Hairstory has announced it has received a growth investment from Summit Partners. 

The partnership will enable the company to accelerate investments in sustainable formulations and packaging, expand its hairdresser community.

Hairstory also helps to communicate to consumers the fact that “shampoo is the enemy of good hair.”

Sustainability is in its DNA

Sustainability and the environment are core to the brand’s DNA. Hairstory products are delivered in recyclable, refill pouches. 

The company’s subscription platform, the Refill Club, enables customers to consume nearly 90% less plastic and produce 80%+ fewer CO2 emissions during cleansing as compared with traditional haircare products. 

New Wash is biodegradable. The company also donates 1% of the proceeds from every 8-ounce pouch sale to water-related causes.

Halliwell says, “We are passionate about the environment and challenged ourselves to think differently about our environmental footprint from the start.”

Halliwell continues, “One of the biggest opportunities we identified was our ability to reduce plastic consumption. We launched with refill pouches for our subscriptions at the outset and quickly realized people were ok abandoning their plastic bottles, so we switched everything over to refill pouches. We are just starting to apply the same strategy to our styling products and our goal is to be the first beauty company to be 100% refillable.”

More About Hairstory

Hairstory was founded in 2015 by a team of haircare industry veterans dedicated to helping people rethink everything about hair. Hairstory’s core product, New Wash, cleans hair without any detergent, ending what the company sees as a vicious cycle of over-cleansing created by shampoo.

The company’s foundational belief is that cleansing without shampoo is healthier for the hair and scalp while also safer for the environment. The cult brand has built a loyal following of enthusiasts as New Wash has helped to change their relationship with their hair.

Eli Halliwell, says, “Our customers are consistently telling us that they suddenly start getting unsolicited compliments on their hair when they switch. It is hard to believe removing shampoo from the equation can make such a difference, but it does.”

Growing the Company

Melanie Whelan, a managing director with Summit Partners who has joined the company’s board of directors, adds, “We believe Hairstory’s differentiated and effective products, customer loyalty, profitability, and consistently smart and deliberate growth decisions make them a rare brand.”

Under Eli’s leadership, Hairstory will carry on with its mission to rethink everything about hair, enable sustainable hair cleansing and empower hairstylists from its NYC headquarters.