First, do no harm

Koala Eco is a family-owned business, based in Sydney Australia.. ‘Do no harm’ is a bit of a personal mantra for us. We simply don’t want to be contributing to anything that will harm either our family or our planet.

And look at what we have here in Australia. This country is blessed with the most extraordinary range of plant-based resources, from antiseptics to medicines: natural remedies that have been part of the Aboriginal pharmacopeia for tens of thousands of years. We make eco-friendly cleaning products with ingredients sourced from plants found in Australia, such as Eucalyptus, Lemon Myrtle, Peppermint, and Mandarin. Our products are absolutely free of any synthetic or toxic chemicals: they’re created from high concentrates of pure Australian essential oils, combined with quality plant-derived biodegradable ingredients. The product aromas come only from the essential oils: no artificial fragrances, colours or harsh chemicals. What’s more, these formulas are lab tested to work just as well—if not better than—ordinary chemical cleaners.

We are formulated to be household grade. Our products kill 99.9% of germs such as: Salmonella, E.coli, MRSA, Listeria, Campylobacter, Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus.

- They remove 90% of Allergens such as: Pollen Particles, Dust Mites, Pet Dander.

- They are great for use on surfaces where food is prepared, stored and eaten.

We all want our families to be as healthy and safe as possible. Many “green” cleaning products on the market are not actually green. They often combine a large percentage of toxins with a small percentage of essential oil so they mislead customers in thinking their products are free from harmful synthetic fragrances.

What makes Koala Eco different is that our products have been developed from nature for nature. Koala Eco cleaners won’t harm people, pets, or the planet, and we never test on animals. We also give a percentage of each sale to One Percent for the Planet, a charity committed to protecting land, forests, rivers and oceans and encouraging sustainable energy methods.

Koala Eco was developed because we felt our two young sons shouldn’t have to hold their breath in order to avoid absorbing toxic chemicals every time we cleaned the family home, so we were constantly on the hunt for safe, affordable, chemical-free cleaning products that not only could make our home smell (naturally) fabulous but would also actually work.

When we couldn’t find what we wanted, we decided to make our own cleaning products, using formulas derived from nature and sourced locally from Australia. We're both from entrepreneurial backgrounds, and so being Koala Eco’s first — and therefore possibly most demanding — customers, we had some pretty specific and sophisticated aims in mind. Primarily we wanted something that not only worked flawlessly, but also could be misted safely around our children. Then, aside from the formulas being 100 percent safe and effective, we also wanted our products to look stylish in case we needed them handy for easy access, or were just too busy to put them away.

So we did a lot of research and started working carefully with a specialist chemist and lab to create really special products, and the result was Koala Eco, launched in Sydney earlier in 2017. We worked with an artist who hand illustrated the labels with the botanicals of the Australian essential oils used.

We use only 100 percent pure Australian essential oils, because these, when combined with vinegar, sugar-based biodegradable alcohol, and plant based biodegradable ingredients are just such great alternatives to caustic cleaning products. Essential oils in particular are fragrant and effective antibacterial alternatives to thousands of mainstream chemical-laden products.

The essential oils we use are known to have beneficial properties: for example, Eucalyptus Australiana (which we use in our Stainless Steel + Chrome Cleaner) is a great antiseptic, while Mentha Piperita(Peppermint) is a natural insect repellent which is why we put it in our Glass + Window Cleaner. However, I think it’s worth considering the overall ethical benefits of using eco-friendly, non-toxic cleaning products in the home. There’s a reason why a lot of ordinary products have warnings on their labels about being hazardous if accidentally inhaled, or come into contact with skin. However carefully we are, can we be sure these products are not leaving behind any vapour or residue? If we are using harsh chemicals on bathroom and kitchen surfaces, are we really cleaning them? And if we are all using toxic products, what is that doing to our water systems, and everything that relies on water to thrive?

Koala Eco products use essential oils that are naturally uplifting or refreshing, but that’s only part of their power. I actually think peace of mind is probably one of the most important benefits in choosing cleaners you can trust not to harm your family, your home, or the planet.