A BASINGSTOKE business is staking its claim as the first fully eco-friendly and carbon neutral hair salon in Hampshire.

Alchemy Organic Salons, in Winchester Street in the Top of Town, opened in 2019 and its owners believe it is the first hairdressers of its kind in the county.

The brainchild of owners Tom Hull and Jimmy Ward, the pair said they wanted to create an organic and eco-friendly salon where sustainability and the environment is at the heart of their business.

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“All of our products are organic, cruelty-free, vegan friendly, ethically sourced and are non-toxic,” said Tom.

The 33-year-old salon owner and hair stylist grew up in Basingstoke and dreamed of opening his own salon after gaining 15 years' experience working across the country.

Co-owner Jimmy Ward said: “As young business owners, we feel it is our responsibility to show clients that you can have ethical hair, you can avoid toxic chemicals and you can support a business that supports the planet. This is why it is at the core of our business ethos, to make hairdressing kinder for our clients, our colleagues and the planet alike."

The salon uses biodegradable gowns and towels, plants 85 trees each month to offset its emissions and is operated by wind power. They also partner with The Green Salon Collective to recycle the un-recyclable.

With the success of David Attenborough documents highlighting the climate crisis, the couple said they spotted a gap in the market for a hair salon offering an ethically responsible and organic experience.

Jimmy said: “There is definitely an increased awareness now from clients now wanting an environmentally-friendly experience. We’ve seen customers are more conscious about hair products, even compared to just a few years ago. Customers are now much more likely to question the wider impact of hair treatments and we feel sustainability isn’t a goal to be reached, it needs to happen now."

While both Jimmy and Tom are vegan, they say their customers come from a broad range of backgrounds and anyone is welcome in the salon so long as they are respectful.

They said: “We have a wide range of clients which is fascinating and keeps every day busy and exciting. Some are passionate environmentalists who travel for miles to get the full organic and vegan experience. We also get lots of people come to us simply because they’ve seen our pictures on Instagram and they like what we do.

“Everyone has different reasons but ultimately they all want the same thing - to leave the salon happy with beautiful hair!”

The launch of Alchemy Organic Salons comes at a time where campaigners have been calling for an end to the use of harmful chemicals used in mainstream salons.

A study in 2004 found that up to 70 per cent of hairdressers in Britain suffered from work-related dermatitis. Repeatedly washing hands can result in red, sore hands and fingers. At Alchemy, stylists wear gloves to protect themselves.

Women’s Voices for the Earth, an organisation which campaigns to end toxic chemicals in personal care products, reports on its website: “Salon workers - population dominated by women - are exposed to various chemicals of concern every day in their workplaces associated with asthma, dermatitis, neurological symptoms, cancer and more.”

Tom said: “One of our motivations in creating Alchemy was to make a safe environment for stylists to work in. By only using organic, ethically sourced products, this ensures our staff are not exposed to toxic products that can be found in mainstream salons.”

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Looking ahead to the future, the pair said they have big plans to expand Hampshire’s first ever eco-friendly salon at their Top of Town premises.

“We would love to expand the beauty element to our business and open up an organic and vegan-friendly café to offer something new and exciting for people in Basingstoke," they said.

Alchemy Organic Salons opened in 2019, the same year Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council declared a climate emergency.

The council recently launched a climate toolkit to help businesses and communities in Basingstoke make decisions to reduce their environmental impact.

To learn more, visit Basingstoke.gov.uk.

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