As we all strive to make changes that support a greener world, find out how your favourite brands are taking steps towards a cleaner and more sustainable future.  

Wind Power

Did you know that Joico and Zotos Professional Brands are manufactured in a near-zero waste facility that’s partially powered by wind? As for their packaging, Joico’s LumiShine, Vero K-PAK Color, and Blonde Life tubes are all packaged in paperboard cartons made from 100 per cent recycled fibre. The brand’s shampoo (and several spray) bottles are crafted with up to 25 per cent post- consumer recycled materials. With continued sustainable efforts, Joico is aiming to reduce its operations’ carbon footprint by 75 per cent by 2030.  

Ocean Drive

To help fight the ongoing issue of ocean pollution, Kevin.Murphy has reinvented its signature square packaging, which as of this year, will be made with 100 per cent recycled ocean plastics. This new initiative will help save the planet from approximately 360 tonnes of new plastic.   Taking their sustainability mission one step further, for every can of aerosol sold, the company has committed to making a financial contribution to help reduce carbon emissions. They’ve also partnered with Ecoheads and Climate Reality Project, a global non-profit organization dedicated to promoting climate change awareness.  

Rooted in Recycling

Celebrating their 40th anniversary this year, John Paul Mitchell Systems is reflecting on its sustainability initiatives. Case in point: The company’s awapuhi farm, which was founded by Paul Mitchell in Hawaii in the early 1980s. This organic farm is self-sustaining and solar-powered, and uses rainwater as its main water source to reduce its carbon footprint. Looking ahead, the company has partnered with Reforest’Action on a mission to plant one million trees by the end of 2022. Though John Paul Mitchell Systems already uses recyclable and post-consumer material for their packaging, they will be updating their Tea Tree packaging this year to be comprised of post-consumer recycled plastic.  

Made in Canada

Leading the way with their sustainability efforts, many of L’Oréal Professionnel’s products are made in Canada—Montreal, to be specific. “Our manufacturing plant is one of the most progressive, and really is the vehicle of this message of sustainability,” says Nadia Petrolito, vice-president, general counsel, chief communications officer & ethics correspondent for L’Oréal Canada. “We’re always looking at how we are creating our products and what are we putting in them—looking at every single ingredient and how much water we’re using; trying to reduce as much as we can.” In addition to featuring solar panelling, the plant includes a unique water filtration system. Rather than grey water being disposed of into the ground, it’s filtered and pumped back into the plant so it can be re-used, saving enough water to fill the equivalent of 14 Olympic-sized swimming pools.   Currently, all of L’Oréal’s colour tubes are recyclable, but for their recent relaunch of Majirel, the company introduced new packaging that includes a cap made of 100 per cent recycled plastic. This change prevents seven tonnes of plastic production per year.   With continued efforts that extend beyond manufacturing, L’Oréal has been carbon-neutral since 2018, thanks to a partnership with Énergir, a natural gas company based in Quebec.  

Matrix’s colour tubes are also made in Canada, with caps comprised of 100 per cent post-consumer recycled materials. Also, all labels and cartons are locally sourced!

 

Nurturing Nature

With a mission to produce, innovate and develop sustainable and professional products, Biolage has been nature-driven since it was founded in 1990. Since then, their Biolage R.A.W. range has taken it one step further with biodegradable formulas that contain ingredients of natural origin, meaning they’re either unchanged from their natural state or they preserve more than 50 per cent of the plant or mineral source’s original structure. Containing no sulfates, silicones, parabens or artificial colourants, all Biolage R.A.W. bottles are also made with post-consumer recycled plastic. This year, Biolage is celebrating its 30th anniversary—marking a key milestone in its history as a pioneering green brand.  

Pure at Heart

As one of the first 100 per cent vegan and sulfate-free professional brands, Pureology has been paving the way for sustainable and innovative haircare. Ahead of their 20th anniversary next year, the brand will be rolling out their first formula renovation this summer. Now their products will also be free of silicones, parabens and mineral oil—in what Pureology calls the “No Nasties” movement.   “These days, sustainability can come with a compromise—compromising on performance if you want something more natural,” says Michelle Tasios, national education manager for Pureology. “With Pureology, we’re not natural—and we don’t claim to be—but what we are is that perfect marriage of science and sustainability, giving people the best of both worlds.”   The brand’s packaging will also be getting a facelift with a new minimalistic redesign. Though its packaging is currently made from 50 per cent post-consumer recyclable materials, the revamped packaging will be made with 95 per cent post-recycled materials, and will be 100 per cent recyclable.  

Proud Partnership

Joining forces with Green Circle Salons, Amika has set a goal to include its salons in the sustainability movement this year. Part of this goal: Streamlining the collecting and recycling of everything used in a salon, from products to hair clippings.   As a brand, Amika is committed to sourcing more sustainable materials for new, innovative packaging. They are also partnering with TerraCycle, an organization that helps “recycle the unrecyclable,” to ensure Amika’s packaging is 100 per cent recyclable. Via TerraCycle’s website, Amika will offer a prepaid shipping label that will allow customers to ship empty bottles and cans to TerraCycle. The company will then store, recycle or repurpose the waste. The partnership will begin in the U.S. later this year, with plans to launch in Canada in the near future.  

For earth month, all of Pureology’s current and new salons will receive a gift of 10 trees planted across Canada.

 

Sustainable at Its Source

Originating from Parma, Italy, Davines has been recognized for their environ- mental efforts—pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with naturally derived ingredients, clean energy manufactur- ing and carbon-neutral packaging. The brand has recently launched Beauty from the Ground Up, a campaign to help raise awareness and funds for Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) in the U.S. and Canada—a cause that’s close to the hearts of Davines’ founders, the Bollati family.  

Packaged with Care

Sustainability has been top of mind for Moroccanoil since the company was founded in 2008. For example, its factory in Israel has solar panels to produce solar power and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. “Sustainability was important to us even before it was popular. We’ve always been aware of the impact the industry can have [on the environment],” says Carmen Tal, co-founder of Moroccanoil.   And since then, the company has taken their environmental efforts to the next level—hiring a full-time sustainability manager last year. Tal says the addition of this role was important in order to advise their team on best sustainability practices. “For any company that is serious about sustainability, it’s a long-term project.”   In addition to making changes within the company, they’ve also partnered with Loop Industries to modify currently unrecyclable plastics. As of now, Moroccanoil Treatment bottles are comprised of 35 per cent recycled glass and the brand’s Color Depositing Masks are made with 50 per cent post-consumer recycled plastic. “Packaging is the first step,” says Tal. “We’ve already taken care of shipping— removing secondary packaging when it’s not necessary—therefore reducing our carbon footprint. We also want to continue finding better packaging options that are post-recyclable plastic, glass, etc.”  

Mothering Earth

As a trailblazer in sustainability initiatives, Aveda is one of the first hair and beauty companies to use post- consumer recycled materials for their packaging. Additionally, all of their products are manufactured with 100 per cent wind power (through renewable energy credits and carbon offsets). For more than 13 years, Aveda Canada has also partnered with WaterAid for Earth Month, raising money and awareness for global water-related issues.  

Going Global

With a focus on sourcing sustainable ingredients and reducing water consumption, Kao (the parent company of Goldwell, KMS and Oribe) has been recognized with several awards and distinctions, which include being named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for six consecutive years, and being selected for inclusion in the “A List” for climate change and water security by CDP, a non-profit organization and global disclosure system for environmental impact.   Last year, Kao hired a new director of sustainability and portfolio for the purpose of sharing and promoting its sustainability plans to salons, stylists and clients around the world.  

More to Love

Additional brands that are doing their part for the environment.   ABBA Founded in the late ’80s, ABBA is one of the first natural and vegan professional haircare brands. Their products contain a unique ProQuinoa Complex of quinoa, barley and soy. They are also free of sulfates, gluten and parabens, and are never tested on animals.   Fanola Made in Italy but known globally, thanks to a social media following, Fanola’s beloved No Yellow and No Orange ranges are available in vegan formulas, and are free of sulfates, silcones or parabens.   Hotheads Hotheads is part of Project Zero, an environmental initiative founded by its parent company, International Designs Corporation, which offsets their carbon footprint by planting trees in areas in need.   Lakmé Last year, Lakmé launched Teknia, a sustainable and vegan haircare range with up to 99 per cent natural ingredients.   Olivia Garden Olivia Garden has three eco-friendly hairbrush ranges: Healthy Hair, EcoCeramic and EcoHair.