Nikwax

Back in 1977, Nick, at the age of 22, put together his first batch using an old tea urn, a stove, a jug, and supplies he purchased from a nearby hardware store. He poured the softened wax into containers and personally screened them by hand. Nick marketed his goods to the outdoor industry, travelling in his second-hand Morris 1000 van.

Within a couple of years, he relocated to a workshop in Clerkenwell, London. Before he knew it, Nick’s Nikwax was being exported and sold in eight different countries. This product, a non-softening waterproof wax designed primarily for leather boots, was exceptionally effective and set a benchmark for new categories of aftercare products under the Nikwax brand.