Founder, Nick Brown, was introduced to trekking in the Peaks by his father at the age of ten. Nick spent a lot of time trekking in Scotland and needed reliable waterproofing products. After some thought, he created his own waterproofing recipe so he could preserve his boots. Nick wanted to make his boots waterproof without softening them, thereby losing the boots essential supportive features. Hence, the name Nikwax. Nick started his business from the ground. He was 22 years old and to make Nikwax he would mix the materials with a discarded tea urn, a primus stove, and a jug. The wax was then poured into tins which he silk screened by hand. Nick sold his products by driving a second hand Morris 1000 van and later, he bought Inter Rail cards to introduce his product into Europe. Next he moved to a workshop in Clerkenwell in London and before he knew it, Nick was selling ‘the product’ to eight countries. ‘The product’ - a non-softening waterproofing wax for leather boots was so effective that it set the standard for a new breed of aftercare products under the Nikwax brand. With the success of the boot waterproofing, Nick decided to expand to waterproofing apparel that needed to stay dry, wind resistant and comfortable. Because of Nick's concern with the ozone depletion, he wanted to find a easy and clean way to waterproof garments. In 1983, Nick developed an entirely novel approach. Harmful and flammable solvents were replaced with water, and the Nikwax Water-Based Range was created. Nikwax was the first company in the world to produce a range of water-based products for restoring waterproofing in the home. Not only did the products avoid emitting harmful solvents into the atmosphere, but they were also very easy to use, allowing people to reproof their clothes in a washing machine. The range of Nikwax products grew to encompass systems for a multitude of uses; from ropes to tents, indeed, almost anything that needed regular help to maintain its resistance to water.