Draft:Nikwax
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This draft is not written from a neutral point of view. Wikipedia articles must be written neutrally in a formal, impersonal, and dispassionate way. They should not read like a blog post, advertisement, or fan page. Rewrite the draft to remove:
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Comment: There are four citations I think might contribute to WP:NCORP: The Argus, Outdoors Magic (two citations), and Outside Online. Everything else seems to fail WP:INDEPENDENT or WP:SIGCOV. For the remaining four, I believe none of them are particularly strong. Outdoors Magic admits to being paid for reviewing products, for example. Also, there are several points in the article where it reads like an advert. ✶Quxyz✶ (talk) 19:59, 20 September 2026 (UTC)
| Industry | Manufacturing |
|---|---|
| Founder | Nick Brown |
| Headquarters | Wadhurst, East Sussex , |
| Brands | Nikwax |
| Revenue | £13,263,376[1] (2025) |
| Total assets | £7,900,043[1] (2025) |
| Owner | Employee ownership trust[2] |
Number of employees | 106[1] (2026) |
| Parent | Gearform Holdings Limited[3] |
Nikwax Limited is a British manufacturer of waterproofing, cleaning and aftercare products for outdoor clothing and equipment.[4] Founded in 1977 by Nick Brown, the company is based in Wadhurst, East Sussex. In 2022 ownership was transferred to an employee ownership trust.[5]
The company markets its products as environmentally sustainable, and has received awards relating to sustainability.[6][7]
Products
[edit]Nikwax products are water-based.[8] In addition to cleaning, waterproofing and deodorising products, the company also manufactures industrial products such as waterproof down, and products for garment manufacturers to use when producing DWR garments.[9]
History
[edit]Nikwax was started in 1977 when Nick Brown, the founder of the company, became frustrated with the waterproofing products available at the time, as they softened the leather of his walking boots, which affected their structural support, so he decided to formulate his own.[10] All other waterproofing products at the time included petroleum, animal fats, or beeswax, which Brown wanted to avoid, so he created Nikwax (a play on "Nick's wax") which was subsequently adopted by outdoor equipment retailers; Brown realised there was a market for waterproofing products for outdoor clothing that could be easily and safely applied in the home, rather than by a specialist shop.[8]
In 2013 the company signed a deal to provide the waterproofing treatment for the down filling in all of outdoor manufacturer Rab's clothing and sleeping bags, as well as for its sister company Lowe Alpine.[11]
In 2014, the company gained coverage in the outdoor travel press when they demonstrated the hydrophobic properties of its latest insulation by floating an employee across an East Sussex lake in a sleeping bag filled with its Hydrophobic Down.[12][13][14][15]
In 2022 Nick Brown stepped down from his position as owner of Nikwax,[16] and the company became an Employee Ownership Trust,[5] Brown stated that the transfer was intended to preserve the company's guiding principles and independence.[17]
In 2025 it was named one of The Sunday Times Best Places to Work.[18] [19]
Environmental Initiatives
[edit]Most waterproofing products produced in the 20th century were aerosol-based, and contained perfluorochemicals (PFCs), which are very efficient at keeping water out of whatever they are used on, but have been criticised because of their environmental persistence and potential health impacts.[8] According to the company, Nikwax has never used PFCs in any of their products.[20]
Nikwax partnered with the World Land Trust to offset not only the company's current carbon footprint, but to retroactively address its historic emissions. In 2017 the company offset the last of its 6,189 total tons of carbon emitted between 1977 and 2017, and in 2018 Outside Online magazine reported that Nikwax was the first company in the world to be totally carbon neutral since its founding.[8]
Awards
[edit]- 1999 Queen's Award for Export[6]
- 2004 Queen's Award for International Trade[6]
- 2014 Queen's Award for Sustainable Development[6]
- 2025 The Sunday Times Best Places to Work.[18][19]
- 2026 Kings's Award for Sustainability[7]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 "Full accounts made up to 31 July 2025". Companies House. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
- ↑ "Full accounts made up to 31 July 2021". Companies House. 16 May 2022. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
- ↑ "Group of companies' accounts made up to 31 July 2025". Companies House. 29 April 2026. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
- ↑ Pawle, Lucy (10 December 2013). "Language skills deficit costs the UK £48bn a year". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 September 2026.
- 1 2 "What I learnt... about founder's syndrome". The Times. 22 February 2022. Retrieved 23 September 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 "Queen's Awards 1966 to 2020". National Data Library. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
- 1 2 "King's Award Recipients". The King's Award For Enterprise Magazine. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 Emma Athena (8 November 2018). "How a Teenager Invented a Solution for Wet Feet". Outside Online. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
- ↑ "Commercial Laundries". Nikwax. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
- ↑ Loizou, Kiki (25 May 2014). "How I Made It: Nick Brown, founder of Nikwax". The Times. Retrieved 23 September 2026.
- ↑ Frost, Maisha (10 September 2013). "Firm finds success in the great outdoors". Daily Express. Retrieved 1 October 2026.
- ↑ "These Guys Have Made The World's First Floating Sleeping Bag". Outdoors Magic. 7 November 2014. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
- ↑ "Nikwax demonstrate Hydrophobic Down in lake!". Trek and Mountain. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
- ↑ Roberts, Dave (12 November 2014). "Sleeping Bag Floating on Water of the Week". Mud and Routes. Retrieved 23 September 2026.
- ↑ Bob Smith (12 November 2014). "Nikwax man floats idea of hydrophobic down in sleeping bag stunt". grough Limited. Retrieved 27 August 2026.
- ↑ "Termination of appointment of Nicholas Brown as a director on 1 February 2022". Companies House. 10 February 2022. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
- ↑ Jazz Noble (1 February 2022). "News: Two Popular UK Outdoor Brands Have Just Transferred Ownership To Their Employees". Outdoors Magic. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
- 1 2 Leonard, Sue; Doughty, Eleanor; Glasby, Matt; Boztas, Senay (25 May 2014). "187 best medium-sized places to work 2025". The Times. Retrieved 23 September 2026.
- 1 2 Holly Brencher (11 June 2025). "Nikwax named one of the Sunday Times Best Firms to Work For". The Argus. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
- ↑ Nick Brown (12 November 2007). "Fluorochemicals in the Outdoor Industry". SGB Media. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
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