Beyond Beauty: How Davines is Rethinking Sustainability

The New Sustainable Beauty Movement: How It Works & Why Stylists Should Get Involved 

“I wasn’t very much into the beauty industry. I was a scientist in the field. But we’re creating a movement, a regenerative movement,” explains Dario Fornara, the Research Director of Davines Group – Rodale Institute European Regenerative Organic Center. We sat down with Dario at the Davines Village in Parma, Italy to discuss Davines’ new venture in sustainable beauty: regenerative organic farming. 

Keep reading for an in-depth look at the partnership between Davines Group and Rodale Institute, how it is reflected in Davines products and how stylists can become more sustainable behind the chair. 

Davines & Rodale Institute: Moving Beyond Sustainability 

Sustainable beauty has always been at the core of Davines’ culture, culminating in the 2018 opening of the Davines Village just outside of Parma, Italy. But the brand knew there was always something more. “There was this idea, mainly from Jorge Blanco (Davines Creative Director – North America), to move beyond sustainability. To create something that could actually make the world better,” Dario explained. 

“We’re creating something, we’re creating a movement.” 

Founded in Pennsylvania, PA in 1947 the Rodale Institute has been at the forefront of regenerative organic research, training and education. In the fall of 2021, Davines Village welcomed a new Rodale European Regenerative Organic Center on campus—the first Rodale Institute outside of the US. The 10-hectare site will see scientists, farmers and staff work together to bring the values of regenerative organic farming into the world of beauty products. 

Related: Read more about the Davines Village

What is Regenerative Organic? 

“If you start with the first word: regenerative, it basically means something that is becoming new all of the time,” Dario explained. “For us here at the Davines Village, it means soil.” So how does it work? The team at EROC work with European farmers and educate them not only on how to grow ingredients that can be used in Davines beauty products—but also on how to grow them in a way that doesn’t deplete the soil. This means the land may be used again. This includes: avoiding the use of pesticides, incorporating high standards for soil health, animal welfare and farmworker fairness. 

But the positive effects of regenerative organic farming don’t happen overnight. “You have to start somewhere, so when speaking to farmers it’s about helping them understand this will take time,” explains Dario. “It will take two or three years, but the benefits will be enormous. Including, sequestering carbon levels, mitigating climate change and promoting biodiversity.” 

“[There are] synergies between beauty and science to have a beautiful world.” 

We Sustain Beauty: Bringing Science to the Salon

In July of 2022, hair professionals and clients will be introduced to the first product created under this alliance. WE STAND/for regeneration Hair & Body Wash is a limited-edition product formulated with the first activist ingredients from regenerative organic farming. 

“This product represents our company’s values and it celebrates the great partnership between Davines and the Rodale Institute,” explains Paola Zanini Davines Senior Product Manager, Haircare. The product is formulated with Barbera Grape Pomace extract, a byproduct of the winemaking process that was upcycled and the first ingredient cultivated under the new partnership between Davines and Rodale Institute. 

Related: 6 things to know about Tom Connell, Davines Hair Art Director 

Sustainability in the salon: What stylists and clients can do

More recently, the term “sustainability” has become a buzz-word, especially with clients as trendy products hit retail shelves. “It’s definitely something we’ve seen grow over the years,” explains stylist and salon owner Becca Stordahl. 

Becca made the switch to carry Davines products in her salon in 2014. “At first I was like ‘Do they really care about sustainability that much? Because it sounds too good to be true.’ Then, you start digging deeper and you realize that sustainability runs through every single part of the whole company, in every part of every process,” she explained. 

This year at the World Wide Hair Tour in Parma, Becca was able to visit the Davines Village and tour the Rodale farm. “I love to farm and grow my own produce at home so it was really fascinating for me to see. I mean the whole thing is a research facility and the possibilities for the brand and the products are endless,” she adds. 

In her salon, Robert Leonard Salon and Spa in Seattle, Becca and her staff work to incorporate sustainable practices in their everyday salon system. Here’s how:

• They are part of Green Circle Salon, an in-salon recycling program
• Colorists use a one-gloved color application to save on waste
• The salon has a number of plants in the salon for organic air filtration (and for vibes) 
• The team plays close attention on how much the salon uses and wastes

Through her everyday salon practices and her personal interests talking to clients about sustainability organic is easy. “It sounds corny but it is true, the conversation just flows,” she explained. “We don’t have to worry if we’re being sustainable during our services, and clients don’t either, because it is in every part of the Davines brand and that is really special.”

To read more about the Davines Group Rodale Institute partnership, click here.