Saco

What Saco does

Saco (operating as Sacohair and SACO) is a Montreal-based, privately held haircare company that develops, manufactures, and sells professional-grade hair products and education services to a dual consumer and professional audience. Founded in 2005 by Aldo Furfaro with co-founder Richard Ashforth as product designer, the company runs an e-commerce-first distribution model through a Shopify-powered website (sacohair.com) that ships vegan and cruelty-free formulations to all 50 US states, Canada, Mexico, and additional international destinations, with multilingual support in English, French, and Spanish.

The product portfolio spans 105+ in-stock SKUs organized around hair concern rather than demographics: Densifying, Hydrating, Revitalizing, and Color shampoo and conditioner lines; treatments including Re-Build (Hydrolyzed Keratin), Intense Repair Mask, Intense Hydrating Mask, and the Hair Density Complex; styling products such as Volume Mousse, Primer, BIG, Silk Smooth, Re-Shape, Re-Form, Lift Up, and Sheer Firm Hold Flexible Spray; the AKA ammonia-free, PPD-free professional permanent color line with matching developers; jumbo 1050ml formats; and professional accessories including co-designed brushes. Underlying formulation technology emphasizes botanical actives (Aloe Vera, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Phyto Keratin, Amla, Babassu Oil, Coconut Oil, Chinese Skullcap, Saw Palmetto) and a clean-chemistry positioning free from sulfates, parabens, ammonia, PPD, and silicones.

The business model combines three revenue streams: direct-to-consumer product sales (typical price band $26-$76 per unit) through Shopify with promotional bundles such as Buy 2 Get 1 Free; B2B professional salon and academy supply of professional-grade product and tools; and professional education through SACO Education, which delivers in-person courses ranging from 2-day barber foundations ($500) to 3-day cutting/color courses ($700) to a 24-week international diploma ($9,000) at academies in Montreal, London, and Los Angeles. The company is founder-owned with no disclosed external funding, and continues to actively publish product and education content while exploring a franchise model for further distribution.

Name

Saco

Legal name

Sacohair

Website

https://sacohair.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Saco is a Montreal-based e-commerce haircare company selling vegan, professional-grade shampoos, conditioners, color, and styling products to consumers and salons, and operating in-person hairdressing education academies in Montreal, London, and Los Angeles.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Haircare Products

NAICS

Cosmetics, Beauty Supplies, and Perfume Retailers (456120)

SIC

Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844)

akta.pro primary industry

Professional Hair Care (Shampoo, Conditioner, Treatments) (CRABALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Shampoo & Scalp Cleansers (CRABABAA), Professional/Salon Haircare (Backbar & Retail) (CRABABAK), Conditioners & Hair Masks (CRABABAB), Hair Care (Shampoo, Conditioner, Styling, Treatments) (CRADANAE)

Keywords

• Professional haircare products
• Vegan shampoo conditioner
• Ammonia-free hair color
• Hairdressing education courses
• Salon professional supplies

Headquarters

HQ city

Montréal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Consumer Haircare Products: Direct-to-consumer sales of professional-grade haircare products including shampoos, conditioners, styling products, and treatments. E-commerce channel with shipping to USA, Canada, and international customers. Products sold at various price points from $10 to $76 for standard sizes, with jumbo sizes available.
2. Professional Education Courses: Professional hairdressing education programs ranging from 3-day foundation courses ($700) to 24-week diploma programs ($9,000). In-person training offered in Montreal, London, and Los Angeles. Includes SACO 123 Cutting Method certification and barbering courses.
3. Professional Salon Products: B2B sales of professional-grade products to salons and academies. Includes the AKA professional color line with developers and accessories. Professional tools including brushes, scissors, and salon equipment.
4. Tutorial DVDs and Educational Materials: Sale of instructional DVD collections showcasing haircutting and coloring techniques. Collections include themed releases from 2004 to 2015 covering various styling methods.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Saco manufactures and sells professional-grade vegan, cruelty-free haircare products — including shampoos, conditioners, treatments, styling products, and the AKA ammonia-free permanent hair color line — directly to consumers via its Shopify e-commerce site and to salons and stylists via a B2B channel. The company also delivers paid professional hairdressing education programs ranging from short foundation courses to a 24-week diploma, taught in academies in Montreal, London, and Los Angeles.

Product overview

Saco (Sacohair) is a Canadian haircare company based in Montreal, Quebec, offering a comprehensive range of professional haircare products and education services. The product portfolio includes shampoo and conditioner lines (Densifying, Hydrating, Revitalizing, Color) addressing hair concerns from volume and density to hydration and color protection; treatment products (Re-Build, Intense Repair Mask, Intense Hydrating Mask, Hair Density Complex); styling products (Volume Mousse, Primer, BIG, Silk Smooth, Re-Shape, Re-Form, Lift Up, Sheer Firm Hold Flexible Spray); professional hair color (AKA Color line with ammonia-free permanent dyes in various shades and corresponding developers); jumbo-sized value formats; professional accessories (paddle brushes, round brushes, barber brushes); and professional education services including the 24-week BEGINNERS diploma program, FOUNDATION 123 cutting course, COLOUR FOUNDATION course, and BARBER COURSE. The company emphasizes 100% vegan and cruelty-free formulations, with many products free from sulfates, parabens, and other harsh chemicals. Saco positions itself as both a product brand and a globally recognized hairdressing academy with over 22 years of experience in professional hair education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AKA Color: Ammonia-free professional hair color line with 100% vegan formulation and recyclable packaging.
• SACO Education

Products and services

• Densifying Shampoo
• Hydrating Shampoo Delivers instant moisture to nourish and strengthen hair, re-hydrating and leaving hair smooth, shiny, and softer; for consumers with dry, coarse, or brittle hair.
• Revitalizing Shampoo Rejuvenates and cleanses hair and scalp, delivering instant moisture, strengthening follicles, creating shine, and stimulating scalp circulation.
• Color Shampoo Shields hair from color fade, preserving depth and vibrancy while leaving hair soft, smooth, and shiny.
• Densifying Conditioner Strengthens and thickens hair, coats with a protective layer to prevent damage and breakage, and improves volume.
• Hydrating Conditioner Further nourishes and strengthens hair, re-hydrating and coating with a protective layer to strengthen weakened hair barriers.
• Revitalizing Conditioner Rejuvenates hair and scalp, delivering instant moisture and a protective layer that nourishes and stimulates scalp circulation.
• Color Conditioner Seals in color, protects vibrancy and shine, and leaves hair soft and smooth.
• Volume Mousse Adds instant volume, fullness, and texture with a weightless non-sticky formula and flexible hold; conditions hair for softness, control, and shine.
• SACO Primer Detangles hair, provides heat protection, and conditions; positioned as a signature product in the SACO line.
• BIG Increases volume and adds fullness to hair on both men and women with a signature fragrance.
• Silk Smooth Makes hair smooth and soft and supports sleek styling finishes.
• Re-Build Treatment Protects, repairs, and reinforces dry and damaged hair, improving shine and blow-out time; contains Hydrolyzed Keratin rich in cysteine to repair damage and reduce breakage.
• Intense Repair Mask Deep conditioning treatment that rejuvenates very damaged, dry hair, transforming it into healthy, shiny, voluminous hair; sulfate-free, paraben-free, vegan, fragrance-free.
• Intense Hydrating Mask Restores elasticity, improves texture, shine, and manageability, leaving hair shiny, smooth, and hydrated.
• Hair Density Complex Leave-in treatment designed to improve hair density, thickness, and overall health, stimulate hair roots and follicles, and reduce hair loss; visible results in 6-8 weeks with consistent use.
• Re-Shape Matte clay strong-hold styler that shapes hair, adds texture, body, and manageability for sculpted looks.
• Re-Form Matte textured paste that shapes and sculpts small to mid-length hair into textured looks.
• Lift Up Volume powder that creates big volume and texture on dry or damp hair for instant lift at roots, mid-length, and ends.
• Sheer Firm Hold Flexible Spray Fine-mist weightless brushable hairspray that delivers lasting hold with a smooth, shiny finish thanks to Jojoba Seed Oil.
• AKA Color (Professional Ammonia-Free Permanent Hair Color) 100% vegan permanent hair color line free from ammonia, PPD, resorcinol, parabens, SLS/SLES, mineral oil, and silicones; contains Phyto keratin, anti-aging complex, argan oil, peach kernel oil, and olive oil; available in naturals, ash, gold, copper, red, violet, and pearl shades with 100% recyclable packaging.
• AKA Developer (10 & 20 Volume) 10 Volume (3%) and 20 Volume (6%) developers designed for AKA ammonia-free color to achieve optimal color results, enhanced grey blending, and a creamy consistency for easier mixing.
• Jumbo Size Haircare (1050ml) 1050ml jumbo-size value versions of popular Hydrating, Densifying, Revitalizing, and Color shampoos and conditioners for regular users.
• SACO Paddle Brush Professional 7-row paddle brush recommended for square face shapes and standard blow-drying/styling.
• Broom Neck Barber Brush Vintage 1950s-style wooden neck broom that slips into a pocket and removes cut hair from clients' necks; designed by Richard Ashforth.
• SACO Round Brushes Wood T-Two 50mm diameter, 26cm long round wooden brush with angled implantation and ergonomic handle with aerator hole; ideal for blow-drying and styling.
• SACO Round Long Brush 50mm diameter, 26cm long antistatic round brush with mixed nylon and wild boar bristles; ideal for mid-length smoothing, with ergonomic handle and aerator hole.
• BEGINNERS 24-Week Diploma Program Five-stage 24-week in-person diploma program covering foundations, color, cutting, perming, highlights, and salon practice; includes a tool kit and 1-year access to training videos. Priced at $9,000 USD and delivered in Los Angeles (and at SACO academies).
• FOUNDATION 123 Course 3-day intensive hands-on course teaching core SACO cutting techniques (lines, layering, graduation) for stylists who want to refine technical skill across all hair types. Priced at $700 USD.
• COLOUR FOUNDATION Course 3-day comprehensive course covering color selection, application, and placement from basics to advanced techniques, taught by specialized colourists through lectures, demonstrations, and work sessions. Priced at $700 USD.
• BARBER COURSE Salon Foundation 2-day men's hair design course building on the iconic SACO Barbering series, covering invisible disconnection, reverse layering, refined clipper work, and precision scissor-over-comb. Priced at $500 USD and delivered in London and Montreal.
• SACO Instructional DVD Collection Collection of instructional DVDs covering haircutting and coloring techniques across multiple themed releases from 2004 to 2015 (Blacklight, Strict, Sphere, Dollhouse, Primary, Curve, X, Control, Light, Pulse, Decoys, Colors Foundations); individual DVDs priced $12-$90 USD, foundation packs $180-$270 USD.

Quantifiable outcome

• Visible results in 6-8 weeks with consistent use of Hair Density Complex
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Richard AshforthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRenowned hairstylist who created professional brush designs for SACO including the Round Brush Wood T-Two and Broom Neck Barber Brush. His high-end brush concepts are part of SACO's professional tool line.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Olaplex: Bond-building professional haircare brand with strong DTC + salon distribution and an emphasis on treatment-led efficacy. Closely comparable to Saco on positioning professional-grade chemistry (Hydrolyzed Keratin vs Olaplex's bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate) into the consumer market.
• Moroccanoil: Professional argan-oil-driven haircare brand sold through salons and DTC worldwide, with strong education and brand-marketing engine. Mirrors Saco's pro-channel + e-commerce model and its identity as both a product company and an educator.
• R+Co: Pro-grade haircare brand with a distinctive design-driven identity, sold through high-end salons and DTC. Comparable to Saco on the pro-channel-first positioning with crossover consumer appeal and on education-led brand building.
• amika: Brooklyn-based professional haircare brand sold through salons, DTC, and Sephora with a strong education and influencer program. Directly comparable to Saco in terms of pro-channel roots, vegan-friendly formulations, and youthful branding directed at stylists and consumers alike.
• Living Proof: Science-led professional haircare brand (now under Unilever) with patented polymers and a salon-plus-DTC distribution model. Comparable to Saco on positioning technology-forward, multi-concern hair solutions to both stylists and end consumers.

Broad incumbents

• Pureology: L'Oréal-owned professional color-care brand specializing in sulfate-free, vegan formulas for color-treated hair. Competes with Saco's color-protect shampoo/conditioner range and AKA ammonia-free color line at the premium pro-channel tier.
• Kérastase: L'Oréal-owned luxury professional haircare brand with a deep salon-distribution footprint, education programs (Kérastase Institute), and broad treatment portfolio. Comparable to Saco on the pro-grade + education-led model, but at substantially larger scale.
• Wella Professionals: Global professional hair color and care house (Wella, Koleston, Illumina) with deep salon channel and education network. Directly comparable to Saco's AKA color business and academy-style education programs, though at global mass-pro scale.
• Schwarzkopf Professional: Henkel-owned global professional color and care brand with comprehensive academy programs and salon distribution. Comparable to Saco on the combination of professional color lines, education, and consumer hair solutions — though at much greater scale and geographic reach.

Emerging players

• Briogeo: DTC-native, clean-ingredient haircare brand built on botanical formulations and Sephora distribution. Comparable to Saco on a vegan/clean-beauty positioning toward ingredient-conscious consumers, though without Saco's salon channel or education business.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/sacohaircare
• Instagraminstagram.com/sacohaircare?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
• Xx.com/sacohairsalon
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/saco-hair

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Saco