Happy birthday Organika! Ten years is an amazing milestone, so we've taken some time here at Sustainable Salons to find out how Sarah worked with sustainability to push her business above and beyond.
The story of Organika goes back to Sarah’s organic and health conscious childhood. When she began working in a hair salon, she found a discord between her professional and personal life. At home there was a focus on health and sustainability, but at work she’d be putting up with reactions to chemicals all in the name of hair. Surely there was another way? “I didn’t see any very successful salons around which had a focus on peoples’ health. The ones that did used products and had services that meant the clients were leaving unhappy or coming back too often. So, I did a lot of research on good colour and product suppliers and decided to take the plunge myself."
And so the first Organika salon in Elwood came to be, with their Carlton location following close behind.
Their motto is “Exceptional hair. No compromise” and girl, they deliver. In their salon you won’t find customers putting up with the smell of ammonia for the perfect colour, or staff pushing through eye-watering fumes to finish a treatment. They are (literally) a breath of fresh air in the industry, and customers love them for it. This was just the first part of the journey; when Sarah found Sustainable Salons she knew it was the way to take her philosophy to the next level. "We try to educate every client about our philosophy including what we can achieve thanks to Sustainable Salons, and they're all for it.
"They love our commitment to sustainability across the entire salon, and our research shows it’s either the first or second reason why people choose us.”
And the love certainly doesn’t stop there! In 2018 Organika was featured in OWAY’s Top 50 Sustainable Salons around the world. It’s clear that by focusing on the health of her clients, staff and the environment, Sarah has created much more than a hair salon. It’s a sustainable haven that spreads a message of health into the lives of clients, staff and the environment.
As for the future of Organika, they’re aiming to continue growing, always with the mindset of reducing their impact on the environment and spreading awareness of sustainability. “Being a salon owner is an honour and a responsibility. Being a part of Sustainable Salons ensures we can give something back to the community and those who aren’t as fortunate as us. Clients respond to it and it can ultimately lead to more, happier clients and a more sustainable future.”
Congratulations Sarah and team for 10 wonderful years of health and sustainability at Organika!
Sustainable Salons Australia provides the most comprehensive waste free systems to the professional hairdressing industry. We collect and recycle 95% of a salon’s waste and reward the salon for their recycling efforts!
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