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Barbershop Culture, Inclusion and Textured Hair

Barbershops have always been more than just places to get a haircut. They are community spaces, social hubs, and for many people the only place they feel truly comfortable. But the industry has gaps. Training on textured hair is still patchy. Pricing practices can be discriminatory without the barber even realising. And not everyone feels welcome walking through the door. This guide covers what you need to know and what you can do about it.

Quick rule of thumb: price the cut, not the person. If your pricing changes based on who sits in the chair rather than what you are doing to their hair, you have a problem.

The barbershop as community space

The barbershop has served as a gathering place for centuries. Black barbershops in the UK trace their roots back to the 19th century, providing safe spaces for communities that were excluded from mainstream services. That tradition continues today.

For many men, the barbershop is their only regular social contact outside of work and home. The barber is their confidant. The waiting area is where they catch up with neighbours. The shop itself is a neutral ground where conversation flows more freely than almost anywhere else.

This matters because it means the atmosphere you create in your shop has a real impact on people's wellbeing. A barbershop where everyone feels welcome is doing more than cutting hair. It is holding a community together.

Textured hair and the training gap

Habia updated its National Occupational Standards (NOS) in 2021 to include all hair types, covering type 3 (curly) and type 4 (coily/kinky) textures. Before that update, the standard barbering curriculum focused almost entirely on straight and wavy hair.

The problem is that many barbers trained before 2021 never learned to work with textured hair properly. And even post-2021, the quality of textured hair training varies hugely between providers.

What this means in practice:

• Clients with Afro, Caribbean or mixed-heritage hair sometimes cannot find a barber who knows how to cut their hair properly.
• Some barbers turn away textured hair clients rather than admit they lack the skill. Others attempt it and do a poor job.
• Both outcomes are damaging. The first is exclusionary. The second risks the client's trust and your reputation.

What to do about it:

• Be honest about your skills. If you cannot cut textured hair well, say so. "I haven't had enough training on your hair type to do a good job. Let me recommend someone who can." That is respectful, not discriminatory.
• Get trained. Textured Hair Pro-Training and similar courses are available across the UK. The NHBF lists CPD options. Manufacturers like Andis and Wahl run cutting technique workshops that cover all hair types.
• Learn the basics. Understand the hair typing system (1A through 4C). Know the difference between cutting type 4 hair wet vs dry. Understand shrinkage. These are fundamental skills, not specialist ones.

Tip for new starters: If you are still in training, push your college or provider to cover all hair types. If they do not, supplement your learning. Watch tutorials from established barbers who work with textured hair. Practise on willing friends and family. This is not optional knowledge. It is core barbering.

Inclusive barbering: gender, disability and religion

Gender

Traditional barbershops marketed themselves as "men only." That is changing. More people who are not men want short haircuts, fades and barbering services. Trans and non-binary clients may feel unwelcome in shops that are heavily gendered in their branding and language.

The Equality Act 2010 protects people from discrimination based on gender reassignment. This means you cannot refuse service to someone because they are trans or non-binary.

Open Barbers in London is an example of a barbershop that explicitly welcomes all genders. You do not need to rebrand your entire shop, but small signals matter. Neutral language on your website. A simple "everyone welcome" on your door. Training your team to use the name and pronouns a client gives them.

Disability

• Make sure your shop is as accessible as possible. If you have steps, can you add a ramp?
• Barber chairs should be accessible from a wheelchair if your layout allows it.
• Clients with sensory processing differences may need a quieter environment. Consider offering early morning or late evening "quiet appointments."
• Ask, do not assume. "Is there anything I can do to make you more comfortable?" is always the right question.

Religion

Some clients have specific requirements. Sikh men who do not cut their hair but need beard care. Muslim clients who may prefer a male barber. Orthodox Jewish clients with sidelocks.

Respect these requirements. Ask questions if you are unsure. Clients will appreciate being asked rather than having assumptions made.

Pricing fairly

This is where barbershops get into legal trouble without realising it.

Gendered pricing. Charging different prices for "men's cuts" and "women's cuts" when the service is the same has been challenged under the Equality Act. The NHBF recommends moving to time-based or service-based pricing instead.

Hair type surcharges. Charging more for Afro or textured hair "because it takes longer" is a problem if your pricing does not reflect time for other hair types too. If a thick, curly head of straight hair takes 40 minutes and you charge the standard rate, but textured hair that takes 40 minutes gets a surcharge, that is not pricing by time. That is pricing by hair type.

The fair approach: time-tiered pricing.

This prices the work, not the person. It applies equally to everyone. A thick head of straight hair that takes 45 minutes costs the same as textured hair that takes 45 minutes.

Tip for new starters: Set up your price list using time tiers from day one. It is cleaner, fairer, and protects you from complaints or legal challenges. "Price the cut, not the person" is the NHBF's position and it is good advice.

Building an inclusive reputation

You do not need to make a big fuss about inclusivity. You just need to do it consistently.

• Show diversity in your portfolio. If your Instagram only shows one hair type, clients with other hair types will assume you cannot do theirs. Post a range of work.
• Use neutral language. "All welcome" on your window. Service descriptions that focus on the cut, not the gender.
• Train your team. Everyone in the shop needs to be on the same page. One barber making a comment about a client's gender or appearance undoes everything.
• Display a simple policy. "We welcome everyone. Discrimination of any kind is not tolerated in this shop." A small sign makes a big difference.
• Get feedback. Ask clients directly. "Did you feel comfortable today? Anything we could do better?" You will learn more from this than from any training course.

Dealing with discrimination FROM clients

This needs to be addressed because it happens.

Clients sometimes make racist, homophobic, transphobic or sexist comments in the chair or in the waiting area. Some barbers let it slide to avoid confrontation or because they are worried about losing a client.

You can refuse service to abusive clients. The Equality Act does not require you to tolerate abuse. You are not discriminating against someone by refusing to cut their hair because they are being verbally abusive to another client or to your staff.

How to handle it:

• Have a clear policy. "Respect everyone in this shop or you'll be asked to leave."
• Address it calmly. "I'm going to have to ask you to stop. We don't tolerate that kind of language here."
• If they do not stop, end the service. "I'm not going to be able to finish your cut today. You need to leave."
• Document it. Date, time, what was said, what you did. This protects you if there is a complaint.

Your staff and other clients deserve a safe environment. One disruptive client is not worth the damage they do to everyone else's experience.

What to do next

1. Review your price list. Is it based on the service and the time, or on the person? If it is gendered, switch to time-tiered pricing.
2. Look at your social media and portfolio. Does it show a range of hair types? If not, start building that range.
3. Check your training gaps. Can you confidently cut type 3 and type 4 hair? If not, book a CPD course.
4. Put a simple welcome sign up. "Everyone welcome." It costs nothing and it signals everything.
5. Talk to your team about how to handle abusive clients. Have a plan before it happens.

Who to Contact

• Equality Advisory Support Service (EASS): 0808 800 0082 (Free)
• ACAS (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service): 0300 123 1100 (Free)
• National Hair and Beauty Federation (NHBF): 01234 831965 (Paid - membership required)
• Habia (Hair and Beauty Industry Authority): habia.org (Free resources)
• Citizens Advice: 0800 144 8848 (Free)

Sources

• Habia National Occupational Standards update (2021)
• Equality Act 2010, legislation.gov.uk
• NHBF pricing guidance (2024)
• Open Barbers case study, openbarbers.com (2024)

Related Guides

• Accessibility Disability Inclusion
• Discrimination and Harassment
• Barbering Regulatory Requirements
• Choosing the Right Qualifications
• CPD and Upskilling
• Advertising Rules

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