About us

Established in 2012, NICO celebrates the sartorial philosophy of minimalism and understated luxury. Our mission is to bring high-quality basics and underwear to the Australian fashion landscape featuring clean lines, luxe fabrics and the styles and colours needed for the everyday. Form and function coexist with pieces that not only look beautiful, but feel beautiful to wear too.

At the core of everything we do at NICO is a strong respect for the people we work with and the environment we work within. NICO is committed to upholding and cultivating ethical and sustainable transparency in the fashion industry.


Meet Our Makers

Behind every NICO piece is a team of skilled people whose craftsmanship brings our designs to life. We believe that caring for the people who wear our underwear should go hand in hand with caring for the people who make it.

We value long-term manufacturing relationships, fair working conditions and transparency about how our products are made.

The People Behind NICO

We're proud to share a closer look at the people and practices behind our products. The following information has been provided directly by our manufacturing partner.

Our team Approximately 80% of employees are women.
Ethical employment All factory employees are over 35 years of age. The factory does not employ child labour.
Long-term employment 90% of employees have worked at the factory for more than six years.
Wages & reviews Employees receive at least the legal minimum wage, with annual pay increases based on attendance and performance.
Employee benefits Benefits include paid sick leave, Diwali bonuses, medical support and additional leave entitlements.
Working hours Eight-hour working days, scheduled tea and lunch breaks, and at least one day off each week.
Worker rights Employees are free to join worker organisations and raise workplace concerns without retaliation.
Responsible recruitment No recruitment fees are charged, and employees are free to leave with the required notice.
Health & safety The factory follows documented workplace health and safety procedures.

Sustainability

We believe that what we make matters, but so does how we make it. From the fibres we choose to the way our products are packaged and produced, we're committed to making more considered choices for the planet.

Sustainability isn't about perfection. It's about questioning what's necessary, reducing what isn't, and continually looking for ways to do better.

Our Environmental Choices

Every material and manufacturing decision has an impact. Here's a closer look at some of the choices we're making, and why they matter.

Organic Cotton Our organic cotton range uses fabric made from 95% GOTS-certified organic cotton and 5% elastane for stretch. Organic farming standards prohibit certain synthetic pesticides and fertilisers, helping reduce reliance on agricultural chemicals that can affect soil and surrounding ecosystems.
TENCEL™ Modal Made from responsibly sourced wood, TENCEL™ Modal uses a renewable raw material rather than fossil-fuel-derived feedstocks. Its fibre production uses a resource-efficient process with chemical recovery, helping reduce manufacturing impacts.
Reduced Synthetic Fibres We prioritise natural and wood-derived fibres, using small amounts of elastane where needed for stretch and fit. This reduces our reliance on petroleum-derived textile fibres compared with predominantly synthetic alternatives.
Compostable Packaging Our shipping mailers are certified home-compostable and feature a second adhesive strip so they can be reused for exchanges. Reusing a mailer avoids the need for an additional return mailer, while home compostability offers another disposal option when the packaging reaches the end of its useful life.
Reducing Fabric Waste We reuse fabric offcuts wherever possible, including repurposing them as padding in our reusable nursing pads. This helps keep leftover textile materials in use rather than sending them straight to waste.

Lower-Toxicity by Design

What you wear closest to your skin matters. That's why we're thoughtful about the fibres, dyes and finishes used to create NICO underwear.

We believe your first layer should be made with carefully chosen materials and without unnecessary hazardous chemical inputs. From plant-derived dyes to fabrics produced under strict chemical restrictions, we're committed to making more considered choices about what touches your skin.

What Goes Into Our Underwear

A closer look at our material choices and why they matter.

Plant-Based Dyes Our organic cotton collection is coloured using dyes derived from flowers, plants and herbs, reducing our reliance on conventional synthetic colourants. While natural dyes aren't automatically safer, we believe in being thoughtful about the ingredients used to colour our fabrics.
GOTS-Certified Organic Cotton Fabric Our organic cotton fabric is GOTS-certified, meaning its certified processing stages must meet restrictions on hazardous chemical inputs, including certain dyes, processing agents and finishing treatments. These standards help limit the use of potentially harmful substances during textile production.
Thoughtful Fibre Choices We prioritise cotton and wood-derived fibres, using elastane where necessary for stretch and comfort. We recognise that a material's origin alone doesn't determine its safety, so responsible processing is just as important as fibre selection.
TENCEL™ Modal Our TENCEL™ Modal fibres are certified to OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 Product Class I, meaning they have been independently tested against strict limits for harmful substances. This gives us an additional level of confidence in the fibres we choose for the pieces worn closest to your skin.

Kind to Animals

We believe thoughtful choices should extend beyond the people who wear our underwear and the planet we share, to the animals we share it with.

Our approach is simple: choose materials that don't rely on animals and make products with compassion in mind.

Our Approach to Animal Welfare

Animal-Free Fabrics Our core fabrics are made using cotton and wood-derived fibres, with elastane for stretch. We don't use animal-derived fibres such as wool or silk.
No Animal Testing NICO does not conduct or commission animal testing. We believe animals should never have to suffer for the clothes we wear.