Green Salon Collective Makes its US Debut
Posh Green Salon Collective setup
Where does your hair end up right now?
As most know, I’ve been inspired by different innovators in the salon and waste industry. But my biggest inspiration and favorite R&D company was settled across the pond… until now. I’m proud to announce that I get to help launch Green Salon Collective in the US!
Green Salon Collective, the UK’s leading authority in salon sustainability, is expanding across the Atlantic — and it’s bringing a whole new meaning to cutting waste.
Green Salon Collective has been recycling salon waste for 5 years and empowering salons and stylists to take real action against landfill waste by recycling hair in over 10 innovative ways. From composting and creating mats, to using hair to clean up oil spills, this is waste management with a creative (and seriously impactful) twist. Now, it’s coming to offer its services to the United States.
“We're guessing you care about what happens after the cut - we love hairdressing but it can be a wasteful industry, with so much hair being sent to landfill” said Fry Taylor, Chief Trash Talker of Green Salon Collective. “Stylists are creative people and now we’re inviting them to be just as creative with how they manage waste.”
In the UK, Green Salon Collective has become a movement — building a community of conscious salon owners, barbers, colleges, artists and freelancers, who are moving up and on from business-as-usual waste habits. Now, with the upcoming US launch, American salons have the chance to lead the charge in sustainable hairdressing!
What kind of recycling do they do with hair?
Hair is a valuable material because it’s strong, durable, and has been found to have many uses throughout history.
These are some ways Green Salon Collective has recycled hair so far:
Compost and Gardening
Waterway Cleanups
Hair Mats
Textiles
Wool Alternatives
Potting Felt
Crochet
Regenerating Biomanufacturing
Architecture
Mulch
Wigs
Hair Rope
Knitting
And are always looking for new ways and partners to innovate with hair.
Take a look at their list to see what they do with these projects.
Research and Development with Green Salon Collective
1. Hair-Wool Blended Yarns and Twines
In collaboration with Natural Fibre Co., GSC developed a sustainable yarn by blending 40% human hair with 60% undervalued wool. This eco-friendly alternative to petroleum-based materials is used to create ropes, twines, and gardening products.
2. Potting Felt for Houseplants
GSC's Head of R&D, Stephanie Hodgson, is experimenting with "potting felt" made from recycled salon hair. This material aims to retain moisture, deter pests, and release nitrogen into the soil, promoting healthier plant growth.
3. Wild Soils UK: Regenerating Soil with Recycled Hair
Alongside Matter of Trust, Green Salon Collective is proud to be a key contributor to the Wild Soils UK Project, trialing how recycled hair, wool, and pet fur can improve soil health. Spanning half a hectare and using over 6 tons of natural fiber mulch, the project evaluates moisture retention, nitrogen release, and microbial activity. The project aims to showcase a scalable, circular model for fiber waste recycling in agriculture.
4. Biomanufacturing with Hair
Partnering with London-based regenerative biomanufacturer Biohm, GSC is exploring the use of human hair in creating particleboard-like sheets and molded 3D objects. By combining hair with Biohm's unique 'orb' binding material and mycelium processes, they aim to produce sustainable construction materials.
5. Multi-Media Fashion
Green Salon Collective supports artists who work with waste by providing recycled salon hair as a creative medium. One of their collaborators is Somerset-based multimedia artist Jenni Dutton, who crafted a full dress made entirely from GSC hair waste to explore themes of femininity, sustainability, and societal perceptions of discarded materials.
6. Mirror Talkers Initiative
In partnership with Professor Denise Baden, GSC is exploring the effectiveness of 'Mirror Talkers'—small messages placed on hairdresser mirrors—to engage clients in conversations about sustainable haircare practices.
7. Hair in Soil
GSC is investigating the use of hair waste in composting, monitoring and testing its effectiveness as a nitrogen-rich material for agriculture. This project aims to explore new opportunities for utilizing hair in soil enrichment.
Be the first to know when we launch!
Visit our website here to register your interest and follow along on Instagram at @greensaloncollectiveusa for behind-the-scenes updates, launch news, and stories from salons who are already turning waste into worth.
You can also book a call with the founder, Fry Taylor, or myself to discuss further!
"Hair isn’t trash, it’s a resourceful material. Let’s stop throwing it away and embrace innovation."