Anil is the owner of BLACC+BLOND, a sustainable hair salon in the Jewellery Quarter.
The salon opened in November 2019, and only 4 months later had to shut because of lockdown. Anil made the best of this unexpected closure, and offered “Virtual Haircuts”, donating the proceeds to Birmingham Mind and Calm. Then when the salon opened again, with the new need to wear PPE, his eyes were opened to the amount of waste created, which was shocking if scaled to the number of salons doing the same across the country. Whilst the salon has always had a focus on mental health and racism, Anil reassessed his values and morals, and decided he wanted to do more in the space of sustainability.
He spent 3 months doing research, and on April 22nd 2021 (which is World Earth Day) the salon launched “GREEN is the new BLACC”, with the aim of making a change within the industry, and becoming the most sustainable hair salon on the planet! As well as re-considering the way they do things within the salon, they now also donate 10% of first-time client fees to planting trees – they have already planted around 2500 trees in the first 9 months!
We asked Anil some questions:
What do you need to consider to ensure your business is as sustainable as possible?
- The shower heads we use – the ones we’ve opted for reduce water usage by 65%
- Using sustainable and ethical hair products
- Using refillable cleaning products
- Using biodegradable PPE
- Offering refreshments made by “DASH Water”, who make drinks from wonky fruit
- Opting for bamboo toilet paper
- Using renewable energy
- Offsetting staff carbon emissions, to ensure we have a climate positive workforce
What do you love about running your business?
“I love the sense of being in control that owning my own business gives me; it allows me to implement a clear vision, and to think outside the box.”
And finally, what do you love about Birmingham?
“For me Birmingham is home, and brings a sense of stability.”
Find them on instagram @Blaccandblond and book a consultation with them on https://www.blaccandblond.com/