The newly expanded and renovated Estilo Salon, 438 Water St., Eau Claire. (Submitted photo)

Estilo Salon has been shrinking its environmental footprint even as it has expanded its literal footprint on Eau Claire’s Water Street.

Earlier this year, Estilo and its sister salon in Menomonie became two of only a handful of salons in the region to become Green Circle Certified. The certification means that the salons recycle 85 to 95% of their waste. And that doesn’t just mean the paper, glass, and plastic that we all should be recycling anyway: It means that both Estilo locations also recycle hair clippings, excess hair color, metal (such as the foils used in hair coloring), and other single-use items (such as waxing strips and cotton swabs) that would otherwise be tossed into a landfill.

“Our customers are excited about it,” says Marie Frawley, who owns the salons with her husband, Jeff. “They’re excited to support it.”

Estilo became certified by partnering with Green Circle Salons, a Toronto-based company with 3,600 member salons in the United States and Canada. The salons pay for the recycling service, then receive bins to collect the waste as well as mailing boxes to pack the waste into. The materials are then sent back to the company, which pledges to recycle 100% of them. For example, hair clippings may be composted, turned into temporary floating booms to absorb oil slicks, or even converted into bio-plastic used in the recycling bins themselves! Hair colorings are broken down into water and oil (which can be burned as fuel), while aluminum can be recycled into bicycles or car parts.

North American hair salons create more than 400,000 pounds of waste each day, including 63,000 pounds of hair clippings.

“It sets us apart, but it doesn’t accomplish its goal until everybody does it,” Jeff said of the Green Circle status. In addition to Estilo in Eau Claire and Menominee, the only other Green Circle salon in the Chippewa Valley is Ver, 403 Water St.

Green Circle distributes recycling bins, such as these, to its member salons. Some are made from bio-plastic that is made from recycled human hair. (Submitted photo)

To help offset the cost of the recycling program, Estilo has added a $1.50 environmental surcharge for each client. So far, the Frawleys say, clients have offered only compliments and no complaints.
Green Circle was founded in 2009 to combat the volume of waste created by the beauty industry, which is surprisingly substantial: According to the company, North American hair salons create more than 400,000 pounds of waste each day, including 63,000 pounds of hair clippings.

Even before joining Green Circle, Estilo was an eco-conscious business: As an Aveda concept salon, it adheres to the Minneapolis-based firm's strict environmental standards, which include the use of organic, vegan, and cruelty-free ingredients in their beauty products.

Until recently, Estilo occupied about 800 square feet at 438 Water St. Last year, they purchased the former Roy’s Barber Shop next door, and recently completed a renovation that combined the two spaces, adding 1,000 square feet and three salon chairs.

The Frawleys said they were drawn to Green Circle because of their affinity for Wisconsin’s great outdoors – they love to canoe, camp, hike, and fish – and because they want to preserve the Earth for their young daughter.

“As small business owners, we start here,” Jeff says, gesturing to the newly remodeled salon, “and make sure we’re making as small of an (environmental) impact as possible. Then things will change.”

Learn more about Green Circle Salons at greencirclesalons.com or stop by Estilo at 438 Water St., Eau Claire, or 313 Main St. E, Menomonie. You can also find Estilo at estilo-salon.com or on Facebook and Instagram.