Fast-growing Australian swimwear and apparel brand Kulani Kinis chooses Bleckmann to support its European expansion

Kulani Kinis, a fast-growing Australian swimwear and apparel brand with a loyal global following, has announced a new partnership with Bleckmann, specialists in supply chain management for fashion and lifestyle brands. Bleckmann will provide warehousing, order fulfilment and returns processing from its facility in Venlo, the Netherlands, launching Kulani Kinis’ first logistics operation based on European soil.

Supporting a bold growth strategy

Founded in Sydney in 2015 by Dani Atkins and Alex Babich, Kulani Kinis has grown from a side hustle into a globally recognised brand, expanding its reach far beyond Australia. In particular, the US market has been a strong growth engine, with a majority of the brand’s business currently generated there. Europe is another important market, and the brand has been building toward a dedicated European logistics presence for several years. “Europe has gone from a relatively small share of our business to around 10% and growing”, said Will North, Head of Commercial and Performance at Kulani Kinis. “Being based in Australia, we simply couldn't service our European customers the way we wanted to.”

This made delivery speed and operational efficiency top priorities in a new potential logistics partner. Now, with Bleckmann handling warehousing, fulfilment and returns for all the brand’s EU business, customers can expect a step change in the end-to-end shopping experience. “Previously, delivery times to the EU were up to six days as orders shipped from Australia”, said Melissa Blume, Head of Customer Experience at the brand. “With fulfilment now based in Venlo, many customers will receive their orders the next day via local carriers they know and trust.”

Dedicated expertise, cost efficiency and faster returns

After visiting several potential providers in the Netherlands, Kulani Kinis selected Bleckmann for both its ability to deliver service improvements and its fashion and lifestyle focus. “What really stood out was that Bleckmann isn’t a generalist player – they have the deep expertise we need”, continued North. “Our products demand careful handling and precise presentation, so Bleckmann’s strong SLAs around fulfilment accuracy and value-added services were a deciding factor.” This was illustrated during a team visit to Bleckmann’s Venlo facility. “We arrived in the days after Black Friday and everything was running like clockwork”, noted Blume. “That told us exactly what we needed to know.”

The economies of scale achieved with Bleckmann have also allowed Kulani Kinis to introduce free shipping on orders over €100 – a first for the brand’s European offering. Returns, too, will be transformed: rather than items being sent all the way back to Australia, items returned from European customers will benefit from faster, more efficient processing, handled locally in Venlo. “Customers can now receive their exchange orders and refunds more quickly”, explained Ruud Mars, Business Development Business Transport at Bleckmann. “This typically results in a smoother post-purchase experience and stronger customer relationships.”

Euro summer, delivered

The partnership go-live comes at a key moment for the brand. Kulani Kinis is launching its European fulfilment operation alongside the release of its new Espresso Island collection – foregrounding retro glamor, deep espresso hues and playful core prints. Bleckmann will help give European customers faster access to the brand’s latest styles just as the summer season gets underway. “Launching a major new collection and a brand-new logistics operation at the same time is a real test of any provider”, said Blume. “But the way Bleckmann has handled it has given us complete confidence going forward.”

Looking ahead, Kulani Kinis sees Europe as a key pillar of its long-term growth strategy – not just in direct-to-consumer, but in wholesale too. The brand has already appeared twice at Splash, the leading swimwear trade show in France, and is looking to build the kind of wholesale momentum in Europe that has accelerated growth in the US. “Having product physically on the continent makes everything easier – from marketing activations to wholesale conversations”, concluded North. “When potential partners see that you’re here, that you’re invested, it sends a very clear signal: we’re here to stay.”