Editor's letter

Dear Reader,

Environmental consciousness is transitioning from an occasional occurrence or niche to a mandatory parameter for the salon industry in India. We are expecting governmental guidelines to come into force, too, which is quite necessary as voluntary sustainability practices are either followed as per convenience or wholly ignored. However, a forced protocol will not help the industry stakeholders because sustainability is something that needs to be inculcated at every step of the salon business. You cannot use and put on ecofriendly products in your salon while your backwash area is wasting litres of water. Sustainability has to be holistic and an integral part of your business processes. That sounds like an impossible task, doesn’t it?

I would have perhaps agreed with you a couple of years ago and asked for more time for the Indian salon industry to catch up on eco-friendly practices. But not today. Now, we have an excellent case study of how the industry has curated and implemented COVID protocol, how strictly the professionals followed the rules during the lockdown and later in the new normal. So, lack of preparedness or capability is no longer an issue. We are ready to take the net-zero bull by its horns and make our precious contribution to the cause of environmental conservation. As beauty professionals across the country are looking at developing newer salon formats, being innovative with their services and finding a niche for themselves; what better way to stand out in the crowd than by going green?

Kanishka Ramchandani Consulting Editor