The eco-alternative to foils
Paper Not Foil is as a truly sustainable alternative to wasteful and non-biodegradable aluminium hair foils. Manufactured from recycled industrial scraps, principally stone (Calcium Carbonate), this mineral paper is made with very low carbon emissions and uses zero water in the manufacturing process. Uniquely, once a salon has finished using a Paper Not Foil sheet, it can be recycled through any paper or soft plastic recycling systems and if the product has been diverted to a recycling plant to produce energy - where it is burned or furnaced - it will not cause any toxic fumes or damage, yielding no carbon footprint. If placed in landfill, the product will start to break down in a matter of months from the sun's UV, degrading naturally into an egg-shell texture until only a dust powder residue is left.
Each pack of Paper Not Foil’s contains 500 sheets - equivalent to 200m – which can be reused up to three times. For stylists’ ease, each sheet can be cut to any required size. Popular sizes are in ½, ⅓ and ¼, but you can also get creative by cutting into smaller sizes or cutting the corners off. You can simply cut multiple at once with scissors or leave them at the length they come.
Featuring a chalk-like texture, it provides good grip to the hair, without any need to fold the edges into parcels, saving time on colour services. The reason for this is that colour needs oxygen to develop, and this chemical reaction will be allowed to happen organically if the papers are only folded up once. As an added bonus, this method allows you to watch the colour develop.
As with common foils, the paper foils are a thermal product so will conduct heat in the same manner as their aluminium counterparts, ensuring colour develops correctly. You can also lightly apply heat to your papers to speed up the colour’s processing time, but only if advised in the colour manufacturing instructions. In addition to being sustainable, Paper Not Foil has two other unique benefits when compared to its aluminium counterparts: it reduces the risk of chemical reaction you can get from using metal with colour and using the paper foils is also a much more comfortable experience for your clients. This is because the product applies quietly, it is lightweight, when it’s removed Paper Not Foil simply glides out of the hair without pulling or snagging.
Although you don’t have to reuse your paper foils, if you do reuse them, it will help your salon to reduce toxic waste, which in turn reduces the carbon footprint. Prior to reuse, you can simply wash them in the washing machine with your salon towels and capes or wash them by hand. To ensure the residue colour to soak off, they can be placed in the bucket to soak until you are ready to do a machine wash. Once washed, they can be dried very easily, taking just 10 minutes on a cool setting in a dryer. The papers can come out scrunched up, but it's easy to just open them up, flatten into a pile with your hand and hang to dry on the clothesline or around the salon. Being slightly crinkled does not interfere with your colour placement. Also, if your papers have been washed but still have stains from previous colours, this will not affect the quality of your next colour service.
Given these impeccable eco credentials and ease of use, Paper Not Foil is a perfect solution for salons who wish to be eco-conscious without compromising on results.
