As you know, we live in a world where environmental awareness is growing more and more. Unfortunately, corporate greenwashing is also on the rise. More and more brands do not hesitate to claim to be sustainable and respectful, when this is not true at all. But then, how do they manage to make us believe such things? How can we decipher corporate greenwashing and, above all, how can we select a trustworthy brand for our salon?
As a hairdresser, do you want to make a difference and work with truly sustainable brands? You have no doubt already typed “def greenwashing,” “definition of greenwashing,” on the internet?
Greenwashing refers to the misleading marketing practices used by certain greenwashing companies to give themselves an ecological image, without actually implementing significant measures to reduce their environmental impact. This can manifest itself through vague claims, the use of “green” elements, a change in visual identity or even misleading certifications.
Very often, companies that practice greenwashing go far in trying to deceive you. Marketing plays a big role in these misleading practices. It is enough for them to steer their artistic direction towards something minimalist, in green tones, turned towards nature. And very often, that is enough to fall into the trap of these greenwashing companies.
The first way to effectively detect greenwashing is, of course, to check the labels and the list of ingredients.
If a product claims to be “planet-friendly,” but it contains a list of ingredients to avoid, this is cause for concern. As a hairdresser, you are no doubt familiar with chemical hair products and those that are less so.
But if you have any doubts, we invite you to consult the site La Vérité sur les Cosmétiques, which is the most reliable in our field. This way you will avoid corporate greenwashing.
Some brands do not hesitate to mislead through greenwashing by inventing fake certifications or fake labels. It is important to know how to identify trustworthy labels. You can check the information about the label by visiting their website. Do not hesitate to verify whether it is a recognized, independent label, whether it has its own specifications, whether it has other members, and above all, the criteria related to its reliability and its respect for the environment.
If you have doubts about certain companies practicing greenwashing, you can research the brand.
But sometimes, even when visiting a brand’s website, it still manages to mislead us. You need to know how to read between the lines and ask yourself the right questions. Is the brand in question ethical? Where is it manufactured? What are its production methods? Nowadays, it is quite easy to decipher this kind of information and form your own opinion, sometimes by simply reading between the lines.
Forming an opinion about a brand is not very difficult when we look at its packaging, for example. A company that claims environmental values but does not use recycled/recyclable materials is already out of the list. Packaging is one of the steps where it is easy to make an effort. Brands must also offer minimalist parcels, without superfluous packaging, to align with environmental concerns.
We have decided to be 100% transparent with you, dear hairdresser clients. We share the INCI list of all our products, but we also communicate about our production and manufacturing methods. It is simple: everything is manufactured in our own facilities in Meulebeke, West Flanders. We are both producers and distributors, and we have control over the entire process.
We have chosen to opt for open communication, directed towards the consumer, by explaining our choices through our articles, our website, and our labels, and by analyzing our ingredients. Our world has no secrets for you anymore!
We thus allow you to make informed choices and we hope to encourage a change in behavior within the cosmetics and hairdressing industry. In short, we have been committed to fighting greenwashing from the very beginning.
From the very beginning, we have been aware that Mother Nature offers us the very best. At Hairborist, we do not work with chemical substances that sell you beautiful promises, but we carefully select each plant to extract as many benefits as possible. We work with these plant extracts, which we transform into natural oils or essential oils, forming the basis of our products.
It is important to know that every flower, every plant, and every oil has its own virtues to treat skin and hair issues. We are used to addressing the problem at the source (for example, oily hair) and then assigning the best natural ingredients to solve and treat the issue.
Our approach also aims to minimize the carbon footprint associated with the production and transport of our products. It is simple: everything is done by us!
Our ingredients are therefore healthy, reliable, and respectful of the planet and your health. We select them with the greatest care and rework them in our own laboratory. This allows us to offer you tailor-made treatments and alternative solutions to be carried out in your hair salon, far from chemical treatments.
To reassure you and to offer you products that are reliable and ecological, know that the majority of them are certified by the Ecogarantie label. No company greenwashing with us!
And since we do not do things halfway, the Ecogarantie label, which we have chosen, is the strictest in Europe. It is the only one that requires that 100% of ingredients of natural origin must be organic. In other words, the maximum!
On top of that, it is one of the only labels that is neutral and independent. What does that mean? Well, independent control bodies carry out audits on the products, and they have no say in the matter. They have their own specifications and do not intervene at all in the certification process. Experts take care of it, and when something is not in order, they simply cannot grant the label! Strict controls and criteria to ensure you optimal safety and, above all, products that respect the environment.
Our ecological commitment is not limited to the choice of our ingredients. We go much further by promoting ethical practices and by selecting materials that protect the environment.
Our packaging is made from recycled and recyclable materials, and all our packaging is minimalist. At Hairborist, no superfluousness, only the essential! On top of that, we have implemented bulk sales since the beginning.
The idea is to provide you with large containers in the form of a can with a pump so that you can give your customers the opportunity to come and refill their bottles.
