Jul 29, 2026 · 45 min · 14 segments
What really happens to all the hair, foils and unused color salons throw away? Sarah Babington of Green Circle Salons joins Gordon for an eye-opening look at where salon waste goes and what it can…
Sarah BabingtonGuestGordon MillerHostYou know, with the individual stylist, the potential for impact on other people, you know, the clients who sit in their chair.
And we've long talked about, you know, the influence that hairdressers can have, a- again, beyond the service, but on the way people think, on, uh, on how people feel about themselves.
Even p- even quasi-political conversations, [laughs] you know, where people feel activist and they have, they have things they wanna say, and again, the influence they can have.
And sustainability, you know, has become such a massive conversation in the world, you know, and it, and arguably, you know, a massive problem for the world.
And I think a lot of hairdressers I meet, they, they wanna use their platform, the chair that they stand behind, as a, as a way to, to talk about those things if they care about them in, in a way that is acceptable, right? It, it's not politicized, but, but just a way to use their platform to do some good.
I think, you know, some people maybe think so, but at the end of the day, and I, I say this all the time, if you ask a child if we should dig a hole and put our trash in it, a child can tell you, "No, that's not the right thing to do with our trash." So if a child can say that, why can't we say that without it being political?
You know, unfortunately, we live in a day where almost everything is political.
I mean, it, it kind of sucks, um, um, which i- which is why I say it, you know? But again, I know hairdressers, um, and so many hairdressers have such a passion around this topic.
And I think it's important to say to owners who are listening, you know, when you're looking to recruit people, you know, they wanna know what's important to you.
And I think there's another opportunity relative- we're gonna dig deeper in, in, into what Green Circle does, but I think just high level, you know, that is a, if it's a value to you as the, an owner, why wouldn't you want to spread that across your business and use it as a recruitment tool?
Um, we have our salon members get a directory listing, which not only helps clients find them, uh, but it also helps other stylists find them, especially, uh, you know, stylists that are fresh out of school.
They've just learned all about sustainability, um, and they wanna work somewhere that cares.
So, and I think, and you know, we'll, we'll probably talk a little bit about this as well, but there's this element of, like, when you add values, when you add, like, altruistic purpose to the work that you do, you're going to have higher retention with staff and clients.
People are choosing where they're spending their money, where they're spending their time.
Um, people are, are, you know, it, what is gonna set you apart? Like, what is gonna make your, your staff go home and feel good at night? What's gonna make your clients go home and feel good at night? And, and you see this everywhere.
Like, even, um, right, like I'm just thinking, uh, the first thing that comes to my mind is, um, parchment paper is a good example.
Why? So with the example of, of, like, a parchment paper, you can purchase a non-bleached version, and the reason is because there is demand for, you know, reduction in chemicals in the things that I'm consuming.
Um, there's, uh, you know, dish soap that comes in post-consumer recycled plastic.
You know, with the individual stylist, the potential for impact on other people, you know, the clients who sit in their chair.
And we've long talked about, you know, the influence that hairdressers can have, a- again, beyond the service, but on the way people think, on, uh, on how people feel about themselves.
Even p- even quasi-political conversations, [laughs] you know, where people feel activist and they have, they have things they wanna say, and again, the influence they can have.
And sustainability, you know, has become such a massive conversation in the world, you know, and it, and arguably, you know, a massive problem for the world.
And I think a lot of hairdressers I meet, they, they wanna use their platform, the chair that they stand behind, as a, as a way to, to talk about those things if they care about them in, in a way that is acceptable, right? It, it's not politicized, but, but just a way to use their platform to do some good.
I think, you know, some people maybe think so, but at the end of the day, and I, I say this all the time, if you ask a child if we should dig a hole and put our trash in it, a child can tell you, "No, that's not the right thing to do with our trash." So if a child can say that, why can't we say that without it being political?
You know, unfortunately, we live in a day where almost everything is political.
I mean, it, it kind of sucks, um, um, which i- which is why I say it, you know? But again, I know hairdressers, um, and so many hairdressers have such a passion around this topic.
And I think it's important to say to owners who are listening, you know, when you're looking to recruit people, you know, they wanna know what's important to you.
And I think there's another opportunity relative- we're gonna dig deeper in, in, into what Green Circle does, but I think just high level, you know, that is a, if it's a value to you as the, an owner, why wouldn't you want to spread that across your business and use it as a recruitment tool?
Um, we have our salon members get a directory listing, which not only helps clients find them, uh, but it also helps other stylists find them, especially, uh, you know, stylists that are fresh out of school.
They've just learned all about sustainability, um, and they wanna work somewhere that cares.
So, and I think, and you know, we'll, we'll probably talk a little bit about this as well, but there's this element of, like, when you add values, when you add, like, altruistic purpose to the work that you do, you're going to have higher retention with staff and clients.
People are choosing where they're spending their money, where they're spending their time.
Um, people are, are, you know, it, what is gonna set you apart? Like, what is gonna make your, your staff go home and feel good at night? What's gonna make your clients go home and feel good at night? And, and you see this everywhere.
Like, even, um, right, like I'm just thinking, uh, the first thing that comes to my mind is, um, parchment paper is a good example.
Why? So with the example of, of, like, a parchment paper, you can purchase a non-bleached version, and the reason is because there is demand for, you know, reduction in chemicals in the things that I'm consuming.
Um, there's, uh, you know, dish soap that comes in post-consumer recycled plastic.
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