Close

BRAND IDENTITY

The heru is a symbol of strength, growth and interconnection

HERU
A heru is a traditional ornamental comb of the Māori of New Zealand. They were carved from a solid piece of either wood or whale bone or made from individual teeth lashed together. They were used by men to fasten their long hair up into topknots.

KORU
The koru (Māori for ‘”loop or coil”‘) is a spiral shape based on the appearance of a new unfurling silver fern frond. It is an integral symbol in Māori art, carving and tattooing, where it symbolises new life, growth, strength and peace. Its shape “conveys the idea of perpetual movement,” while the inner coil “suggests returning to the point of origin”.

THE FOUR PRONGS OF THE HERU
The four prongs of the Heru represent the four Pillars of Strength that Hair & Barber New Zealand align with. Advocacy, Business, Creativity and Development. These foundation pillars give rise to two sides of the heru to create the combined strength of hairdressing and barbering. The two left and the two right prongs of the heru represent these two distinct parts of our industry, with hairdressing and barbering having their own unique history and skills but still have interconnection.

COLOURS IN THE KORU
The four colours in the koru on the Heru are nod to our Pillars of Strength and our Quality + Care programme, where salons and barber shops are able to show their commitment to industry values by achieving the different levels of Gold, Silver and Bronze. These salons and barber shops are running legitimate businesses, have qualified professional staff, use quality professional products, grow our industry by training staff to attain New Zealand qualifications. The Best Practice guidelines include fair pay rates and have sustainable practices to ensure their staff, clients, communities and the planet are all taken care of.