The beauty and hair industry is constantly evolving. Every second day, new trends are being revealed and there is a notable shift in the way operations are run and managed today. Paper and pen are being replaced by eco-friendly alternatives because every industry is moving towards sustainability. It’s not just a trend or a buzzword; it’s a movement that is here to stay. Going green is what will shape the future and become a responsibility for future generations. Salons and spas these days are starting by digitising their operations with salon software.
A late 2024 and early 2025 study revealed that 56% to 80% of salons have started using salon software to manage operations and tasks in their salon.
What does Being Eco-friendly mean in the Salon Industry?
Being eco-friendly is all about reducing our carbon footprint and harm to the environment. Today’s consumers too are eco-conscious. Whether they’re buying clothes from a store or getting treatment at a salon, they want to read the label or understand the ethical and eco-friendly practices being used by that particular business. Thus, sustainability has become a key focus across industries.
One powerful tool that is helping beauty businesses go green is salon software for small businesses. Paperless operations, smart scheduling and sustainable marketing are a few ways it helps salon owners pace their efforts with changing times.
As a salon, if you’re looking to champion these principles, we have you covered. This blog is dedicated to salons that want to make positive changes for the planet. By embracing eco-friendly practices, you can even improve your salon’s bottom line. We’ll tell you how!
Why Should your Beauty Business Consider Going Green?
- Adopting Sustainable Practices is Not Expensive
Contrary to popular opinion, going sustainable is not expensive. Typically speaking, in the long run, eco-friendly practices are definitely going to save you more money. Saving electricity or turning off an appliance when not in use will surely save you some bucks. While these are small practices you can adopt, other eco-friendly practices can be a little expensive. However, as you scale, you can move towards them.
- Gets in More Clients
Did you know? Going green can be a great marketing opportunity. As mentioned earlier, clients today are eco-conscious. They want to associate themselves with businesses that are eco-conscious and follow green processes. Thus, sustainability is a great way to pull new clients.
- Makes you a Responsible Salon
Switching to eco-friendly practices or using green products shapes a customer’s perception. You too can go to sleep happier that you’ve done something towards conserving the planet. While it involves making changes to your existing processes, the results in the long run are definitely fruitful.
Role of Salon Software in Shaping an Environmentally-responsible Business Model
- Helps you Go Paperless
Traditional salons or old ones heavily rely on paper. Their salon looks quite like the cover image we’ve used. Paper encompasses appointment books, client records, marketing material and bill books. Luckily, by going paperless and switching to salon management software, quite a bit of the messy and tedious paperwork is eliminated. The time spent sifting records and documents can be used to serve clients instead. Going paperless is easier than it was a few years ago. By implementing salon scheduling software, clients can book appointments on their own online. There is no traditional register which can be error-prone and messy. Other paperless operations include electronic client records, email and SMS confirmations and digital invoicing. This not just reduces or eliminates the use of paper but also makes information more accessible and organised.
- Inventory Management Supports Waste Reduction
Salon software India has advanced inventory tracking features. Gone are the days when salon owners would manually take stock of inventory or count the items on the shelf. Today, the entire process is automated.
Automated inventory tracking helps salons stock only what they need. Salon software has built-in capabilities that monitors product usage. This prevents overstocking and ensures waste reduction. When product expiry dates are tracked, product wastage is minimised. The software draws out detailed reports on which products are most in demand by clients. Efficient inventory management supports eco-friendly practices and ensures you’re rightly stocked at all times. Further, this reduced packaging waste.
- Give the Client Eco-friendly Choices
Going green is a choice but in today’s day and age, you’re definitely rewarded if you follow green practices in your salon. A few ways you can let your clients know that you’re a responsible salon is by highlighting it. When clients book online and are selecting a particular service, give them a choice to select a green treatment. This might mean a longer wait time only so that you can give electricity and water in your premises a break between every service. Doing so puts less stress on resources.
If a client is making a retail purchase online, highlight the green, organic or cruelty-free products. By promoting sustainable services, you can win a large number of clients.
Salon CRMs also support digital consultations. When you’re serving a new client for the first time, you would want to capture their details correctly. Back in the day, physical client forms were used. However, with salons going paperless, it can be done on a tablet or filled via a Google Form. It’s the easiest way to record every detail pertaining to the client and using it when they come for any visit follow-ups.
Such practices make clients aware of the environmentally-friendly practices your salon is using.
- Sustainable Marketing
Beauty salon software has integrated marketing tools that support green practices. To promote salon services, owners no longer use printed flyers. Instead, they make use of email and SMS campaigns. The software has pre-installed templates which can be used to send personalised marketing messages. This makes it easier to reach your client database. All you have to do is personalise your message and send it to your clients. This considerably reduces waste. Physical gift cards have been replaced by digital gift cards and referrals. While these sustainable marketing methods help cut down waste, it also provides targeted and measurable engagement.
- Smart Scheduling & Data-driven Sustainability
A big problem of manual booking is that it is error-prone. It can lead to overbooking, double-booking and missed appointments. With a salon appointment app, enough buffer time can be given between each appointment. This reduces the strain on resources such as electricity and water. During appointment gaps, staff too can use this time to unwind and relax. Staff health and well-being is also an important part of sustainability. They are the pillars of your business. Besides smart scheduling, other highlights of salon software is that it lets you stay on top of your data. With advanced reporting, you can track usage trends, analyse if your sustainability efforts are working or not, and set green goals as part of your KPIs (key performance indicators). Most sustainability strategies only succeed when you’re constantly analysing data.
Other Go Green Initiatives to Promote Salon Sustainability
While taking the digital route and using new-age technology is surely a fool-proof way to promote sustainability within a salon, other initiatives your beauty business can take is as follows:
- Look for Green Alternatives
Most salon products are made for single-use and then it is simply discarded. Instead of single-use plastics, go in for products that can be reused. Materials that are recyclable can go a long way in protecting the environment. It also helps reduce wastage. For treatments like hair colouring, use a reusable mixing bowl and avoid disposable bowls. Waste paper and other disposable materials are simply dumped in landfills. When it is disposed of in a sustainable manner or not used at all, the planet is protected.
- Conserve Water
Needless to say, a salon uses a lot of water on a daily basis. You as a salon owner can do your part by offering the right training to your employees. When the service is a hair wash, manicure or pedicure, salon employees usually have a habit of leaving the water on. Instead of wasting water, it’s important to keep the tap closed when not in use. Water waste can also increase your water bill. Thus, only run your taps when needed. This will save you energy and money.
- Use LED Lights
Swap incandescent bulbs for LED lights. LED lights use 75% less energy and last for a year or two. The upfront cost can be high but you will save money in the long run. On a salon floor, lights are switched on the entire day. Thus, you need to install lighting that is energy-efficient. For rooms which are not in use – massage rooms, treatment rooms, keep the lights turned off and only turn them on during a service. This will keep your electricity bill in limits.
- Use the Right Disposable Methods
Certain salon products are toxic and release harmful chemicals into the environment. This includes hair dyes, hair colour and nail paint. We understand that a clean salon is a must to welcome your clients. For waste disposal, it’s important to use the right disposable methods. Simply throwing finished tubes of hair colour or any other product into the bin is only going to worsen the toxicity problem. Find out the waste disposal guidelines in your area and discard unwanted material responsibly. Train your staff to do the same.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re a salon owner or freelance stylist, it’s important to be a part of the green salon movement. Salon software in India has an important role to play in supporting sustainable practices. Besides going green in visible ways, salons should also invest in the latest technology that helps minimise your carbon footprint in more ways than one. In fact, going green is a joint effort and beauty businesses should build a community to magnify the impact and voice.
Salon360App continues to help beauty businesses, and salons and spas position themselves in the green beauty movement. Are you ready to join in? Take a free demo.
