Algae Mini Jaw Clip in Black, $18, The Barrette Factory
Hmmm, uses for algae: biofuel, fertilizer, food…hair accessories??? That’s right, Hollywood-based unique hair accessories company, The Barrette Factory, is launching its very first collection of glamorous plastic barrettes, thin headbands, and French hair pins, all made lovingly with Algae Bioplastics developed by Cereplast®.
The Barrette Factory is the latest label created by Jane Gauthier, the designer behind the luxury hair accessories brand Dominique Duval. With an emphasis on hand-selected, innovative materials from France and Italy, she has earned a reputation over the last decade for her products’ luxe quality and her trendsetting style. Jane reintroduced the classic grosgrain bow headbands and launched them at Bergdorf Goodman in early 2000, which were inspired by the children’s book heroine, Madeline. The trend exploded even further several years later with the success of the television show Gossip Girl, which stories the lives of Manhattan’s most envied fashion mavens.
Dominique Duval's Classic Grosgrain Headband with Bow introduced in early 2000 at Bergdorf Goodman
So what makes the two brands distinct and special? The Dominique Duval collection has a “soft” quality to it (think luxurious leathers, plush fabrics and draped gems), while the pieces that belong to The Barrette Factory’s repertoire are “hard,” including jaw clips, plastic headbands, and molded barrettes.
Algae Star Slide Barrette in Black, $15, The Barrette Factory
Algae Butterfly Barrette in Brown, $18, The Barrette Factory
The Barrette Factory’s concept was still brewing when Jane caught wind of a new material that had never been used before. A plastic made from algae. Not only did that spark her creative interest, but it also whet her entrepreneurial appetite to try something new, exciting, and “dangerous” for her new venture. The danger, of course, lay in questions like, “What if this doesn’t work? What if I lose my investment on the development of this product? What if my clients don’t like it?”
Well, as it turns out, Cereplast’s Algae Bioplastic worked magnificently for The Barrette Factory’s first collection, which debuted in April 2011. Jane comments, “The algae feels soft and silky like nature coupled with an almost “rubbery” flexibility that gives the hair accessories grip and are much more comfortable to wear. And the fact that bioplastics are derived from algae which is a sustainable, eco-friendly material that’s a better choice for the world, well, that’s just brilliant.”
Algae Skinny Headband in Brown, $22, The Barrette Factory
The algae hair accessories are available in brown and black. Some pieces display naturally-occurring textural marks that give the clips the appearance of wood! There are a variety of styles to choose from, including jaw clips in different sizes, skinny headbands, parrot’s beak style clips (my favorite!), French hair pins, and barrettes. They are priced between $12 and $28, and you can shop for them at www.thebarrettefactory.com.
Algae Parrot’s Beak in Brown, $25, The Barrette Factory
Algae French Hair Pin in Black, $22, The Barrette Factory
