Canadian Business – How to Do Business Better Canadian Business – How to Do Business Better

  • People
  • Ideas
  • Design
  • Podcasts
  • Newsletter
Canadian Business – How to Do Business Better
  • People
  • Ideas
  • Design
  • About



Design

Workspace of the Month: Inside Indigenous-owned Skincare Brand Wildcraft

The workspace keeps production, development and marketing all under one roof
A worker at Wildcraft's studio in Toronto
Wildcraft's products are all made in Toronto (Photography: Wildcraft)
By Laura Hensley
Mar 17, 2022

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 ample 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. Wildcraft skincare products are carried by retailers across Canada and the U.S., as well as sold directly through the brand’s website. “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.

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 U.S.
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.
Laura Hensley
Laura Hensley

More Like This

Ecologyst's retail store in Victoria
Design

Workspace of the Month: Inside the Minimalist Studio of Sustainable Apparel Brand Ecologyst

A collage of eco-friendly items
Design

10 Smart Eco-Friendly Swaps for Items You Use Every Day

A photo of Ember founder Amanda Schuler
People

Why Gus* Modern Co-Founder Amanda Schuler Pivoted from Furniture to Skincare

A white made in Canada sweatshirt and a leather makeup bag
Design

Made-in-Canada Gifts Designed to Bring Joy

A photo of the mural wall inside Universal Music Canada's Toronto office
Design

Workspace of the Month: Inside the Cool New Campus of Universal Music Canada

Neon purple lights inside an office building saying "Alley"
Design

Workspace of the Week: Inside Architecture Firm BDP Quadrangle’s New Downtown Toronto Studio

The New Innovators
The New Innovators

The New Innovators

The front desk of the Canada Goose headquarters in Toronto
Design

Workspace of the Week: Inside Canada Goose’s Museum-Like Waterfront Office in Toronto

A photo of inside Microsoft Canada's Toronto office
Design

Workspace of the Month: Microsoft Canada’s New Tech-First Headquarters

Value gift sets: dog gear
Design

14 Value Gift Sets to Stretch Every Dollar This Holiday Season

St. Joseph Communications
Canadian BusinessChatelaineFASHIONHello! CanadaMaclean’sToday’s ParentToronto Life

© 2024 SJC
Privacy Policy | Terms of Use

  • EXPLORE
    • People
    • Ideas
    • Design
  • LEARN MORE
    • About CB
    • Do Not Share My Info
    • Accessibility
    • Newsletter