Aquis Australia

Aquis Australia

Aquis Australia was a specialist import and distribution company that held the exclusive Australian rights to the innovative Aquis microfibre hair towel, developed by San Francisco–based Britannia Corporation and founded by Britta Cox. Britta is widely regarded as a pioneering figure in hair‑care innovation, later co‑founding K18 Hair, the biotech‑driven molecular repair brand that transformed professional haircare and was subsequently acquired by Unilever. Her early work on rapid‑drying microfibre technology set new standards in performance, sustainability, and consumer experience.

Founded: 1992
Exited: 2002
Ownership: 50%

Aquis Australia imported the towels initially from Teijin Corporation in Osaka, and later from a South Korean manufacturer as demand scaled. The company secured national retail distribution across Australia, placing Aquis products in Myer, David Jones, Myer Direct (pre‑internet catalogue), and a range of specialty and independent retail chains.

The business played a key role in introducing performance‑grade microfibre hair‑drying technology to the Australian market, establishing Aquis as a premium category leader well before the rise of modern direct‑to‑consumer beauty brands.