I broke my last claw clip yesterday. It had survived a million falls onto the bathroom floor but this final one shattered it. I guess it was once too many. And my first reaction was disappointment at having to throw plastic away. Then I remembered: it was actually a plastic-free clip and it had lasted just as long as a conventional one. The difference is, my broken clip will biodegrade. The plastic ones won’t. So now it’s time to find a replacement and explore my plastic-free hair accessories options.
Why are plastic hair accessories a bigger problem then they look?
Claw clips, hair ties and scrunchies are small. They’re also disposable by design. They snap easily and they can’t really be fixed. Most are made of acrylic or polypropylene, which are technically recyclable but because of their size, most facilities just won’t bother. Besides, think of how many times you have lost one? They very often just end up directly in nature. Basically, all the butterfly clips from your childhood still exist somewhere but the good news is that there are better alternatives.
What plastic-free hair accessories are made of
There are 5 materials worth looking for when searching for eco-friendly hair accessories: bio-acetate, metal, fabric, natural rubber and wood. Ideally you would buy from dedicated sustainable brands but the reality is that they’re still quite niche and not always easy to find. Sometimes they have a website, but very often they just pop up randomly is regular stores, even supermarkets. The good news is that you don’t necessarily need to shop exclusively from sustainable brand to make a better choice. Many conventional brands offer these materials already.
Bioacetate: it’s a plant-based plastic alternative made from wood pulp or grain residues, starch and oils. It looks and feels like plastic but it’s biodegradable. It’s perfect for hair clips and is also used to make glasses.
Wood: it’s already popular in haircare with bamboo combs and brushes, but it can also be used for hair pins, hair sticks and even clips. These are often handmade by artisans and can be crafted from reclaimed or FSC-certified wood.
Metal: metal hair accessories are durable, long-lasting, and fully recyclable. Stainless steel, aluminum or brass are commonly used to make clips and barrettes and their durability makes them a great low waste alternative to fragile plastic accessories.
Natural rubber: it’s harvested from rubber trees and used as the elastic core of hair ties in place of synthetic rubber and polyester
Fabric: natural fabric hair accessories can be difficult to find but many sustainable fashion brands makes scrunchies from fabric scraps or deadstock fabric.
Where to find plastic-free hair accessories?
Like I said before, it’s very likely you will find plastic free hair clips and pins in regular stores. A lot of jewelry brand make metal claws and pins. For wooden accessories and plastic free ties, it’s a little more difficult. You might find them on markets or in specialized stores but also online. I made you a list and there’s a lot of French brands. It makes me proud!
La Sève et les Racines (France): A French artisan workshop in the Tarn that creates handmade wooden hair accessories, including barrettes, hair clips and headbands, alongside other bespoke wooden objects.
Pique & Pince (France): A French online boutique specializing in hair accessories such as barrettes, hair clips, combs, headbands, scrunchies and hair sticks.
Atelier des Lignes (France): An artisan brand based in the French Alps (Isère) that makes handcrafted hair clips and barrettes from recycled and locally sourced wood.
Bijoux Yali (France): An Alsace-based maker of handcrafted wooden jewelry and hair accessories, including barrettes and crocodile-style hair clips made from French wood.
Martho (France): A French design studio creating laser-cut wooden accessories, including decorative hair barrettes made from wood and upcycled leather or fabric.
23 Degrés (France): A French eco-conscious brand producing handmade hair clips and barrettes in cellulose acetate, as well as caps, visors and jewelry.
Pince-Moi (France): A French brand inspired by 1990s fashion that offers handmade cellulose acetate hair clips, barrettes, combs and headbands.
Ozaelle (France): A French brand designing ethically made hair accessories and jewelry, including hair clips, barrettes, headbands, hair sticks and scrunchies.
Made on a Hill (United Kingdom): A small UK artisan business that handcrafts wooden hair pins and hair forks from reclaimed and recycled wood.
Tegen Accessories (United Kingdom): A UK-based retailer and designer of premium French-made hair accessories, including claw clips, barrettes, combs, headbands and hair pins.
Wild & Stone (United Kingdom): A British sustainable lifestyle brand best known for reusable household and personal care products, including plastic-free hair accessories and eco-friendly grooming items.
Kooshoo (Australia): An Australian brand focused on plastic-free accessories made from organic cotton and natural rubber, particularly natural rubber hair ties and scrunchies.
A few care notes
Bio acetate and wood accessories don’t love being left in direct sunlight or high heat for long periods. They can warp or discolor slightly. Natural rubber ties might break faster than synthetic ones if you leave them in a hot car or humid bathroom so it’s worth storing them somewhere cool and dry. But in exchange, when they do finally wear out, you can throw them in the compost, which is really the whole point.
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