Inside the Workspace of Natural Skincare Brand Wildcraft

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In our Workspace series, CB is featuring interesting, smart-designed and one-of-a-kind spaces across Canada. From innovative home offices to out-of-the-box co-working spaces to unconventional setups—like this beauty company run out of a rural farmhouse—we are looking to showcase the most unique and beautiful spaces from all industries. This month we are profiling natural skincare brand, Wildcraft.

The Toronto-based skincare company Wildcraft is big on sustainability. Founded in 2014 by Laura Whitaker, a Haudenosaunee woman and member of the Mohawk nation, the brand makes small-batch products, like eye serums, body scrubs and face creams, using natural and organic ingredients. Everything is made by hand and packaged in recyclable materials like glass, aluminum and paper.

The team of eight occupies two units in a commercial loft building in the city’s Little Portugal neighbourhood: One unit is an office space with a fulfillment studio where orders are packaged, and the other houses Wildcraft’s production and development lab. Inspired by Scandinavian minimalism, Wildcraft’s headquarters incorporates natural textures, like brick and wood, to complement the industrial aesthetic of exposed beams and concrete floors found in the building. Plants and greenery soak up the studio’s wide natural light. The goal when designing the units was to blend functionality with beauty and sustainability to create an eco-conscious work environment. “We have compost and recycling options in all of the studios, most furniture was sourced secondhand, and there are bins for reusable items like packing materials,” says Whitaker, who designed the workspace herself.

Even though staff move through the two separate spaces throughout the day, being in the same building allows for quick cross-functional work. “E-commerce and skincare are fast-paced environments with customer inquiries coming in and needing attention, so being together in our cozy workspace makes for a nice cohesive, collaborative environment,” says Whitaker. Wildcraft skincare products are carried by retailers across Canada and the US, as well as sold directly through the brand’s website.

Here’s a look inside Wildcraft’s workspace.

The inside of Wildcraft's Toronto studio
The entrance to the office space is airy and bright. In keeping with the brand’s commitment to sustainability, most furniture was sourced secondhand.
The main floor of Wildcraft's studio
Wildcraft’s office unit has two storeys. The commercial building is also used by other small businesses as well as artists and designers.
Wildcraft's studio where all its products are made by hand
All of Wildcraft’s products are made by hand in Toronto. When designing the production wing of the workspace, functionality, like maximizing vertical storage space, was top of mind.
A Wildcraft employee making a product by hand
Wildcraft makes small batches of fresh products that are shipped across Canada and the US
A shelf with ingredients for Wildcraft's products
The skincare line includes face serums, creams and cleansers, made from ingredients like honey, chamomile water and essential oils.
Natural ingredients used in Wildcraft's products
Wildcraft uses plant- or mineral-based ingredients that are 100 per cent natural and biodegradable.
Two Wildcraft employees working from their workspace
All eight team members work at the Toronto headquarters, including Wildcraft’s marketing manager, fulfillment coordinator, production assistant and founder.
A storage shelf at Wildcraft
Because Wildcraft’s products are made from natural ingredients, they have a shorter shelf life. All items are marked with the date they were made.
Orders are shipped in brown kraft materials that can be recycled. Customers also have the option to buy products without a box, further reducing the amount of packaging waste.


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