycled and virgin aluminium because the thinness required is not achievable otherwise. The Aluminium Federation tell us that in theory it could be possible to create a closed circle process by which sufficient amounts of used foils were used to make new foils. But no one is doing this, so research project any one?

This important because most aluminium is made from bauxite mined in China, Australia, Brazil and Guinea. Rain forest and biodiversity destruction as well as human rights abuses and pollution can take place in some of these locations. So not ideal.

So what are alternatives? Plastic meche is one of course – but plastic is made from oil so not great. “Paper” meche such as Paper Not Foil may be the best option because its made from industrial waste (stone) from the construction industry. Re-usable and non toxic, so even if it ends up in landfill it doesn’t do much harm.

Green Salon Collective recommend aluminium foil over the “paper” option because of its amazing recyclability but to make this work you MUST have your used foils collected by them, Recycle My Salon, Full Circle or Salon Cycle (others may be available!). Otherwise it will end up in incineration or landfill because used foils cannot be recycled unless they are cleaned and most waste and recycling services do not do this. Apparently most hairdressers and salons just bin their used hair foils which is appalling and to be blunt, just plain lazy.

(The same applies to your colour tubes. After you have squeezed out the last drop, make sure they are recycled by one of the good guys above!)

For much more on all aspects of sustainability in hairdressing including links to download our tool kits, wizz over to here!

Thanks for reading! And remember, the 3 Rs: Reduce, re-use, recycle, in that order. The less waste the better. Sustainability saves you money because you use and buy less.
Bisous

Anne x

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Energy Saving Week

ENERGY SAVING WEEK 17-23 JANUARY 2025

Happy New Year and Happy Energy Saving Week!

Here at Anne Veck Sustainability we thought it would be a great idea to get the New Year in hairdressing off to a warm start with the cosy feeling of helping to reduce those nasty carbon emissions AND save some money.

In fact, with energy costs now a very significant business cost indeed, it makes huge sense to take a little time to think about how best to reduce both electricity and gas consumption as well as doing the right thing for people and the planet.

So here goes…

5 Top Tips (because we appreciate how busy everyone is).

1. Reduce the energy you use. Install a smart meter (they are free). Switch things off. Use timing controls and apps to control when things are on and off throughout your salon or space. Motion sensitive lighting in appropriate rooms (e.g. staff room, colour prep area). LED lights of course. And the real biggie, use less hot water and turn the heat down! Use the timer on your heater.

2. Insulate your space. Stop that toasty heat escaping through the windows, doors, walls and roof! Draught -proof your doors and windows. Close external doors and windows when it’s cold outside (d’oh!) . Insulate your water pipes too with foam tubes. Stops them freezing and bursting in the winter if you take this energy saving lark too far !

3. Re-engineer your your machinery! Air conditioning is very wasteful of energy. If you must have it, check the thermostat is set to the optimal temperature. Tumble driers are huge energy hogs. Air dry towels please! Buy a high-efficiency washing machine and dishwasher to save energy and money as well as water.

4. If you haven’t already, switch (pun intended) to a genuine renewable energy supplier. Most energy companies offer a green tariff but, unfortunately, there is a difficult to understand and frankly, rather dodgy, licensing process involved which makes it difficult to tell whether they are really buying renewable energy or not. However, according to the Centre for Sustainable Energy the best to go for are Good Energy, Ecotricity, 100Green and Octopus. We agree. They aren’t the very cheapest available but if you combine with energy saving you’ll be ticking all boxes!

5. And this really is vital… Make sure your team or co-freelancers are committed too. Ask employees to sign up to an eco charter backed up by energy saving induction and regular team meeting discussion. Competions and awards perhaps! If you choose (democratically of course) an energy champion from the team, make sure they are 100% backed by mangement = you, the boss! Get your landlord or space owner on board.

And do shout about what you are doing on social to motivate others. Energy Saving Week is an annual campaign aiming to raise awareness about energy efficiency, reduce energy bills and combat fuel poverty. Important stuff and what’s not to like?

Final true facts:

Whatever type of electricity you buy, what you actually get is a mix of renewable and fossil fuel energy. What you pay for is the electricity your supplier puts into the grid. So the more we buy renewables the more the proportion of renewables in the overall supply.

Renewable electricity is now cheaper to produce than fossil fuel electricity. In the UK renewables (mainly wind and solar) account for around 50% (and growing) of electricity. In fact on 4th July 2024, renewables peaked at an incredible 88% of total electricity consumption.

Gas is different because no one is supplying 100% renewable gas at the moment, except 100Green. “Natural” gas is mains gas, fossil fuel. Biogas is very controversial because it is derived from plants which may be grown instead of food crops. Which is one reason why the (responsible) world is moving away from gas to electricity as fast as possible.

For more about energy saving including the details we haven’t got room for here (e,g. what’s a safe washing temperature) and lots more about sustainable hairdressing, check out either Salon RE:Source bit.ly/SalonReSourceUK or Freelance RE:Source bit.ly/3zOdCJE .

Anne Veck & Keith Mellen

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Salon owner to freelancer

Salon owner to freelancer.

Worlds apart, or same but different? Former salon owner turned independent stylist Anne Veck shares her take on the increasingly popular career move from salon owner to freelancer…

With constantly shifting goalposts and ever-increasing costs, salon owners are feeling the pressure more than ever, with many forced to close businesses, and others making drastic compromises to stay afloat. Sustainability champion and multi-award-winning hairdresser Anne Veck knows the responsibility only too well, having stepped down from her Salon Owner role in 2022 to pursue the route of independent stylist and educator.

‘The transition from salon owner to solo operator hasn’t changed in terms of my client work in the salon (2 days/week now) – I’m still as busy as I ever was’ she says. ‘It’s given me certain freedom and benefits, which I value greatly – but it hasn’t been without its challenges.’

The challenges:

Time management
If you’re thinking of selling up and going solo, you must consider your time management skills. This was less of a concern when I owned a salon – I was always booked solid and had to fit other tasks into my busy schedule. Now, as a freelancer, I need to be more efficient with my time. I still work two days a week in a salon, which gives a structure to my week, but the rest of the time I must prioritise my tasks to avoid wasting time. You need to be very disciplined to ensure you are realising your potential – both creatively and financially. The old saying ‘If you want something done, ask a busy person’ certainly rings true for me.’

Losing control
Going from a position of authority to a more passive role can take some adjusting. Many will jump at the opportunity to sit back and let somebody else sweat the small stuff (and the big stuff!) – but it can feel a bit strange not being in control. As a salon owner, I was used to overseeing every decision, and even now I sometimes have to bite my tongue to avoid getting involved in minor situations. If you like having a say in the day-to-day running of a business, the independent life might not be for you.

Networking
This is an element I feel that so many business owners take for granted. Networking opportunities are crucial for building and maintaining my client base as an educator – however, going it alone means that I now need to establish new partnerships to ensure my success. Without a salon, my buying power is significantly reduced, as my current account balance is not comparable to what I used to spend on stock for my two salons. Remember brands reward big accounts with education and show case opportunities- sometimes irrespective of whether the recipient is actually very good at teaching and/or presenting! You will likely find that you must put in the work to secure new contacts and business opportunities, so make sure that you use any spare time wisely.

Financial planning
Freelancing is totally different from the security of a salon owner with a steady income stream and that unpredictability can feel worrying. The brand work that I undertake as a freelancer doesn’t come with a contract, which often means no guaranteed income. Like a zero hours contract without a contract! This can make financial planning more challenging and unpredictable. Careful budgeting and planning are essential to ensure the success and longevity of your solo business.

Total responsibility
As an independent stylist, I’m responsible for all aspects of my business, from marketing to finances. This is a significant change from when I owned salons and could delegate these tasks. Make sure that you feel confident taking on these different roles and organise your time well so that areas aren’t overlooked. There are lots of apps available that can help with this – from managing budget and tracking spend, to social media tools to help promote your business. And there is great support from the Freelance Hairdressers' Association. And don't forget your own education aka CPD!

Of course, there are many positives to going solo. For Anne, it’s been a life-altering decision in the most positive way. Here’s why…

Reduced Stress
As a salon owner, I always found it difficult to balance work, family and social commitments. I often felt guilty about taking time for myself, believing I should always be productive or focused on others. Working solo has allowed me to strike a better work/life balance and to find time for the things that I enjoy. Of course, I still encounter stressful situations as an independent stylist, but not on the same levels – and I’m certain that my physical and mental health has benefitted as a result of feeling calmer.

Increased Flexibility
I think the most obvious advantage of working as a freelancer is having the opportunity to choose your own hours. Perhaps there are days of the week that you’d prefer not to work, or maybe you’re trying to juggle childcare and a 9-5 schedule just isn’t feasible? Working solo gives you greater flexibility; I love being in control of my diary and having the option to work different days or times each week. I’m also able to work from different locations – no one week is the same, and that really helps with my motivation. I can take holidays when I choose, and I find myself being more spontaneous as and when I have free time, too.

Creative Freedom
A reduction is stress and the freedom to choose my own schedule has meant that creatively, I am thriving. The obstacles that used to hold me back have been removed and I now have more time to dedicate to my strengths and passions. It feels incredible to have no distractions, to really get into a piece of work without that nagging guilt. Working freelance has also allowed me to be more open to pursuing opportunities that I couldn’t previously – whether that was due to time constraints or brand commitments.

Salon owner to freelancer? Could be the right move for you!

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Hair Equality: Is this you?

Hair Equality

HAIR EQUALITY

In my view, if you are a professional hairdresser, you must be able to work with all hair types. I have been working with clients with textured hair (aka African type / Afro / curly and coily, types 3 & 4), as well Caucasian and Asian type hair since I opened my first salon over thirty years ago in Oxford.

I can’t imagine how awful it must feel for someone to enter a salon and then to be told (however politely) “I’m sorry we don’t do your type of hair!” Totally unacceptable, yet it still happens.
Recently I have created workshops to help hairdressers who have not been trained in Afro hairdressing to make a start on learning this essential skill. Interested? Book here!

Whenever I can, I campaign for the need for greater diversity in UK hairdressing.
I continue to educate myself about textured hair and to go beyond the ‘hows’ to also consider the ‘whys’. Black hair is political, cultural and personal; it has been used equally as a symbol for resistance and as a creative outlet. There are diverse and complex histories to the wearing, care and styling of African type hair and I believe that it is important for all hairdressers to have at least some appreciation and understanding of this.

Lots of hairdressers lack confidence and skills with Afro hair, usually through no fault of their own and they are eager to learn. Its important to remember that you don’t have to be an expert on everything, but you should be knowledgeable about different hair types and how people talk about their hair. You should know about what is a transition period, what is the big chop. What is a protective style? Remember not every client walking through your door wants an appointment. They might want to buy products. So you must be able to advise them. It’s important to have the skill to work with all textures before the opportunity arises, otherwise you won’t be able to respond and grab that client or photo shoot offer Having the skill set will open doors for you and from the business point of view you don’t turn business away. So, book a day’s workshop with me now!

Need more business reasons to welcome clients with textured hair?

Since 2020, curl-enhancing styling products overall turnover growth has increased by about 12% year on year.
Curly haired women spend twice as much on products as straight-haired consumers.

66% of women with curly hair go to salons for treatments versus 40% of straight-haired women
Products formulated for curly hair to minimize frizz continue to be on the rise as people embrace their hair texture.
Approximately 65% of the global population has some form of curly hair. This means that almost 7 out of 10 people have at least some curl in their hair. So, if you have naturally straight hair, you should consider yourself in the minority!

91% of curly haired women continue to look for new products to address their top concerns such as dryness and frizz to achieve a more natural look.

So what are you waiting for? Open your salon doors to all, embrace hair equality!

Fight the Plastic Plague! Guest blog by Gina Conway.

In the second of our mini series of Guest Blogs, our friend Gina Conway shares her tips on reducing plastic use in salons. Thanks too to Salon Gold who published this in the first place.

Gina is a leading salon owner and UK Brand Ambassador for Philip Martin’s, and has been named Marie Claire’s Best Sustainable Salon, a Green Libertine for Green Salon Collective, and serves on the Sustainable Beauty Coalition board, where she drives carbon-zero initiatives across the sector.

The plastic plague
In a world where convenience reigns supreme, plastic has become an almost invisible companion in our daily lives. Its production has been as critical to our existence as the industrial revolution. However, this convenience comes at a staggering cost. The plastic crisis—an urgent, global epidemic—is choking our oceans, polluting our environment, and affecting our health.

The alarming reality
Did you know that every year, around 300 million tons of plastic are produced globally? To put that into perspective, that’s equivalent to the weight of the human population! Alarmingly, only about 9% of this plastic is recycled, the rest destined to clutter our planet for centuries. What’s worse? Every piece of plastic ever created still exists in some form today. Our landfills are overflowing, our oceans are becoming plastic soup, and wildlife is being dramatically affected. Sea turtles mistake plastic bags for jellyfish, birds are feeding their chicks bits of plastic instead of food. Let’s look at how together, we can break free from the chains of plastic dependency and move toward a cleaner, healthier environment for us while leaving a positive legacy for generations to come.

Here is how we can help in our salons and at home to fight the plastic plague…

Refuse
Create a plastic free culture. Just say no to single use plastics! No water or drinks in plastic in the salon. Make it your culture to do the right thing and ensure your team are planet saving warriors. I even encourage my team to bring in lunch in Tupperware or paper bags rather than buying food from the shops wrapped in plastic or if they do, separate the non-recyclable film from the paper of sandwich boxes.

Reuse
Your plastic containers, reuse for holding sugar cubes, tint brushes, add drainage holes for potting up seedlings or growing from plant cuttings.

Recycle
Choose a recycling partner that can also recycle your hard to recycle items separately. These include some botte dispenser pumps, coloured plastic and bags that say recycle at your supermarket. Make sure your instructions on the bins are clear so that your team aren’t mixing the wrong type or it will end up in landfill anyway.

Reduce
Ask yourself “Do I really need this item? Do I have something similar that I can adapt? What is this item’s life-use span? Will it end up in landfill and if so, how long will it take to degrade?

Research
Microplastics in formulas can lead to leaching into the soil and waterways which will end up in the food chain and into our bodies! Choose products that don’t contain silicones, or microplastics. Opt for working with companies that don’t use these ingredients in their formulas and if they do, use only if it is essential and extremely minimally. Encourage your clients to do the same when they shop for beauty items like body scrubs or hair serums.

The good news is that change is within our grasp! Small choices add up! Every plastic bottle you refuse is a step toward a cleaner planet.

Making the change fun and engaging. Challenge your teams and clients to a “Plastic-Free Day” or host a “Plastic cleanup walk and pub crawl” crown your best advocates “Zero-Waste Hero!”. Share your victories on social media and celebrate your success!

And for more, check out the Anne Veck toolkits!

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Anne Veck Investigates: how to reduce colour waste?

Anne Veck Investigates: how to reduce colour waste?

I don't think you need me to explain why chemical waste is a problem. So straight to the point, here are some ideas for tackling the problem that all of us can choose from.

1. Record how much colour you dispose of daily by collecting it in a bucket. Keep a tally and aim to reduce the amount, weekly and work towards zero colour waste and reduce costs and pollution ! Of course there are apps available to help too, at a very reasonable cost, see below.

2. Dispose of colour waste (which may be hazardous waste depending on what products you are using) as safely as possible. Try not to dilute it with water and wash it down the drain which is of course far less damaging if your colour is organic and biodegradable. (Have you done your COSHH risk assessment?)

3. Make sure that other unsuitable materials including pieces of plastic, contaminated salon towels, contaminated food packages, wax strips, wet tissues, wipes, cotton buds, PPE and any other small sticky items, are not also flushed down the sink or loo into the drains and, ultimately, the seas.

Green Salon Collective can help with all the above with their “General Waste to Energy” scheme.

Now for the tech solutions...

Instead of recording your colour waste yourselves, use an app. These aim to eliminate colour waste by helping you mix the optimum amount of colour each time. Try VISH or Smartmix by Precision Colour Ltd. VISH tell us that the average salon wastes up to 40% of its colour and that by using VISH this can be reduced to 8% or less.

YUV is designed for pro colourists to prepare bespoke colour combinations but they also claim it will reduce waste by up to 35%. Our sustainable friends Jack and the Wolfe swear by it! And Ecoheads have introduced The Ping, both energy efficient and colour saving.

So, however you do it, monitor and manage your product usage. Don’t order retail products you won’t sell! Cut down on waste, reduce your costs! Get a life! (Ed's comment: did you really say that Anne?)
And finally, a simple but important thing to do is squeeze the last drop of colour from the tube! D'oh!

Thanks for reading! And remember, the 3 Rs: Reduce, re-use, recycle, in that order. The less waste the better. Sustainability saves you money because you use and buy less. For more sustainable hairdressing tips check out Salon RE:Source or Freelance RE:Source.

Guest blog by Tabitha James Kraan about her truly sustainable brand.

Here at Anne Veck we love Tabitha, her brand, her salon and her approach to sustainability and healthy hairdressing. We don't usually promote a product brand but Tabitha James Kraan 's products are different. But let her explain in her own words:

"The brand is small and pioneering:
Tabitha JK is Cosmos/Soil association certified so it is audited at least once yearly tracking all ingredients back to each farm where grown.
Products are refillable via a post box size refill pouch delivered to the door and must be decanted within 5 days.
The whole range is designed to encourage the hair to stay clean for longer and support less water use and cleaner water washed down the sink.
The range is plastic free inside the bottle and there are no nano plastic ingredients.
The packaging is either or both recycled, recyclable, sugarcane plastic or 100% post consumer plastic that is refillable, or glass or aluminium.

Quick messages we can promote:
1. "Challenge encourage your clients to wash their hair 1 day less per week."
Did you know that heating water is one of the most carbon intensive actions we do in our homes? Ultimately washing the hair once or twice a week would be the goal to start with challenge your clients to “wash their hair 1 day less per week".
2. "Encourage your clients to use leave-in conditioner”.
Carbon use is hugely reduced by shortening your shower. Leave in conditioner can be very effective and saves a huge amount of heated water in your home.
3. If you choose natural products make sure they are grown organically - protect the natural environment and biodiversity. We all have the choice, man-made or natural. If we take from nature we must do it wisely and only choose organic ingredients. Cosmos certified organic is a way of evidencing organic and natural.
Tabitha JK
Founder - Creative Director, Tabitha James Kraan Hair Organics"

For more about sustainable hairdressing visit our sustainability page.

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Imprisoned Eco-warrior Paul Watson and hairdressing. What’s the connection?

Imprisoned Eco-Warrior Paul Watson Receives Prestigious Conservation Award so what is the connection with hairdressing? Grant Brown at Happy Eco News explains: (edited just a little)

Captain Paul Watson, imprisoned eco-warrior, marine conservationist and founder of several environmental organizations, has been named the 2025 The Perfect World Foundation Award recipient. The announcement comes from The Perfect World Foundation, a wildlife and nature organization based in Gothenburg, Sweden.

The imprisoned eco-warrior has led direct-action campaigns worldwide for over five decades, defending ocean ecosystems against destructive human activities. His efforts have focused on combating illegal fishing and protecting marine life, earning him recognition as a leading voice in marine conservation.

Watson’s campaigns have been both high-profile and impactful. In 1975, the imprisoned eco-warrior led the first Greenpeace campaign against commercial whaling, placing himself between harpoons and whales. This action garnered international attention and helped spark the modern anti-whaling movement. In 1977, Watson founded the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, which has been involved in numerous confrontations with illegal fishing and whaling operations. One of the organization’s most notable campaigns was Operation Nemesis (2005-2007), which successfully disrupted Japanese whaling activities in the Southern Ocean, saving an estimated 500 whales.

Watson is currently imprisoned in Greenland, a circumstance that highlights the risks faced by environmental activists.

As the 12th recipient of The Perfect World Foundation Award, the imprisoned eco-warrior will also be named “The Conservationist of the Year” for 2025. However, the date for the award ceremony remains undetermined due to Watson’s current imprisonment. The organization awaits further information on whether Watson will be released or remain incarcerated.

In the event that Watson cannot attend the ceremony, his most significant sponsor, John Paul DeJoria, has agreed to accept the award on his behalf. DeJoria, a businessman, billionaire, philanthropist, and co-founder of John Paul Mitchell Systems and Patron tequila, expressed strong support for Watson and his cause:

“We live in a world of illusion… we see something we think is real. Sometimes it is, sometimes it’s not. What is real and true is that we, the people on this planet, can help protect those in every way we can who save our earth’s wildlife. For Paul Watson to be arrested for trying to stop Japanese whalers from illegally killing many whales is a tragedy that we the people of the planet should try to reverse in every way that we can.”

DeJoria continued, “I am joining millions of conservationists, wildlife organizations and many regular people in saying ‘FREE PAUL WATSON.’ Paul is a hero. He has put his life on the line to save our planet’s oceans from unnecessary, man-made destruction and extinction. He deserves the greatest conservation award, the Perfect World Award. Congratulations Paul. I am representing millions of people by accepting this award on Paul’s behalf, and I’m letting him know we support him and always will.”

As founder of The Captain Watson Foundation and other conservation organizations, Watson has played a crucial role in raising awareness about the threats facing marine ecosystems. His direct-action approach, while controversial, has been credited with saving numerous whales and other marine species from illegal hunting and fishing practices.

The Perfect World Foundation’s recognition of Paul Watson’s contributions to marine conservation underscores the global nature of these environmental challenges and the need for continued support and recognition of those working to address these issues. As the world awaits news of Watson’s potential release, his award serves as a testament to the impact one individual can have in the fight to protect our planet’s biodiversity.

Watson’s career has been marked by both praise and controversy. His aggressive tactics in confronting illegal whaling and fishing operations have drawn criticism from some quarters but have also been credited with bringing international attention to these issues. The Perfect World Foundation’s decision to honor Watson highlights the ongoing debate about the most effective methods for protecting maine environments and wildlife.

The award also comes at a time when global attention is increasingly focused on the health of the world’s oceans. Rising sea temperatures, plastic pollution, and overfishing continue to pose significant threats to marine ecosystems. Watson’s recognition serves to amplify these concerns and may help to galvanize further action on marine conservation issues.
Happy Eco News October 2025.
Ed’s note. John Paul DeJoria is of course joint founder and owner of Paul Mitchell hair products. Free Paul Watson now!
And for more on sustainable hairdressing action go here!

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