The practice utilizes hair waste streams from hairdressers and citizens in the use of circular hair fibre mats to make the environment and waterways cleaner.
The project serves as a circular and social enterprise that promotes possible green and sustainable jobs. Citizens can contribute and donate hair thus joining in the circular economy project as “hair fairies”.
The HIUKKA project base and felting machine are located in the CIRCCU - Circular Economy Centre in Lahti, Finland. CIRCCU is run by the third sector association Painovoima, who employ youngsters and carry for social and environmental sustainability. The project is felting fibrous mats by carding human hair. The first layer in the carpet is always human hair, but in the carpet filling layer, animal hairs from horses or dogs as well as wools are also used. For human hair, the minimum length is five centimetres. Shorter hair, animal hair or sheep's wool can be used in the in-between layers.
The main stakeholders in the HIUKKA project are Green Lahti (Lahti is the European Green Capital in 2021), and Matter of Trust that delivered the first hair-fibre mats felting machine for the project at the end of 2020. Furthermore, the organization has delivered crucial research and other useful information. Another local stakeholder is LAB University of Applied Sciences, the department of design that is enthusiastic about the possibility of exploring the potential circular services and business aspects of the reuse of hair waste.
Resources needed
Lahti is the European Green Capital in 2021 thus also provides funds for big and smaller environmental projects in the region. The pilot was funded by Green Lahti, with €15 000. With a continuation of 2-year EURA funding for product development worth €130 000.
Evidence of success
Citizens are eager to donate their hair for the benefit of the environment. In total, 22 hairdressers from nine cities are involved in the project, and three animal trimming companies. As of August 2021, at least 50 meters long and 1 m wide hair mats have been woven and recycled and repurposed from general mixed waste.
The hair fibre mats are also tested around stormwater wells to filter water from the streets, and soil improvement as hair contains nutrients for plants and binds moisture.
Difficulties encountered
General Finnish hair is thin and straight, curly hair is easier to handle, therefore, the project hopes to include local Afro-hairdressers.
The felting machinery is slow and there is only one. Furthermore, the logistics part of sourcing the hair needs to be further developed.
Potential for learning or transfer
The felting machine was developed in the United States, by the organization the Matter of Trust that focuses on environmental protection and sanitation. It researches the ability of hair fibre mats to absorb petrochemicals from the environment.
Next steps, mats will be tried in the port of Lahti for oil control. The mat is a 15-meter-long beam shaped sample that will be placed on the waterline.
The Kymijärvi Power Station in the region is going to investigate how the hair fibre samples are suitable for iron filtration. Various samples of different thicknesses are studied on how iron permeates them.
Hair waste is currently disposed of as mixed waste, the exact kilogram of hair ending up in mixed waste is unknown. There are around 15,000 hairdressing salons in Finland, which indicates that the amount of unutilized hair waste is enormous.
Tags: Circular economy, Citizens, Good practice, Recycling
