Over 100 guests gathered at Dendy Newtown for a night of big-screen stories, big feelings and even bigger impact.
Sustainable Salons officially premiered its It’s A Hairy World Film Series at Dendy Newtown on Monday 25 May, bringing together more than 100 guests from across the hair industry for a night celebrating purpose, community and the people helping change what happens to salon waste.
Created for salon owners, teams and supporters, and proudly sponsored by Vish, the series brings the stories behind Sustainable Salons’ It’s A Hairy World coffee table book to the big screen.
Guests arrived to popcorn, bubbles and complimentary tissue boxes from short film partner Who Gives a Crap, a fitting touch for an evening filled with laughter, inspiration and plenty of heartfelt moments.
One hundred per cent of ticket proceeds from the series will be donated to Hair Aid, supporting its work empowering people in poverty with hair-cutting skills to help build dignity, opportunity and income.
MC’d by Sustainable Salons team member Anuj Dhawan, the Sydney premiere opened with Hairy Roots, featuring Sustainable Salons Founders Paul Frasca and Ewelina Soroko and their early journey travelling around Australia in search of a better solution for salon waste.
From there, guests were taken through the many ways impact shows up across the Sustainable Salons network, from recycling and resource recovery to meaningful employment, social enterprise and the deep human connection created when businesses choose to do things differently.
The evening featured the story of will&able, a social enterprise in Auckland providing more than 100 jobs to differently-abled Kiwis and helping sort salon waste from Sustainable Salons members in Auckland and surrounding regions.
A standout moment of the night was No Planet B, starring Jeff Matthews, a supported employee at the Sustainable Salons Sydney depot. The film followed Jeff’s seven-year journey with Sustainable Salons, capturing his growing independence, his friendships with the team and the joy he brings to the depot every day. It also had the room laughing along with Jeff’s quick wit, big personality and many, many jokes — while gently reminding guests of the power of meaningful, stable work and a workplace where people feel they truly belong.
During a short break from the films, Amy McCabe, owner of Loop Hair Salon in Paddington, spoke on behalf of series sponsor Vish about how the system has helped her team reduce colour waste and save money on colour — a celebration of smart salon innovation and businesses thinking differently to solve everyday problems.
The films continued with stories from beyond the salon floor, including Antoinette, a sanitation worker in Nairobi whose work with Who Gives a Crap is helping improve access to clean toilets and hygiene education, and Jodie, founder of Tonic & Cloth, a sustainable clothing brand creating “Monday clothes that feel like Sunday” through ethical production and thoughtful design.
The final film, The Halo Effect, brought a deeply emotional close to the screening. The film shared Juliet Ward’s personal experience of chemotherapy, hair loss and the search for something that could help her feel more like herself during treatment. Her journey led to the creation of Hair For Hats, an innovative hairpiece solution for people experiencing medically induced hair loss, made using 100 per cent human hair ponytail donations collected by Sustainable Salons. It was a moving reminder that something as simple as a ponytail donation can become comfort, choice and confidence for someone when they need it most.
The evening closed with a live Q&A featuring several of the film stars and creators. Juliet spoke further about her journey and thanked Sustainable Salons members for their ponytail donations, sharing the real impact their contributions have on people experiencing hair loss. Jeff reflected on what meaningful work at Sustainable Salons has meant for him — with a few more jokes, of course — and encouraged salons in the room to keep making sustainable choices for the future of the planet.
Zac Stevenson, Founder of Unreel Films and creator of Hairy Roots, No Planet B and The Halo Effect, also shared his experience capturing the stories of everyday changemakers, before Sustainable Salons Co-Founder Paul Frasca wrapped up the night with reflections on the organisation’s journey and the future of profit-for-purpose businesses.
Following the Sydney premiere, the It’s A Hairy World Film Series continues across Australia and New Zealand, with upcoming screenings in:
Melbourne on 1 June
Auckland on 15 June
Wellington on 26 July
Christchurch on 27 July
Brisbane on 3 August
Adelaide on 16 August
Perth on 17 August.
Tickets are available for $20, with 100 per cent of proceeds donated to Hair Aid.
More than a film screening, It’s A Hairy World is an invitation to put down the scissors, gather the salon squad and be reminded that purpose, creativity and impact belong on the big screen.
