Why Towel Systems Matter More Than Ever for UK Salons & Spas in 2026

Margins are tighter than they look on paper.

Across the UK, salon and spa owners are facing sustained cost pressure. The UK Government’s 2025 National Minimum Wage rate update confirmed an increase to £12.21 per hour from April 2025. For multi-stylist businesses, payroll remains the largest fixed cost line.

Industry reporting supports the picture. The NHBF Straightening Out the Costs report (2025) projects £139m in additional sector costs, with £100m linked directly to labour increases.

Utilities remain a pressure point. Ofwat’s PR24 price review (2025–2030) outlines rising water and wastewater charges, and commercial energy tariffs continue to fluctuate compared to pre-2020 levels.

Many salons have already adjusted pricing. The next stage is operational control.

That is where system thinking becomes critical. Have you consider compostable salon towels?

The Operational Blind Spot: Laundry

Cotton towel systems are rarely reviewed strategically. Yet laundry touches multiple cost centres:

• Water usage

• Wastewater discharge charges

• Electricity and gas consumption

• Detergent and chemical spend

• Machine servicing and breakdown risk

• Staff time loading, drying and folding

• Back-of-house storage

A six-stylist salon  in the UK can use up to 144,000 litres of water annually washing cotton towels alone .

Laundry consumes paid hours that could be revenue-generating. It creates friction at basin and clean-down. It occupies square footage that could serve clients.

Removing a Cost Centre, Not Swapping a Product

Replacing cotton with a 100% compostable single-use Easydry towel system removes:

• Washing cycles

• Tumble drying

• Folding and redistribution

• Damp towel odour and cross-contamination risk

• Machine wear

For a six-stylist salon in the UK, removing laundry and switching to Easydry’s One Towel System can represent savings of up to £6,463.57 per year.

This is not trend adoption. It is operational simplification. It reduces exposure to rising utilities and creates a predictable per-service cost.

Back-of-house systems shape front-of-house experience.

Hygiene You Can Repeat Across Every Chair with Compostable Salon Towels

Clients continue to link professionalism with visible hygiene standards.

In multi-stylist environments — particularly hybrid employment or rent-a-chair structures — consistency can drift without clear systems.

A fresh compostable salon towel every service removes uncertainty around wash quality and cross-contamination.

One system. Every chair. Every service.

Sustainability With Evidence, Not Claims

Environmental statements must align with the CMA Green Claims Code, which requires claims to be accurate, clear and substantiated.

Workplace waste rules are tightening. From March 2025, businesses in England must comply with updated separation guidance under the Simpler Recycling workplace regulations.

Easydry compostable salon towels are:

• Made from FSC Certified fibres

• 100% compostable within 12 weeks

• Certified OK Compost Home & Industrial

• TÜV Compostable

• Seedling certified

• Easydry is a Certified B Corp company 

Clients expect responsibility — without compromise on performance.

Why This Matters at Salon Growth Summit 2026:

At the Salon Growth Summit 2026, the focus is business performance — protecting margin, improving efficiency and making confident decisions for the year ahead.

You’ll find Easydry at:

Stand D15
Founder Anne Butterly will be at the stand to answer your questions, review your current setup and help you understand what removing laundry  and introducing compostable salon towels could mean for your business.

Whether you’re looking to reduce utilities, reclaim staff time or strengthen hygiene consistency, we’ll help you work through the numbers and assess where practical savings can be made.

The most resilient salons in 2026 are reviewing systems, not surfaces.

Summit Exclusive: New Account Offer for Easydry Compostable Salon Towels

For salons and spas reviewing their operational systems, we’re offering a structured incentive for new accounts opened at Salon Growth Summit — or within 7 days of the event.

£75 credit on orders over £500 – Code SGS75
£200 credit on orders over £1,000 – Code SGS200

T&Cs apply.

Created to support businesses ready to remove laundry from their cost base and introduce a more predictable per-service model.

Visit us at Stand D15 to review your current setup and calculate what the shift could mean for your margins.