Below is a list of eco-friendly salons in Omaha. Per our partnership with them, they recycle and you can have your hair composted when going here. Further down, we share the format for how Trio’s Salon set up its zero-waste program. Follow along for how your salon can do the same.

From composting hair that will wind up in local gardens, to recycling and zero-waste practices, above is a list of eco-friendly hair salons in Omaha we’re partnered with.

How Trios Went Zero Waste

The idea of zero-waste can be intimidating. Luckily, you can follow the example of a luxury salon with a zero-waste initiative right here in Omaha - Trios Salon.

From cutting water usage to recycling and composting, these salons are taking the time to cut out the ugly side of the beauty industry.

Zero Waste Principals They Follow 

Experts share these five principles that aid businesses in reducing the amount of waste they generate … 

#1 RETHINK: become mindful in the workplace—design business practices in a way that considers people and the environment.

#2 REFUSE: Say "no thank you" to items with lots of packaging or things that will generate an abundance of waste.

#3 REDUCE: Reduce what you use and don't purchase things you don't need.

#4 REUSE: Reuse what you can; repurpose old items or shop second-hand. 

#5 RECYCLE: Recreate material or product to make something else! 

#6 REPAIR: When it's broken or doesn't work correctly, try your best to fix it. 

Setting Up a Zero Waste Station  

They took the plunge by building out a zero-waste station. It's an easy-to-follow system that any eco-friendly salon in Omaha can follow. Dig into the details now:

Foil & Steel Recycling: 

Trios and XOXO recycle all of their foils and steel locally at Scrap Central. Here they're bailed, sent off to a steel mill, and melted down to be recycled for a new product. Ryan says it's not a hefty return, but it's enough staff meeting donuts!

What foil & steel can get recycled?

• Aluminum Hair Foils

• Color tubes (with the cap on)

• Aerosol cans

Container Recycling: 

Knowing what to recycle can be a hairy situation. Get it straight with these tips:

• Empty, Clean & Dry: Many things wind up in the landfill when we recycle wrong, especially liquids. Please give them a rinse and dry before tossing them in the recycling can as a rule of thumb.

• The Human Factor: People are on the other side separating your materials. Be good to them!

• When in Doubt, Toss it Out: The recycling system is sensitive, so if you don't know, it's better to landfill than "wish cycle."

• Here's the litmus test: Food residue & liquid is fine, as long as there's not enough to bite or drink. It doesn't have to be perfect, but cleaner materials = more recyclability.

• Don't Bag Recyclables: Unless it's an EnergyBag, no plastic bags in the dumpster or cart we empty. If recyclables are bagged, assume they will be landfilled.

What types of containers can be recycled?

• Cardboard boxes: Nothing wet or soiled. Tape/labels/staples are okay.

• Paper: Nothing wet, soiled, or food-related, like napkins or paper towels. Plastic screens in mailers and spiral bounds are okay.

• Metal cans: Dry and Empty

• Aseptic containers: Think milk containers for creamer

• Hard & Rigid Plastics (#1, 2, & 5): Shampoo & conditioner bottles and developer bottles

Hefty EnergyBag Program:

Traditional recycling streams can only accept certain hard and rigid plastics…so what happens to the rest? Thanks to the Hefty EnergyBag Program, hard-to-recycle items like soft, flimsy plastics can be saved from the landfill!

What can I toss into the EnergyBag?

• Hair caps

• Latex gloves

• Toners bottles

• Plastic wrap (found on packs of water bottles)

• Styrofoam, like take out containers

• Plastic Utensils

Composting:

We can break down anything that comes from nature, including hair! As unusual as it may sound, hair works wonders as a natural fertilizer due to its high magnesium levels. When it's composted, the coat offers structural support to roots and helps break up thick and clumpy soil.

What can I compost? 

• Hair

• Packing paper orders

• Food waste from staff

• Napkins /paper towels from the bathroom

• Coffee bar items, like compostable K-cups and tea bags (without staples).

When you compost with Hillside Solutions, we turn it into nutrient-dense soil that can be redeemed at any time. Note: We do not recommend composting dryer lint. Here’s a good link for reasons why you should avoid it.

Glass Recycling: 

Glass recycling happens more often at salons than you think. 

• Bottles & Jars Only: Please, no lightbulbs, mirrors, window panes, etc.

• Shards & labels are okay.

• No liquid or caps.

Fiber Recycling:

Trimming your own bangs might be questionable, but adding an extra fiber stream for recycling cardboard and paper is totally in season.

• Clean and dry

• Staples, labels, and tape okay

• Must flatten

• No paper towels, napkins, or plates

Landfill: 

We appreciate you "brushing up" on recycling best practices. But, when in doubt, throw it out! Some stuff just belongs in a landfill (and that's okay). 

What should I landfill? 

• Coffee cups from Scooters

  • Think: hot coffee cups with a plastic (shiny) inside lining

• Gum

• Diapers

• Paper plates

• Tampons

• Pop cycle sticks for waxing

• Wax strips

• Extra color

Beyond trash sorting

At Trio's Salon & XOXO Salon, it's about more than just trash. It's about making their salon as "green" as possible. 

Eco-Heads at Wash Stations: All their wash stations are fitted with eco-heads which double their water pressure and help reduce water usage by up to 65%. Fun Fact: The Bellagio Fountains use 12 million gallons of water each year. It disperses through the air and lands on the street when it goes up. Total waste, right? To put it into perspective, Trios and XOXO use 0.025% of that per year. 

Reusable Glass Shampoo Jars: The salon buys their shampoo and conditioner in bulk, then places them in reusable glass jars to cut back on plastic, single-use bottles. 

Inventory System: Salons are busy, and stylists don't have much time to take the color used out of the computer system. Salon Manager Ryan set up a center where stylists place their box tubes and color with their initials on them. They take the items out of "inventory" and adequately recycle them at the end of the day, which is more accurate for recycling and their inventory system. 

Compostable Coffee Bar: Treating guests to a new look is beautiful, but providing them with an eco-friendly cup of Joe adds a personal touch! The salons stock their bar with reusable mugs and compostable singles, like k-cups and tea bags with no staples. 

Energy Efficient Lighting: From lighting to laundry machines, utilizing energy-efficient appliances helps to reduce the work necessary to get the job done. 

Bulk Buys: It's almost always cheaper to purchase in bulk and will reduce waste and your carbon footprint by saving on extra trips to the store.

RESULTS: 

Here's a recap of what they were able to do in 2021. 

• Water: Reduced water usage by 65% and saved 580,000+ gallons of water by switching to EcoHeads in the Shampoo Lounge.

• Foil/Steel: Recycled 3,000 pounds of metals.

• Energy Bags: Saved 1,700 gallons worth of gloves, plastic wrap, styrofoam, color bottles, and more have been saved from landfills

• Compost: Turned 6,550+ gallons of hair, food waste, paper, and paper towels back into soil

• Mixed Recycling: Recycled 5,000 gallons of color boxes, developer bottles, lightener tubs, plastic, bottles, and more

• Landfill: Went from sending 22,400 gallons to the landfill each year to only 3,328 gallons in 2021. That's 85% less trash!

• Cardboard: Diverted an estimated 19,000 gallons of solid material and cardboard from their landfill through LOCAL recycling programs, like Hillside Solutions

For the first couple of months, Ryan says that they dug through bags to make sure things were going well and training the staff. Over time, the new recycling systems became natural to the team. You can visit our QuickStart Guide for additional help.

This eco-friendly salon in Omaha, Nebraska, truly is a cut above, from composting hair to recycling latex gloves. We want to thank Somer Krueger and Ryan Jones for spearheading sustainability within the beauty industry. You're making a significant impact, and we're here for it! 

Ready to start your zero waste journey? Email our Sustainability Consultant, Samantha Nieman at samantha@hillside.solutions.