Our Sustainability
For over 40 years, Bohyme® has been committed to bringing awareness to environmental issues brought upon by the hair extension industry. Sustaining the natural environment and moving towards positive changes are some of our most important goals when creating Bohyme products. From conserving water waste to implementing recyclable packaging, we are proud to advance every facet of our manufacturing process to support sustainability. We believe that sustainability makes our relationships stronger, business better and products exceptional.
Compassion and respect is threaded through everything we do. From the hair products we create and the ways we care about everyone involved in the process to how we give back to society.
We strive to set an example for the hair extensions industry around the world.
Message from our VP
Over the past 43 years, Bohyme® has earned our reputation as the company who is setting up the standards and setting them high. 2020 was very challenging for the whole industry, especially the hair professionals who in many cases were not allowed to work for over a year. This year is worth reflecting on our company’s role at this moment in history, as well as to put more light on the environmental and ethical issues in the hair extensions industry. We believe that creating innovative, quality products is just as important as improving the standards and livelihood of all parties involved in its creation process.
We want to be completely transparent about the hair extensions industry’s impact on the planet by publishing this report, and we want to show that we are taking actions to improve many of these areas.
Though we are in the early stages of our sustainability journey, operating our business in a responsible manner and doing the right thing for the communities and the world around us has always been part of who we are as an organization.
One of the accomplishments we are extremely proud of is the launch of our latest collection Ethos®. We are proud, not because we have created the highest quality product available, but because this collection is a part of our first charity initiative that helps to provide water to people in need. So far we were able to provide 6480 gallons of water to 473 families. And this number is growing every day as more hair professionals purchase Ethos® products. So actually, we are making an impact together, and want to continue doing this in the future.
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought challenges and tragedies unlike any we’ve ever faced. Throughout this crisis, our team, clients and communities have continued to show incredible agility, creativity and commitment to not only health and safety, but to do everything possible to support the world around us. This year brought us even closer together and I want to thank everyone for not only caring for themselves and each other, but also helping shape the positive legacy that Bohyme® will leave on the hair industry well into the future. We are committed to transparency and continuous improvement. We look forward to updating you on our progress.
We appreciate your interest in this report and welcome your feedback.
Where the hair extensions industry is today?
With the global wig and hair extension market estimated to be worth over $10 billion by 2023, it’s no surprise that the demand for hair has risen exponentially in recent years. Hair gives people confidence, courage and new energy. Unfortunately, this industry is producing an enormous amount of water waste that effects many people. Here is a snapshot of the hair extensions industry today:
Bohyme sustainable developement
For over four decades, Bohyme® has manufactured and distributed hair extensions for salon professionals worldwide, focusing not on being the best in the world, but being the best for the world. Our commitment to sustainability flows through every facet of our business, from product creation to packaging and shipping. We believe hair professionals are the heart and soul of the hair industry. Providing artists with the highest quality hair extensions allows creativity to run free for imaginative results.
At Bohyme®, we are dedicated to setting the standard in the hair extension industry through innovative hair products, bringing awareness to environmental issues brought upon by the industry and taking steps to counteract any negative impact.
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PEOPLE
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ENVIRONMENT
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PRODUCT
PEOPLE
Every person involved with Bohyme® is part of our family. We strive to ensure everyone connected to us is treated with respect and that includes fair wages and a healthy, safe working environment.
Respect, be kind and give back to people - as we do business, we want to fully leverage the power of people who work with us. We believe that establishing long-term relationships and welcoming a plethora of perspectives from around the world is invaluable to our approach to the hair industry
More important than our products is our human relationships. We know our employees and the people who work with us. We appreciate their qualities, talents and passions and believe that it is our responsibility to help each other grow and evolve. We surround ourselves with people who have different backgrounds, opinions, talents and perspectives so that we can come together and create something amazing.
- HAIR DONORS
- + MANUFACTURERS
- + HAIR PROFESSIONALS
- + DISTRIBUTORS
- + OFFICE EMPLOYEES
- + WAREHOUSE EMPLOYEES
- + SO MANY MORE
- BOHYME®
respect human rights
We will never work with anyone who is willing to sacrifice the quality of human life for a larger profit.
Across the company, we implement standards and policies to protect the human rights of our employees and partners. It is how we are able to build long-lasting relationships with customers, partners and communities around the world. We believe that respecting international human rights laws and standards is fundamental to our work as a responsible company.
We believe in fair trade practices honoring fair wages and clean working environments in our own manufacturing facilities, in our partner factories, in our distributor practices and in our offices and warehouse.
Our respect for human rights extends to all of the individuals who take part in the hair creation process in both China and Korea. We make sure everyone is treated fairly and workspaces are clean and well ventilated.
Through dialogues with local and global human rights experts we have deepened our understanding of human rights abuses and poor labor practices and identified areas in our company where related risks are likely to be high.
The first and most important aspect of respecting human rights in the hair extensions industry is the treatment of hair donors and manufacturing facility employees. Respect, safe, clean working conditions and fair wages are essential.
facts from Bohyme® factories
To make sure that all working conditions and human rights are being respected in all facilities, we work with third-party auditors to evaluate factors like fair wages, labor conditions, reasonable hours and a safe work environment. Inspections are performed twice a year.
In 2012, our factory received the Work Safety Standardization Certificate and a Quality Management System Certificate.
In 2018, investments were made in improved ventilation equipment, providing healthier air circulation.
embracing diversity through respect
For over 43 years, we have not only supported, empowered and inspired women around the world, we have also worked to increase their visibility and promote their success on our platforms.
Gender equality needs to be addressed worldwide, but we can inspire change by leading by example within our company. Our management team continues to champion the importance of gender equality in all areas of business and everyday life.
We encourage our female employees to develop their careers and take an active role in internal decision-making. We offer one-on-one individual training, as well as online training to support the evolution of their position in our company. We champion women leaders and it shows as 50% of our management positions are held by women.
We are aware of gender disparity in some Asian societies. It is a fact that many girls get jobs at a young age, usually a low-skilled and low-paid position, which makes it almost impossible for them to become financially independent. In China, 60% of employees in our factories are women and they work for a fair wage. We’ve built relationships with partners in China through communications with women in management positions, ensuring our partners support gender equality.
promoting growth & developement
We believe that by helping our employees grow as professionals, we grow as a company. We see their strength, we recognize their talents and we always support them to achieve their career aspirations.
EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT
We maintain an open and ongoing dialogue with our employees in order to make Bohyme a better place to work. We seek employee feedback through formal and informal touchpoints, including surveys and annual reviews. We uncover aspirations and identify relevant developmental experiences to support continued growth. We encourage employees to take the lead in identifying their individual career goals and development opportunities. We engage our employees through a variety of onsite events, including company dinners, charity works, like packing foods with Feed My Starving Children organization and team outings, such as a trip to an escape room.
EDUCATION
We created a modern approach to educate our current and new employees about our company, culture and products by providing internal platform and peer-to-peer social learning, mentoring and learning from others across Bohyme. We support career development and growth by sponsoring additional trainings and courses.
PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT PROCESS
We created our performance management process to provide a structured approach to employee evaluation and to identify opportunities for our employees to excel in their careers. This process helps employees and managers identify strengths and areas for growth, while also reviewing their performance.
OUR OFFICE & WAREHOUSE
Employees worked from home to limit the amount of opportunities for any virus to spread. Early on during this pandemic, masks, curbside pickups, hand sanitizer and office restructuring were implemented and distributed to ensure that safety was the #1 priority.
OUR FACTORIES
At the factory, employees were/are asked to submit health information forms daily and undergo temperature checks before they are allowed to enter the facilities. Everyone who enters the factory must go through a disinfectant process and must wear medical masks and gloves. Due to early mask shortages, we were able to help send masks overseas. Personal protective equipment and disinfection equipment have been installed in all of the workspaces.
OUR NETWORK AND COMMUNITIES
The individuals and businesses who work with us matter now more than ever. We believe that supporting each other during this challenging time and that sacrifices will help everyone in the long run. We’ve created the Bohyme Assistance Plan (BAP) to support our clients, their communities and the communities of first responders.
Bohyme® assistance plan (BAP)
$44k+
we gave out in 2020in supporting our partners, hairstylists and their communities
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we covered 50% of the shipping costs for all orders.
ENVIRONMENT
Continuously educating ourselves to the harmful side effects caused by the hair industry, we believe we must take measurable actions to protect the environment and encourage others to join us in our commitment to sustainability. Across all areas of our business, we are promoting initiatives that reduce the environmental impact of our activities.
Across all areas of our business, we are promoting initiatives that reduce the environmental impact of our activities.
| Minimizing water waste | We installed special water treatment in our factory to recycle wastewater. |
| No synthetic hair | Bohyme® hair is created only with 100% human hair. |
| No toxic by products | We use only mild, organic fruit shampoos to wash the hair and high-grade food dyes to color the hair. Wave patterns are created without chemicals. |
| No paper policy | We implemented a no paper policy for internal operations. We only print catalogs, brochures and other marketing mate- rials by special request. |
| Eliminating packaging sections and turning to recyclable packaging | We are reducing our packaging and our newest collection, Ethos®, was created with fully recyclable packaging. |
| Reusing and recycling shipping boxes | In our warehouse, we reuse, donate and recycle shipping boxes in creative ways to reduce waste. |
| Recycling waste | We employ a strong strategy to reduce waste from every facet of our company. |
| Protecting animals | We have never tested our products or ingredients on animals. |
responsible manufacturing
We ensure that working conditions are safe for both the product and the employees by monitoring the intricate processes involved with hair extensions. Our factory has formal EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) approval, is a proud member of the Environmental Protection Association, and holds Safety Standardization Certificates from credible agencies overseas.
We refuse to use any synthetically derived ingredients, which create toxic by-products during manufacturing. This way we can be positive that our products don’t impose negative impacts on the environment or those involved in the creation process.
no chemicals used
Bohyme® utilizes traditional techniques and methods to reduce the amount of pollutants that more modern machines release. This also allows for our handcrafted items to maintain the high quality necessary for consistency and longevity.
Bohyme® is known for a large variety of textures and colors. Unfortunately, many products on the market use harsh chemicals,like dyes and bleaches, to produce their colors and styles. These chemicals then enter the environment through non-recycled,unfiltered water. After much research, Bohyme® was able to develop processes that allow us to create even more colors and textures without harming the natural world, while at the same time resulting in high-quality, long-lasting products.
How do we do create Bohyme® hair without chemicals?
| WAVE PATTERNS | COLORS |
| No chemicals are used to create our wave patterns. We use a heat rod and steam technique. The pattern loosens over time through wear and wash. | All of our shades are made using high-grade food dyes and a gentle bath. Hair soaks for 21 to 40 days to ensure the cuticles stay intact. This process minimizes hair damage. Many other companies bleach and color in just a few days, which doesn’t preserve the health of the hair. |
preventing wastewater pollution
At Bohyme®, we aim to ensure the sustainable use of water by preserving water circulation in our systems.
Our production sites have been working to reduce water consumption since they were established. In order to make more effective use of water, we’ve made capital investments, particularly in water circulation equipment.
We have all heard about the $532 billion that the beauty industry wastes on water, while water shortages are expected to seriously impact two billion people by 2025. Through research and multiple educational sources, we found that the entire hair extensions industry’s use of traditional hair cleaning and processing methods throws out and wastes millions of gallons of water each year. With the hair extensions and wig industry growing fast and without implementing important changes, these numbers will be much worse. If this water usage trend continues, water poverty is set to impact two-thirds of the population by 2025.
To combat this wastewater issue, we worked together with an environmental tech company overseas and invested our capital to install special water treatment equipment in our factory. This equipment allows us to recycle wastewater and use it up to 10 more times before it’s disposed. Our factory has formal EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) approval and invests resources annually to come up with innovative ways to treat and eliminate pollution caused by wastewater.
water recycling stages
| 1. Removing oil and large particles | The first step of recycling wastewater is to remove any oil and large particles from the water. This first step is possible thanks to the combined efforts of the triple interceptor and oil separator. A triple interceptor is a three-compartment tank where water flows from the first compartment to the second, and then from the second to the third. The main purpose of a triple interceptor is to allow time for any particles to sink to the bottom of the first compartment. Once wastewater has gone through a triple interceptor, it enters the oil and water separator. Since oil is less dense than water it will float to the top of the tank, where it can be collected and removed. |
| 2. Filtration | After oil and large particles have been removed, the wastewater is placed into a process tank where it is stored before being pumped into a filtration system tank. The first stage consists of the filtration system. Water is pushed with high pressure through sand and other granular particles to remove any large particles still present in the water. To ensure that the required maximum particle size is achieved, water is then put through a three-stage cartridge filtration, capable of reducing sediment size to 1 micron. |
| 3. Removing chemicals | The next step in the water recycling system depends on the presence, type, and amount of surfactants in the water. Surfactants are commonly found in hair detergents and dyes. Manufacturers have created fast-breaking detergents, which lower the water surface tension, allowing water and soil to emulsify. After some time has passed, the surface tension returns to normal allowing the separation of water and soil. Our system treats this water in a tank using bacteria to decompose the detergent. |
| 4. Sterilization | Once the water is free of detergents, the sterilization phase begins. Wastewater is full of disease-causing organisms, viruses, parasites, and bacteria that are found in poor-quality water. Our system utilizes UV sterilization by running water under UV light rays. After this, the water is ready to be reused to clean and treat the next batch of hair. |
reducing waste
Bohyme® employs a strong strategy toreduce waste from every facet of our company. We continue to implement important strategic initiatives that reduce our environmental footprintto optimize our resource use and minimize waste.
Forests are vital to our planet. They provide clean air and water, reduce climate change, and support those who depend on forest ecosystems for food, fresh water, clothing, medicine and shelter. Unfortunately, with every passing minute, forests are being destroyed, leading to the loss of millions of acres annually. It is Bohyme’s duty to think of as many ways as possible to reduce waste. We started with our paper use and product packaging.
PACKAGING
Since 2014, we’ve worked on reducing the size, weight, and production waste from packaging. We continuously challenge our packaging partners to offer packaging that can be recycled whenever possible.
All parts of the packaging for our newest collection, Ethos®, are created with fully recyclable materials, even plastic bags.
PRINTING
Instead of printing catalogs and brochures, we’ve created downloadable resources. All information about our products is available on our websites and we’ll supply printed versions by special request.
Bohyme® implemented a no paper policy for internal operations. We utilize digital forms, invoices, and fulfillment documents. With this positive step, we’ve reduced 85% of all paper use.
SHIPPING
In our warehouse, we reuse, donate and recycle shipping boxes creatively to reduce waste.
All pick-up orders are packed in recyclable paper bags. We don’t use any fillers in shipments and our fulfillment team cuts each package to size. This leads to less waste and lower shipping rates for our clients!
PRODUCT
Looking toward the future, while valuing tradition, Bohyme® products are created with techniques that minimize damaging machine output. The natural, healthy hair we use is ethically sourced and is always treated using organic, natural components.
While hair extensions are not 100% environmentally friendly, they are more than just a beauty accessory. For those who areexperiencing hair loss and other hair issues, extensions are a life-changing product and it’s our goal to deliver these products ina way that doesn’t hurt the environment on a large scale. We have designed a pure product that lasts longer than others on themarket. Our hair does not contain mixed batches, so we significantly cut back on shedding and tangling. Bohyme® stands forprofessional grade, healthy human hair. Synthetic hair is never included. Our hair is easy to style and designed to last for well over ayear with proper maintenance.
ethical sourcing
It all begins in the remote regions of Western China. These particular areas provide the ideal climate for healthy hair and are far removed from modern hair care that contains harmful ingredients. Bohyme® hair is voluntarily donated and/or sold for fair compensation. This is a crucial requirement as we believe that each participant is just as important as the next.
Our production sites have been working to reduce water consumption since they were established. To make more effective use of water, we’ve made capital investments, particularly in water circulation equipment.
We continuously work to ensure supplier traceability by conducting supplier assessments and audits. Our factories overseas have to possess a government certifications, regarding both the conditions of the people donating\selling hair and traceability. Since Bohyme sells single donor hair, each 4-ounce bundle of hair must be associated with the area and the people from where it came. If the sourcing can’t be certified, we do not continue business with them for ethical reasons and because we can’t guarantee this hair will be able to achieve the high quality that Bohyme hair possesses.
ETHOS® WATER CHARITY
The Ethos® Impact /ĒTHÄS/
The characteristic spirit of a culture, era, or community as manifested in its beliefs and aspirations. Created with the purpose of making a positive impact, our Ethos® collection embodies a celebration of diverse cultures coming together in harmony.
What you wear can change the world In November 2020, we launched our newest collection, Ethos®, created with the highest quality hair from the remote villages of Shangri-La. We wanted to go back tour roots and make sure that this collection was made to be the best for the world.
The hair industry is not just about the products we use, but also the communities around us. This collection was created with people in mind and it helps us to support not only those who are involved in the hair industry but also people who need our helping hand the most, people who need water.
Ethos® symbolizes the details of how we’ve improved on fair wages and working environments of all of those involved, 100% recyclable packaging, wastewater treatment, and how part of the proceeds from the sales of Bohyme® Ethos® items are donated to a water charity.
we are proud to partner
Access to safe water is the foundation of community development.
Every day in rural communities throughout sub-Saharan Africa, millions of people suffer from a lack of access to clean, safe water. Nearly 1 in 10 people worldwide still have no access to clean water, which is twice the population of the United States. Without water you can’t grow food, you can’t build housing, you can’t stay healthy, you can’t stay in school and you can’t keep working.
Making safe water accessible improves the health of families and children. It keeps children in school and gives people back the time they’ve lost collecting water. Access to water reduces hunger. Schools can create gardens to feed students and reduce food costs. With clean water, communities grow and people build their future by starting businesses and improving their homes.
FACTS:
- Diseases from dirty water kill more people every year than all forms of violence, including war.
- 43% of those deaths are children under 5 years old. Access to clean water can save around 16,000 lives every week.
- In Africa alone, women spend 40 billion hours a year walking for water. Women are responsible for 72% of the water collected in Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Girls under the age of 15 are twice as likely as boys to be the family member responsible for fetching water. That makes it impossible for them to get education.
- Without latrines in schools, girls have to stay home for one week out of every month.
Through our Bohyme Ethos® collection, we have been able to pro-vide communities access to clean drinking water and sanitation. We honestly wouldn’t have been able to do all of this without the continuous support from our distributors, hair professionals and clients who wear Bohyme Ethos®. With everyone’s help, we hope as a community to provide access to clean, safe and reliable water across sub-Saharian Africa, where it’s most needed.
Ethos® water charity impact
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we covered 50% of the shipping costs for all orders.
& positively impacted
6,480
gallons of water
473
families
how can individuals make a difference?
Environmental issues and poor labor practices are important topics we’ve been focusing on and taking the steps needed to make a positive impact. We hope our actions inspire others to make changes in any way they can.
The dramatic growth of the hair extensions industry gives it enormous power. Every day, thousands of independent hairstylists and salon owners order hair extensions for their clients. They decide which brands to work with and choose which products to support.
Will they choose brands who care for people and our planet or will it be brands who just want a profit, no matter the cost?
When we form strong partnerships with people who care, we can make a difference in communities around the globe together.
We encourage everyone in the hair extensions industry to fight for a better future for us and the next generations. By making small changes everyday and supporting those who want to make a difference, we can inspire everyone in the hair industry to make positive changes.