Green Salon Collective was a part of a civil court trial. No, it wasn’t like Law & Order or Judge Judy, but it was a trial that was important to the development of normalising recycling salon waste. A barber in Madison, WI used hair clippings from her clients as hair mulch for the backyard of her barbershop to help keep the growth of grass under control for the last 40 years. As a business owner and barber, it’s an innovative business practice because she is saving time, money, and resources by utilising the hair. It didn’t take much space, it wasn’t a huge pile, and it did the job well.

Not everyone agreed with her practices though, as she was sued by a neighboring business, claiming it was a haven for pests and unsanitary practices. The barber’s attorney found Green Salon Collective and our R&D work to support her defense because, as we know, hair is actually a fantastic pest repellent and is great for agriculture in various ways!

The trial took place this past October 21st and went on for 6 hours. Utilizing the supporting references from Stephanie's GSC research and the Wisconsin city’s own sustainability plan, it provided enough argument that hair clippings weren’t going to cause the problems that the plaintiff was suggesting. 

The key points in the defence include:

• Hair can be used as a pest repellent towards rats, mice, raccoons, deer, and other wildlife for various reasons, such as smell and texture
• Hair would not harbour mold growth due to the condition that it’s in
• It would not cause structural issues to the buildings
• Utilising hair clippings in this way falls in line with the city’s sustainability plan of keeping waste out of landfills and using more natural practices instead of using pesticides that would disrupt the local ecosystem.

Our barber won her case and can continue using hair as mulch! What’s important about this trial is that it supports the salon industry’s need for unique approaches and policies to their own recycling needs. Currently in the US, salons are not part of big conversations when it comes to sustainability planning, unlike restaurants and construction. This case can bring the attention and the push that communities, cities, and states need to establish a more circular beauty industry. 

Written by Hannah Craik, Green Salon Collective USA