Eco-Tattooing

I knew I wanted tattoos and began planning what tattoos I wanted where when I was in my first year of university. Little did I know, 6 years later, I would be the artist bringing these visions to life on myself, and on other people.

Stick-and-poke, or hand-poked tattoos were the jumping off point for my own experience in tattoos, before I picked up the needle myself. I got two hand-poked pieces on my arms, then got two machine tattoos on my hands, and from there I decided that I wanted to learn the techniques and history of tattooing. The more I learned, the more I became conscious of the amount of waste there is in the tattooing industry. As someone who tries to be as eco-friendly in everything I do, I began to research ways to make tattooing a more eco-conscious practice.

Obviously I had done my blood borne pathogens training and certification, so I was aware pretty early on that completely eliminating waste is impossible while also keeping up sanitation standards. There were ways, however, that I could at least make sure that the majority of the trash that came from a tattoo session would leave less of a lasting mark on the environment.

I researched various suppliers from around Ontario and found some that had the same goals that I did when it came to green-tattooing. I ended up getting a variety of items from Good Judy, a Toronto based tattoo supply shop that does the due diligence of breaking down all the details of how and why their products are eco-friendly. Whether they are bio-degradable or compostable, their products grabbed my attention.

In a session I'll use several items from Good Judy like ink caps, gloves, barrier film, and razors. I also have bio-degradable garbage bags from Terra 20, an organization we have in Ottawa that helps you to find green products for your day-to-day life. That way, everything that I throw away during or after an appointment will have much shorter break-down times compared to regular store-bought brands.

(Things like needles, for safety reasons, will always be disposed of in a sharps box.)

When it comes to set-up and clean up I decided on an eco-friendly, hospital-grade cleaner: Benefect Disinfectant, and more recently I've learned of a few tattoo artists who have also switched over to it!

I continue to research new ways to be more eco-friendly in my practice in terms of my supplies, but there are other ways to be eco-conscious when it comes to this service. More recently I have reached out to a brand called CloudPaper that makes paper towel out of bamboo, which is a much more eco-friendly option than classic paper towel companies offer. Unfortunately, they don't currently ship to Canada, but that is subject to change in the coming year.

Being eco-aware runs deeper than the products used. Climate change impacts a number of marginalized communities around the world. Through my practice I wanted to make my offerings accessible to those who may face financial barriers that come from capitalist and patriarchal structures within our society. These structures directly fuel climate change and negatively impact the natural world as well as members low-income and marginalized communities. In order to continue my eco-conscious practice when it comes to tattooing, I wanted to include a variety of accessibility options.

At this point in my practice that means a number of things. Firstly, it means creating a safe space that prioritizes consent and putting choice into the hands of the client. It means offering nourishment before a tattoo to make sure someone is fed, hydrated, and ready for their session. It can look like offering cushions, blankets, or supports for the body throughout the appointment. It can look like a personalized ceremony option to mark a change or acknowledge personal strength when someone needs it most. Or, it may be where money isn't the currency at all; I offer a full or half barter system to clients who would like a tattoo and may feel more financially comfortable offering something other than money. And if someone wants to pay with money, but is financially strained, there is also an option for payment instalments over a certain period to lessen the stress of paying all at once.

Tattoos are a wonderful form of self-expression that is permanent, but the industry has a tendency to create a lot of waste. Eco-tattooing offers a new way of tattooing that stays permanent on your skin, without being so permanent on the planet.