Earth Day is the perfect day to reflect on all the hard work and determination we’ve put into our lowering our carbon footprint. Here at the eSalon HQ, it’s not just on Earth Day that we practice and celebrate our sustainability initiatives. We make sure implementing and maintaining our environmentally-thoughtful standards continue to always be a major part of our day-to-day. 

Over the years, we’ve made quite a few upgrades to the products and packaging you know and love to further our journey to a fully sustainable future. For starters, eSalon and all of our sister brands are certified cruelty-free by Leaping Bunny. And that’s just the beginning of all that we’ve been working on behind the scenes.  Continue reading to learn more about all the eco-friendly progress we’ve made and all that we’ve planned for future endeavors.

Inside our sustainable HQ

Our incredible team is passionate about the environment so we started a Sustainability Task Force to help revamp our HQ and further support our eco-friendly company culture. The first task—remove all single-use products from the office and swap all supplies for sustainable options. You can try, but you won’t find a plastic straw or styrofoam cup anywhere near this place, no ma’am. 

WASTE FACT:

According to the EPA, the US produces 292.4 million tons of trash each year. Over 146.1 million tons of that ends us in landfills. Reusable products and proper recycling practices can help change that.

The team has also added recycling stations to all corners of the office. We’ve also implemented a company-wide training program to teach all of our employees (including our CEO who is a turtle and ocean enthusiast) all about recycling. As a part of this eco boost, we regularly donate excess product to Habitat for Humanity and local homeless shelters, so nothing gets thrown away. 

We’re pretty serious about the environment, so after a day of work, our employees are encouraged to participate in a company-wide rideshare program to incentivize carpooling and the use of public transportation. 

TRANSPORTATION FACT:

According to the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, every one gallon of gas releases 20 pounds of Carbon Dioxide gas into the atmosphere, which is 6 to 9 tons of CO2 each year. 

Making the transition to a more eco-focused lifestyle can be so much fun and positively impact the environment. Let’s dive into some of the ways we incorporate this way of life into our packaging.

Making the transition to sustainable packaging

Here at eSalon, we’ve always looked to sustainable packaging solutions whenever possible. In fact, our Product Development Team’s briefing process always includes sourcing sustainable raw materials, earth-friendly packaging, and the use of transparent supply chains across all new product development. Developing sustainable formulas as well as post-consumer recyclable packaging is something we geek out on and get super excited about. 

You may already have some of our products with a sustainable core right at home: 

♺ Our Weekly Retreat, Universal Leave-In, and Velvet Primer tubes are all made from sugarcane bioresin.

♺ Our Shampoo and Conditioner bottles are now made with 30% post-consumer recycled materials (made from items like recycled water bottles and yogurt containers).

♺ Your Color Set components are made to be recyclable (check each piece for the recyclable icon) so you can feel good about every color application. We’ve also started to replace the plastic tray, that keeps your color bottle in place, with a recyclable paper tray.

We are excited to announce these paper trays are now included in US orders and will be available in other markets very soon!

♺ All cardboard boxes, paper products, and packing materials shipped to your door are made with post-consumer recycled paper and certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.

♺ We’re currently sourcing a 50% PCR bottle for our beloved Shine Silk, coming to the market soon. The packaging for this is fully recyclable since it's now made from a monomaterial, meaning all components within it are made of the same material—even the pump!

So how does sugarcane bioresin impact the environment, and why did we go with that option? It was a pretty easy biodegradable choice with heavy environmental benefits. While mass-produced consumer products (especially plastics), release tons of CO2 into the atmosphere, sugarcane resin actually pulls CO2 from the environment. Think of it like putting a super-absorbent dishtowel over a puddle of spilled milk—it’s essentially cleaning up the atmosphere over time. Not only does it combat CO2 emissions, but it’s farmed using sustainable practices. 

We’re constantly looking for ways to reuse what’s already available to help close the loop, so PCR or post-consumer recycled products do just that. All of the products that are recycled by you will be cleaned, sanitized, and given an extra life. In this case, these materials are made into biodegradable packaging, and recyclable products made to be used again. PCR comes in many forms, such as paper products and plastics, which help to save not only our oceans but the trees (which also take in CO2 and produce the oxygen that we breathe). It’s all about making a positive impact, which makes our work meaningful. 

We continue to review our processes from the ground up and leave no stone unturned to get us to a fully sustainable environment with you at the center. We’re on a mission to make the world color happy without the waste. Stay tuned for planet-friendly packaging and product updates with more to come, when you follow us on Facebook and Instagram @eSalon and opt-in for emails.