About
Our hand and body care formulations are organic, vegan and free from unnecessary ingredients. All of our formulations are manufactured, hand filled, and hand labelled in Melbourne, Australia.
Manifesto
As a mission-driven brand, we believe:
- That the world doesn’t need more; it needs better.
- That true luxury lies in patience, restraint, and artistry.
- In the power of human hands. Our products are filled, labelled and quality controlled by hand.
- That everyday objects can be transformed into statement pieces for the home.
- In longevity built on sustainable practices and conscious products.
- That the best ideas are found in quiet moments.
In Conversation
Slow beauty, bright future
“In a category that celebrates ’one sold every second’, WØRKS is proudly anti mass market. The beauty industry is one of the largest contributors to landfill, ocean pollution and climate change. Personal care products make up a significant portion of the problem due to plastic packaging and product disposability.
We founded WØRKS to disrupt this category by innovating across the entire supply chain – from eliminating plastic packaging through to responsible sourcing of raw materials and ingredient transparency. Because the world doesn't need more; it needs better.”
Suze Raymond, WØRKS Co-Founder
A meticulous design process
“With longevity in mind, timeless aesthetic is important. Our statement glass vessels have been designed with consideration for the product lifecycle, with particular attention paid to ever changing light play through the glass as the formulation inside is slowly emptied, then refilled.
This level of attention to detail is usually reserved for home accessories, which is what we believe our products to be. They are not consumables; they are objects of permanence.”
Christoffer Kjaergaard, WØRKS Co-Founder
What's In a NAme
Why WØRKS?
The name WØRKS comes from the word 'workshop' for its dual meanings: an establishment dedicated to craftsmanship and manufacture, and a coming together of minds to discuss and build new ideas.
Simply, WØRKS is a space of creativity and innovation.
As a nod to co-founder Christoffer’s Danish heritage, the inclusion of the Danish character Ø - the nation’s symbol for certified organic - speaks to our commitment to organic formulation.
Philosophy
The world doesn't need more; it needs better.
WØRKS is an ethical and environmentally conscious brand. Our products and processes are governed by a philosophy of ingredient transparency, responsible sourcing of raw materials, sustainable packaging, and minimalistic design that stands the test of time.
Not Another Hand Wash
Slow process liquid soap
Our organic liquid soaps are made using the traditional saponification technique that dates back thousands of years.
Under the stewardship of artisan technicians, our liquid soaps are formulated with 98% certified organic plant lipids and extracts using a slow process method that takes many weeks and requires exceptional skill.
This minimal intervention method results in a silky formulation with a rich lather that gently cleanses and removes impurities without stripping away moisture, disrupting barrier function, or destabilising your microbiome.
Our liquid hand and body soaps are 100% natural, biodegradable and vegan; free from synthetics, sulfates and parabens; suitable for sensitive skin; and made in small batches in Melbourne before being hand filled into glass bottles.
This is not another hand wash.
PREMIUM HAND AND BODY CARE
Small batch, big difference
Our formulations are made in small batches by artisan technicians who draw on slow processes and time-honoured methods. These labour-intensive techniques — which require exceptional skill and attention to detail — result in quality that can’t be matched by the mass production process.
Once finalised, the formulations are hand filled into our embossed glass vessels. Our luxury woven cotton labels are hand cut and hand applied to ensure the highest level of care and quality.
The iPhone Test
Biocompatible formulations
WØRKS hand creams and body balms have been specifically formulated to absorb into the skin within one minute.
We call it the iPhone test.
With a focus on skin-synergistic plant lipids, extracts and botanicals, we’ve developed biocompatible formulations that mimic the skin's own natural oils.
The result is a collection of formulations that are rapidly accepted into the deeper dermal layers to support the skin’s natural processes; deeply hydrate and repair; assist cellular regeneration and collagen synthesis; and replenish vital elements that are lost through ageing and environmental exposure - without leaving a greasy finish.
Because the demands of modern life mean it's more important than ever to find moments of respite for self care.
Microbiome Health
Seed-to-skin formulations
Our seed-to-skin approach transcends the trend of ‘natural’ products.
We identify the best biocompatible ingredients that support your skin’s own processes and strengthen barrier function without disrupting your microbiome. We source these ingredients from certified organic farms, where they are grown without pesticides or chemicals. Once they reach our lab in Melbourne, we process them in small batches using a minimal intervention method to preserve their natural benefits and maximise their potency.
The result is a thoughtfully developed collection of formulations rooted in the natural world that harness botanicals to enhance, nourish, and protect your skin.
BLENDED BY A MASTER PERFUMER
Signature scents from nature's best
Each of our formulations carries a signature scent blended by a Master Perfumer. This labour intensive process prioritises holistic sensory experience and harnesses the power of fragrance to enhance mental and emotional wellbeing.
Once completed, the fragrance is infused into our hand and body care formulations by hand.
Blended from pure essential oils, steam distilled botanicals and cold pressed plant extracts, every WØRKS scent is certified by the International Fragrance Association (IFRA), which is the highest global health and safety standard.
So you can breathe easy.
Sustainability
Australia's Most Sustainable Personal Care Brand - APAC Insider
Discover our eight pillars of sustainability and learn how we're different
Reusable glass vessels
Our formulations are housed in reusable glass and recyclable aluminium vessels, which are the most sustainable options for personal care packaging.
In terms of lifecycle, glass is manufactured from natural raw materials: silica (sand), soda ash and limestone. Post-consumer, it can be safely home sterilised, refilled and repurposed - or recycled in perpetuity. Should glass packaging enter our natural ecosystems, its non-toxic profile ensures it poses no risk to human health, waterways, animal habitats or biodiversity.
Similarly, aluminium is manufactured from natural raw materials and can be recycled in perpetuity - with recycling efforts using 95% less energy than manufacturing new aluminium. Globally, 76% of all aluminium ever produced is still in use today.
Conversely, plastic manufacture is reliant on petrochemicals and heavy metals. Virgin plastic manufacture contributes to 14% of all greenhouse gasses and takes 8% of the world's oil. Post-consumer, global estimates show that only 9% of all plastic is recycled, with the remainder being committed to landfill or disposed of in natural environments where it never degrades.
Certified organic ingredients
Our products are formulated with certified organic raw materials that have been grown and harvested sustainably.
No chemical fertilisers or pesticides are permitted in the growing of certified organic crops, which ensures the integrity of the crops, the environmental impact of their farming and the long-term sustainability of the land. Certified organic also safeguards human health as it excludes harmful chemicals from entering the bloodstream by way of absorption through the skin.
Certified organic is a much higher standard than 'natural products' or
'naturally derived ingredients', which are self-regulated and not governed by any official body. Certified organic farming is heavily regulated and rigorously controlled to ensure approved policies and procedures are adhered to from end to end.
Carbon offset
We offset the carbon related to shipping our products Australia-wide.
This is executed via a carbon credit system whereby the amount of carbon generated from our Melbourne warehouse to the delivery destination is calculated, then offset by way of tree planting, habitat building and other environmental restoration.
These projects include protecting pockets of native forests in Tasmania’s Central Highlands by stopping logging and land degradation; permanently protecting a rare pocket of wetlands and woodlands between the Coorong National Park and Lake Albert in partnership with its Traditional Owners, the Ngarrindjeri People; protecting against tree clearing combined with replanting of natural vegetation in the Annya State Forest to preserve the survival of the Long-nosed Potoroo; and regenerating the Boobera Native Forest by excluding livestock, managing invasive pests and restoring the native forests, local flora and fauna.
Vegan and biodegradable
Every WØRKS formulation is proudly organic, vegan and biodegradable. Our products are free from all synthetics, parabens, sulphates (SLS, SLES, SDS, ALS), dyes, fillers, phthalates, PEGS, detergents, silicones, mineral oils and palm oil.
We formulate with certified organics, botanicals, extracts and essential oils selected for their skin synergy, proven efficacy and impeccable record of safety.
Our fragrances are made with 100% pure essential oils and are certified by IFRA, the International Fragrance Association. Our personal care formulations are non-sensitising, dermatologically tested and laboratory approved to the highest Australian standards.
Australian made
WØRKS is an Australian owned and operated family business. We keep our supply chain short by sourcing locally grown and harvested raw materials and manufacturing our products within Australia.
Our distribution model is built on Australian owned and operated suppliers, businesses, sole traders and retailers with a view to supporting local economies and industries.
Every WØRKS product is made in an accredited laboratory and finished by hand in Melbourne.
WØRKS acknowledges and pays respect to the past and present Traditional Custodians and Elders of this nation and the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Cruelty-free from end-to-end
Every WØRKS formulation is 100% vegan and cruelty free. We don’t test on animals or use ingredients that have been tested on animals.
We never support animal-exploitative industries, products or process, such as palm oil, lanolin, goats milk and beeswax.
Plastic-free business model
We package and ship every retail and wholesale order in 100% recyclable cardboard boxes. Our boxes have been custom made to protect the glass vessels inside without the need for additional packing material. We never use bubble wrap, packing beads, plastic or excessive packaging.
We work with our suppliers to minimise the waste caused by incoming shipments of componentry and raw materials. By demanding the complete removal of all plastic packaging associated with incoming deliveries, we have been a catalyst for change that has seen our suppliers overhaul their policies.
Our headquarters, showroom and distribution centre are run out of a 7-star energy rated premises, and we operate a paper-free office.
True hand soap, not hand wash
Our organic hand and body soaps are made in the centuries-old tradition of master soap makers. Our liquid soaps are small batch produced, non-sensitising and rich in sustainably sourced plant lipids.
Conversely, hand and body washes are synthetic reproductions of liquid soap, which are classified as detergents. These detergent bases are heavily processed, mass produced and manufactured with synthesised ingredients - even those that are labelled as plant-based, natural or naturally derived.