Balancing purpose with profit
Holistic Hair co-owners Nicky James-Baird & Jodene Fendall discuss why ethical haircare is leading the way
It’s no secret that packaging helps sell health and beauty products. In fact, consumers can be attracted as much by the appearance of a brand as by the efficacy of the product itself.
“We are drawn in by brands and their fit with our personal preferences,” says Holistic Hair co-owner, Nicky James-Baird. “But I believe clients are increasingly aware of the cost of these choices and are starting to make decisions differently.”
Since acquiring Holistic Hair in 2015, co-owners Nicky James-Baird & Jodene Fendall have prioritised two things: the formulation of haircare solutions with a natural footprint, and end-to-end sustainability from manufacture to disposal. The brand’s innovative formulations and sustainability initiatives have earned them multiple accolades and awards, including winning Best of Natural Hair Treatment for their Essential Scalp Spray and being named a finalist in the Clean + Conscious Awards in Australia for their Quinoa Pro NPNF™ Colour Protect Shampoo and Conditioner.
“Holistic Hair has evolved over the years to design products in line with a circular economy - from bottles made from 100% recycled plastic to being certified plastic-neutral,” says Jodene. “Our partnership with Cleanhub enables us to fund the recovery and recycling of plastic in Southeast Asia before it reaches our oceans.”
Nicky believes corporate social responsibility has become the backbone for any brand wanting to gain trust in the market. This includes environmental initiatives, charity assistance, ethical practices, and social projects.
"From day one, we have been focused on understanding what sustainability truly means and building the brand to demonstrate this,” Nicky comments. “The real work, still in progress, is building the infrastructure in every country to recycle, upcycle, or downcycle all materials that hold value.”
“We are continuing to monitor this in the key markets we sell into, to ensure our packaging can be responsibly recovered and returned back into the economy. Consumers can help by taking the time to understand what to do with packaging once the product has been used and by following the recycling guidelines applicable to where they live.”
“Our commitment to address climate change is ongoing,” says Jodene. “We started Holistic Hair not just as a brand that manufactures and sells natural hair care products, but as a brand that we personally could live with and feel proud of. You can't have a name like Holistic Hair and then have waste going into the environment that could have been avoided.”
Visit www.holistichair.co.nz to learn more about Holistic Hair's sustainability initiatives.