Is it possible to get a real eco-friendly tattoo?

Although there are many tattoo studios that are environmentally conscious with artists passionate about doing their part for the environment, a tattoo session can sometimes inevitably fill a trash bag full of waste, and for the most part, the waste produced is sanitary waste that must be disposed of properly. The tattooing procedure requires a lot of single-use disposable materials, such as paper towels, ink cups, cable sleeves, cling film, couch rolls, bottles and gloves, to name a few. With more and more studios using disposables and leaving autoclaves in the past, it's not always easy to keep waste to a minimum, however there are ways we can combat some of the issues and provide a more sustainable tattoo environment.

There seems to be a lot of environmental awareness within the tattoo industry, with many tattoo artists and collectors being vegan and doing their best to live a cruelty-free lifestyle. Ethical consumption includes things like only buying clothing and cleaning products that are sustainable, and this also extends to tattoo supplies and inks.

While of course, getting rid of waste is an unavoidable aspect of the job, that doesn't mean that all consumables have to be environmentally hostile. Fortunately, we're seeing an increase in the number of affordable eco-friendly items that can go a long way when it comes to reducing your carbon footprint. For example, Ecotat's products are made from naturally sourced, plant-based, renewable materials and are an eco-friendly alternative to their single-use, fossil fuel-derived plastic counterparts. Ecotat's clipcord covers are thinner than usual but just as durable, so using them will minimize your environmental impact while tattooing.

Plastic ink cups are also something artists use every day and are being replaced by eco-friendly ink cups made from natural paper pulp, giving artists a much more sustainable alternative to plastic (coming soon to the store).

A wide range of cruelty-free and vegan-friendly tattoo supplies are also now available including tattoo inks, stencil paper, tattoo creams, aftercare and more.

Ethical and cruelty-free consumption is more sustainable for both the artist and the client, which is why more and more studios are trying to implement an exclusively vegan and cruelty-free tattoo setup.

While there is still a long way to go for the tattoo world to be 100% eco-friendly, the industry is making big steps towards a more sustainable environment that is better for the planet.