A BATH hairdresser has made a sustainable switch to shoulder capes made from sugar cane waste in a bid to reduce its plastic consumption and carbon footprint without compromising on hygiene (October 2021).

Figo is the first salon in the city and in Somerset to be using CARTIM Recyclables’ hairdressing shoulder capes, which are an environmentally friendly alternative to disposable plastic.

Rachel Tolchard, Co-owner of the salon in Margaret’s Buildings in Lansdown, says:

“We’re very excited to be taking this step towards becoming a more sustainable business by making a simple switch to these innovative new shoulder capes.

“With climate action becoming an increasing focus across all industries, we’re thrilled to be making changes that will help reduce our carbon footprint while providing the same level of hygiene and protection for our clients.”

With many sectors of the personal care industry becoming more concerned with making planet-friendly choices, CARTIM Recyclables hopes that it can continue to support businesses like Figo that want to reduce their waste and increase sustainability.

CARTIM Recyclables’ Director, Carole Champion says:

“It’s exciting to be supplying Figo with our Polyair™ shoulder capes to help them become the first hairdresser in Bath to take a step towards a more sustainable future.

“Our shoulder capes allow our customers to maintain a high level of hygiene, which is an ongoing concern for clients even now Covid restrictions have lifted. This fills a need in the personal care industry for barbers and hairdressers, while also continuing to keep customers safe. Our shoulder capes also reduce water consumption as they do not need to be washed like fabric capes, which is great news for the planet while being more economical for small businesses.

“Our Polyair™ capes offer the highest standard of hygiene without compromising the planet. We look forward to providing our planet-positive products to even more hairdressers and barbers in Bath in the coming weeks and months. People can order from us by calling us on 01458 272057 or by visiting www.cartimrecyclables.co.uk.”

CARTIM Recyclables’ shoulder capes are designed to protect a hairdresser or barber’s clients against hair, water and colour.

Made from Polyair™, its capes are the only 100% recyclable, carbon neutral material currently available and are PAS2050 carbon neutral certified.

Carole continues:

“This is truly the greenest material we know of and it will help hairdressers and barbers improve their green credentials and dramatically reduce their carbon footprints.

“Polyair™ is a soft, clear material that provides a commercially viable alternative to standard polythene. It is bio-based and is made from sugar cane waste. It’s the process of photosynthesis as the plant grows that makes this material carbon neutral and our product 100% recyclable.”

Polyair™ is manufactured in Witney, Oxfordshire and extruded, cut and packed exclusively at the CARTIM factory in Somerset, resulting in a ‘Made In Britain’ product.

Capes are available in two sizes and customers can choose between 80cm x 120cm or 60cm x 120cm.

Every business that buys the capes will receive a certificate stating that for every 100kg of Polyair™ used, 260kg of CO2 is prevented from entering the atmosphere.

CARTIM Recyclables is the sister company to Needles and Pins (UK) Ltd and Tica Lily Ltd.

Carole adds:

“Tica Lily is another exciting venture of ours that has just been launched offering wonderful household and clothing collections made from 100% linen.”

The team at CARTIM Recyclables cut and pack its shoulder capes in its Somerton factory, then deliver and collect the used items from its clients for recycling.

For more information about CARTIM Recyclables, which is based in Somerton, please call 01458 272057 or visit www.cartimrecyclables.co.uk.