HairCycle
(2024 - present)
HairCycle Recycling Hub in the heart of Newham, London
Photocredits: Angela Tozzi, Rocio Chacon
HairCycle is a new project which explores and tests regenerative, local, bio-based and circular models for human hair waste. Designers and researchers from the University of the Arts London in partnership with the London Borough of Newham aim to find better ways to collect, recycle and reuse human hair waste from local hair salons and barbershops in Newham during a one year pilot study, supported by the Design Museum’s Future Observatory programme, funded by the AHRC, as part of UKRI.
HairCycle
HairCycle is a new project which explores and tests regenerative, local, bio-based and circular models for human hair waste. Designers and researchers from the University of the Arts London in partnership with the London Borough of Newham aim to find better ways to collect, recycle and reuse human hair waste from local hair salons and barbershops in Newham during a one year pilot study, supported by the Design Museum’s Future Observatory programme, funded by the AHRC, as part of UKRI.
Hundreds of kilograms of hair is wasted every month, choking drains, filling landfill sites, whilst releasing harmful greenhouse gases. At the same time hair could be used for textiles, fertiliser or even building materials due to its incredible qualities. This has the potential to make our community go greener.
Since February 2024, the HairCycle team has been collecting hair from local hair salons and barbershops by cargo bike in Newham, to then recycle it in the HairCycle Recycling Hub in close proximity to the hairdressing/barber’s community, residents and creatives. Here, it is sorted, processed and ready to be turned into fertilisers for local parks and high-quality, handcrafted interior design, fashion and architecture objects – connecting both place and people.
Project team
Go to the HairCycle website HERE