Hair, it knows them. Capillum, a startup founded a year ago by two Clermont residents, specializes in recycling leftover hair, which they collect from hairdressers. This waste can be used for ecological purposes. “The hair is hydrophobic and oleophilic, explains James Taylor, co-founder of Capillum. They can absorb up to 8 times their weight in hydrocarbons. When we learned that there was this ecological tragedy in Mauritius, we said to ourselves: clearly, we must react. “
On July 25, a Japanese shipowner’s boat ran aground on a reef off the island, with 4,000 tonnes of fuel and diesel on board. The tanks were pumped out, but 800 tonnes of fuel oil spilled into the sea, according to the Prime Minister of Mauritius, Pravind Jugnauth.
National collection and beyond
Since their installation a year ago, the two Clermontois de Capillum mainly recycled the remains of hairdressers from Auvergne. James Taylor and his partner Clément Baldellou are launching a large-scale operation this time. “We have this ability to unite, because we are present in the hairdressing sector, we already have hairdressers who are committed.”
To do this, they can count on the Urby logistics platform network, a subsidiary of La Poste, which has made its warehouses available free of charge in 15 cities in France, from Clermont to Nantes, via Saint-Etienne, Marseille, Grenoble and Strasbourg. The collection is open to hairdressing professionals, but also to individuals.
Collection points in Île-de-France
Capillum receives many messages of support, beyond French borders: “There are people organizing in Belgium, Luxembourg, UK and even Dubai.”, lists James Taylor. This enthusiasm touches the two men who hope to be able to organize collections there.
The next step will be to open one or more collection points in Île-de-France. Capillum does not yet know the deadline for depositing the hair, nor the expected quantity: “We are working in partnership with the NGO Project Rescue Ocean, which has a branch in Mauritius. We are therefore kept informed in real time of the situation on the spot, but even the local actors do not know the time that will take. absorption of this oil spill. “
The startup is also in discussions with airlines to find a way to transport tens, if not hundreds, of pounds of hair to Mauritius.
In Clermont, collection is open from Monday to Saturday from 9:30 am to 6 pm at the Urby warehouse located at 17, avenue Carnot. All hair types and lengths are accepted.
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