The overall process of getting a tattoo involves a whole lot of single-use products, right from razors, needles, ink caps, clip cord sleeves, machine bags and gloves. For hygiene reasons, a lot of these products need to be single-use to avoid cross-contamination amongst customers. However, not only does this lead to excessive waste, but these products aren’t often biodegradable leading to the accumulation of waste. Besides the single-use items involved in the tattooing process, conventional inks used aren’t very eco-friendly either. They often contain animal-derived products like glycerine, bone char and insect parts, as well as heavy metals like titanium oxide. Considering these will be in contact with your body and skin, tattoo inks may prove to be toxic in the long run, not to mention the strain animal-derived products cause on the environment.
The good news, however, is that tattoo artists across the globe are now turning to vegan, eco-friendlier alternatives for their equipment as well as inks. England-based Greenhouse Tattoo Studio has come out with conscious alternatives for ink caps- entirely plant-based ink caps made of a unique bio-based material called polylactic acid, derived from plants instead of fossil fuels. Not only does the manufacturing process emit 80 per cent less greenhouse gas, but it also uses 52 per cent less energy in the process. Black Hope Tattoo in Essex, England also used single-use tools like ink caps, clip cord sleeves and machine bags that are made from plant-based materials such as cassava, corn starch, sugar cane and beets. There’s also a range of vegan inks now easily available globally, that are made only with plant-based materials and are toxin-free/organic.
In August last year, India's First Vegan Tattoo Studio, Ahimsa Tattoo was launched in Mumbai that proves a fully vegan-friendly tattoo experience. At Ahimsa, they not only use vegan ink but also lubricants, stencils (which are often animal-derived) as well as razors and aftercare products that are vegan.
Image used for representational purposes only.