Melano
Melano Foundation

Give back, where it counts.

1% of every Melano sale funds programs that protect the botanicals we source, train the next generation of makers, and bring honest skin education into Australian schools.

  • 1%
    of revenue, every year
  • A$184k
    Granted in 2025
  • 11
    Partner organisations
  • 0
    Admin overhead taken from grants
Our mission

Beauty is borrowed from the land.

We can’t harvest from a place forever and give nothing back. The Foundation exists to make the loop close — restoring the ecosystems we draw from, training the people who’ll do this work better than us, and demystifying what’s actually in a jar.

“The land that grows our ingredients is older, smarter, and more generous than we are. The Foundation is our way of acknowledging that, in dollars and labour rather than just words.”

— Maya Kowalski, founder

Programs

Three focus areas, patiently funded.

  • Botanical conservation

    Funding native-plant restoration across Daylesford, the Otways, and the Tasmanian Highlands — the same ecosystems our ingredients come from.

    Impact 2025

    12,400 native seedlings planted in 2025

  • Women in trades

    Apprenticeship grants for women entering manufacturing, formulation, and distillation trades — a direct partnership with TAFE Victoria.

    Impact 2025

    18 apprentices funded across 2024–25

  • Skin-positive education

    Free skincare workshops for high-school students focused on dermatology basics, ingredient literacy, and pushing back against marketing noise.

    Impact 2025

    94 schools visited, 7,200 students reached

How to support

Three ways to chip in.

  • Shop the Giving range

    100% of profit on selected products — including the Bouquet Gift Set — is granted directly to a Foundation program of your choice.

    Shop Giving range
  • Round up at checkout

    Add a small donation in any amount during checkout. Goes straight to the conservation fund, dollar-for-dollar.

    Read more
  • Volunteer your skills

    Designers, formulators, accountants — we run skill-share sessions with our partner orgs each quarter. Email us if you've got a few hours to spare.

    Get in touch
Annual report

Numbers in full.

Every dollar in, every dollar out, every program audited — published in our annual report each February.