Nettle's Tale Swimwear Inc.

What Nettle's Tale Swimwear Inc. does

Nettle's Tale Swimwear Inc. is a privately held, founder-owned Canadian apparel company founded in 2014 and headquartered in Vancouver, BC, that designs and sells size-inclusive swimwear and clothing across sizes XS through 4X (approximately US 0–28/30). The company operates a direct-to-consumer model combining a Shopify-powered e-commerce store at nettlestale.com, two owned retail showrooms in Vancouver (Gastown flagship, opened 2017 and relocated to a larger space in April 2021) and Edmonton (Westmount), plus three independent stockists — Fat Sisters Consignment (Victoria BC), Luna Collective (Victoria BC), and Berriez (Brooklyn NY). Its product portfolio centers on a mix-and-match swimwear system (one-pieces such as The Stacey, The Liz, and The Coco at $116; tops and bottoms ranging $51–$87) and a complementary apparel line spanning tops, bottoms, dresses, and the workwear-inspired Campbell Collection priced up to $182. The brand is differentiated by extended sizing, a Community Fit Guides feature built on real-body measurements, and a plus-size consignment program that pays consignors 50% of resale price.

Core manufacturing and technology choices underpin the offering. Swimwear fabric is 92% recycled polyester (derived from post-consumer plastic bottles — 6 bottles per separates, 11 per one-piece) blended with 8% spandex, OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified, UPF50-rated for sun protection, and treated with Chito Extreme — a chitosan-based coating made from crustacean shells that delivers anti-bacterial, odor-resistant, and moisture-wicking properties. Over 90% of products are manufactured in Vancouver by a women-owned facility with 30+ years of swimwear expertise located ten minutes from the company's office; specialized products are sourced from a Taipei partner (recycled and blue-sign certified facilities, 80% women in leadership, 15% above living wage) and a sister-led Los Angeles partner using deadstock fabrics.

The business model is primarily one-time product sales, supplemented by gift cards and a 50% commission on consigned plus-size resale. Pricing is unit-based with no subscription layer; the company runs two to three annual sale events plus intermittent flash promotions. Marketing is organic-led via Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, a Journal blog, customer reviews on Judge.me, and in-store events, with no paid acquisition signals disclosed. The company is operating, profitable-looking at a small scale, and has not raised disclosed external funding.

Name

Nettle's Tale Swimwear Inc.

Legal name

Nettle's Tale

Website

https://nettlestale.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Nettle's Tale Swimwear Inc. is a privately held Vancouver-based DTC apparel company that designs and sells size-inclusive swimwear and clothing in sizes XS–4X through its Shopify e-commerce site, two retail stores in Vancouver and Edmonton, and select stockists in Canada and Brooklyn, NY.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Plus-Size Women's Swimwear & Apparel

NAICS

Apparel Manufacturing (315), Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (3159)

SIC

Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600), Retail-Women's Clothing Stores (5621), Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300)

akta.pro primary industry

Intimates, Lingerie, Swimwear & Sleepwear Brands (CRAAAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Swimwear & Beachwear Cut & Sew (IMAOAEAH), Swim & Surf Performance Wear (CRAAAEAG)

Keywords

• Size-inclusive swimwear
• Plus-size apparel
• Ethical fashion
• Sustainable clothing
• Recycled polyester swimwear

Headquarters

HQ city

Vancouver

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct Product Sales: One-time purchase model for apparel and swimwear products sold through e-commerce and retail stores
2. Consignment Services: Plus-size consignment program where Nettle's Tale takes a percentage (50%) of resale price as commission on second-hand items
3. Gift Cards: Digital gift cards sold for use on future purchases

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Nettle's Tale designs, manufactures, and sells size-inclusive women's swimwear (one-pieces, bikini tops, bikini bottoms, swim shorts) and apparel (dresses, tops, pants, skirts, workwear) in sizes XS through 4X. Products are made primarily from recycled polyester and organic cotton, manufactured mainly in Canada with select partners in Taiwan and Los Angeles, and sold direct-to-consumer through the company's own e-commerce site and two retail storefronts in Vancouver and Edmonton.

Product overview

Nettle's Tale is an ethically-made, size-inclusive clothing and swimwear company offering a diverse product portfolio across two main categories: Swimwear (including one-pieces, bikini tops, and bottoms in multiple rises) and Apparel (dresses, tops, pants, skirts, and workwear-inspired pieces). The swimwear line features mix-and-match separates including The Stacey, The Liz, and The Coco one-pieces, alongside bottoms like Magic Bottoms (available in Super Hi, Hi Rise, and Mid Rise variants) and tops including The Whitney, Casey, Carli, and Bonnie. The apparel line includes dresses (Crescent, Eugene, Florence, Sonora, Lisbon Bow), tops (Saturna, Denman Tank), bottoms (Besa Pants, Edith Skirt, Campbell Pant), and the Campbell Collection workwear line. All products are designed for bodies XS-4X and manufactured primarily in Vancouver, Canada, with some production in Taiwan and Los Angeles. The company also operates a plus-size consignment service.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Stacey One-Piece

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Vancouver Manufacturing FacilitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal Vancouver manufacturing partner producing all swimwear and majority of apparel. Women-owned and led with over 30 years of expertise in swimwear production. Located 10 minutes from Nettle's Tale office allowing hands-on involvement in patterning development and quality control.
• Taiwan Manufacturing Partner (Taipei)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInnovative manufacturer producing Crofton Button Up, Harbour Pants, and custom-milled lounge fabric. Creates recycled materials from fishing nets to coffee filters with textiles dyed in blue-sign certified facilities using renewable wind energy. Owned by a Taiwanese-Canadian family in textiles since 1988; 80% of leadership positions held by women; employees paid 15% above industry-standard living wage.
• Los Angeles Manufacturing PartnerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister-led family business producing Port Tank, Eden Dress, Georgia Pants and more. Family immigrated from Korea to Brazil to Los Angeles. All garments patterned and sewn in downtown LA shop using deadstock fabrics with fair wages and good working conditions.
• Fat Sisters ConsignmentminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVictoria BC-based consignment store carrying select Nettle's Tale apparel and swimwear in sizes XL-4X.
• Luna CollectiveminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVictoria BC-based retailer carrying select Nettle's Tale apparel styles in sizes XS-4X.
• BerriezminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBrooklyn NY-based plus-size focused retailer carrying select Nettle's Tale apparel styles in sizes L-4X.
• ShopifycoreTechnology or IntegrationE-commerce platform powering nettlestale.com online store, including payment processing and checkout infrastructure.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Swimsuits For All: Plus-size focused swimwear brand owned by FULLBEAUTY Brands, offering extended sizing with broad style assortment. Comparable on the size-inclusivity thesis and target customer, though backed by a large parent with much broader catalog and distribution.
• Summersalt: Direct-to-consumer women's swimwear brand focused on inclusive sizing, recycled fabrics, and digitally-native marketing. Closely comparable in category (swim-first), sustainability story, and size-inclusive positioning, though Summersalt operates at significantly larger scale with US-based operations.
• Andie Swim: Direct-to-consumer women's swimwear brand emphasizing fit, quality, and modern design. Comparable as a digitally-native swimwear brand targeting style-conscious women, though less focused on the plus-size segment than Nettle's Tale.

Broad incumbents

• Cupshe: Large-scale DTC and marketplace swimwear brand offering affordable women's swim across a broad size range. Comparable on swim category and DTC channel but competes on price rather than size-inclusive premium positioning.
• Aerie: Sub-brand of American Eagle Outfitters focused on intimates, loungewear, and swim with a long-running body positivity and no-retouching marketing platform. Comparable on size-inclusivity messaging and target demographic, with vastly larger distribution and assortment.
• Athleta: Gap Inc. women's active and athletic apparel brand offering extended sizing and inclusive marketing. Comparable on women's apparel, sustainability commitments, and size-inclusivity, with the active/swim crossover relevant to Nettle's Tale's sports-bra style swim tops.
• Lane Bryant: Long-established plus-size women's apparel retailer (owned by KnitWell Group) offering clothing, intimates, and swimwear in extended sizing. Comparable on plus-size target customer and swim category, but operates as a broad multi-category incumbent rather than a niche specialist.

Others

• Berriez: Brooklyn-based plus-size boutique and online retailer already stocking Nettle's Tale apparel. Comparable as an indie plus-size channel partner; useful as a distribution comparator but not a head-to-head product competitor.

Emerging players

• Kitty & Vibe: Bikini brand engineered specifically for different bust sizes (A-G cup) with band-fit technology. Comparable as a digitally-native women's swimwear brand solving a specific fit problem, similar in size to Nettle's Tale though narrower in scope.

Regional players

• Knix: Canadian DTC intimates, activewear, and leakproof apparel brand with strong size-inclusivity and body positivity positioning. Highly comparable on Canadian origin, founder-led model, size-inclusive ethos, and direct-to-consumer motion; Knix has expanded into adjacent categories and raised institutional capital.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCeLIGqqNsRqio1Gc_FFhAmg
• Facebookfacebook.com/nettlestale
• Instagraminstagram.com/nettlestale
• Pinterestpinterest.ca/nettlestale/nettles-tale

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Nettle's Tale Swimwear Inc.