Complaints Emerge Against Fabric Designer Nerida Hansen
Maree O'Connor, a legal studies teacher from Melbourne, Australia, established a Facebook group in October 2024 after not receiving fabric orders totaling $600 (£450, A$900) placed with Nerida Hansen's company. The group rapidly expanded, accumulating hundreds of members within two weeks. This highlighted similar experiences from other customers globally, including China, Europe, and the US.
Business Operations Under Scrutiny
Nerida Hansen, known for her distinctive fabric prints, had experienced significant growth during the pandemic. However, members of Ms. O'Connor's Facebook group, including both customers and suppliers, began detailing issues such as prolonged delays and unfulfilled orders.
Bergen Anderson, based in the US, reported ordering over $3,300 (£2,500; A$5,000) worth of fabrics in 2024 that were not delivered within the promised eight-week timeframe. She received multiple emails regarding printing and shipping, alongside communications from Ms. Hansen attributing delays to national holidays and supplier issues. Ms. Anderson stated that she only successfully reversed two of three payments via her bank, resulting in a loss of $808 (£606; A$1,224).
Ms. O'Connor encouraged customers to seek refunds and dispute transactions. Ms. Hansen subsequently contacted Ms. O'Connor, requesting the removal of the Facebook group due to alleged defamatory content, a claim Ms. O'Connor disputed. Ms. Hansen also offered Ms. O'Connor an immediate refund, which Ms. O'Connor accepted but chose not to delete the group.
Supplier and Artist Allegations
William Shan, representing a Chinese supplier, alleged that Ms. Hansen's company failed to pay for two fabric shipments worth $52,000 (£39,000; A$78,700) in 2022. He stated that despite continuing to supply Ms. Hansen's company in an effort to facilitate debt recovery, subsequent orders also went unpaid. Mr. Shan's company reported hiring lawyers to recover the outstanding amounts, but communication from Ms. Hansen and her associates ceased.
Eleven artists and illustrators also reported not receiving payments for their work with Ms. Hansen's brand. Clémence Albertus, a France-based artist, stated she discovered her design being sold on the Verhees website as part of a 'Nerida Hansen x Verhees' collection without her consultation or payment. Ms. Albertus estimates she is owed €2,000-€4,000 (£1750-3500; A$3,500-7,000). Verhees stated it was not responsible for royalty payments to designers and confirmed it had suspended its collaboration with Ms. Hansen.
Some artists held different perspectives regarding Ms. Hansen's culpability for payment issues. Bron Alexander from New Zealand acknowledged being owed payments but attributed non-payment for her Verhees collection work to her own failure to provide invoices. Ms. Alexander expressed empathy for Ms. Hansen's financial situation. Artist Sarah Rowe, who is not owed money, suggested Ms. Hansen had good intentions but that business management may not have been her area of expertise. Ms. O'Connor expressed a differing view, suggesting Ms. Hansen's actions were intentional.
Official Warning and Business Closure
In September 2025, Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV), a state consumer rights agency, issued a public warning against Ms. Hansen and her businesses. This action followed over 120 complaints received within one year, totaling more than $19,800 (£14,900; A$30,000) in alleged customer losses. CAV Director Nicole Rich advised consumers to be cautious when purchasing from Hansen's online platforms or engaging with her. The warning stated Ms. Hansen operated under various business names, including Indigo Palm, The Kind Merch Co, Nerida Hansen Fabrics, Rebel Quilts, Australian Surface Art Collective, Fabric and Design, and Nerida Hansen Print and Textiles, a claim Ms. Hansen denied in its entirety.
Following the warning, Ms. Hansen announced her intention to shut down her businesses by the end of the month to pursue a new career. However, she continued promoting fabric sales on the website domains Global De-stash and neridahansen.com into November.