Stickladen: Stitch by Stitch into the heart of Ottakring

When the door to “Der Stickladen” in the heart of Ottakring opens, you are greeted by two young men in casual streetwear, offering local organic lemonade and a good dose of Viennese charm. At first glance, the space might pass for a trendy fashion boutique – but it’s actually a place where traditional craftsmanship gets a fresh spin. Founders Pascal Nimführ and Benjamin Hilscher specialise in textile embellishment, combining high-quality embroidery with modern printing techniques. Thanks to the Ottakring neighbourhood initiative, they were able to secure a new location through a subsidised lease.

The embroidery here is not done by hand or on grandma's hoop. The founders deliberately set out to challenge outdated clichés and prove that embroidery can be versatile, stylish and perfectly suited for everyday life – without compromising on quality. Since opening in 2021, the business has grown steadily, now serving more than 600 clients, ranging from large-scale corporate orders to bespoke individual projects.

The focus lies on a mix of personal, creative advice and efficient production: Each project starts with a tailored consultation on motif size, fabric and colours, followed by digital design and machine embroidery. Depending on the order, production takes anywhere from a few minutes to a full day. This approach conserves resources — and sustainability plays a role throughout their workflow, from materials to warehouse logistics.

As their business grew, so did the need for more space and visibility. While walking through the neighbourhood, Pascal Nimführ came across a poster from the Ottakring neighbourhood initiative: a former laundry on Hasnerstraße was being offered as a renovated business space with subsidised subletting. The Stickladen applied, won the contract and opened their new 170 m² location in spring 2025. Since moving in, Pascal and Benjamin have been actively connecting with local entrepreneurs and residents to help revitalise the „Grätzel“ (neighbourhood) with fresh ideas.

We spoke with Pascal Nimführ and Benjamin Hilscher about early embroidery experiments in the basement, creative commissions, and their journey into entrepreneurship.

Congratulations on setting up your own shop in Ottakring! Let's go back to the beginning: how did you come to found „Der Stickladen“?  

PN: I was studying sports science at the time and created a fictional sports brand for a university project. While doing the cost calculations, I noticed there were hardly any affordable local options for small embroidery or printing jobs. That’s when I thought – why not just do it myself?

BH: Pascal and I had known each other for years from working in hospitality. When he shared the idea with me, I was immediately on board.
We invested in a professional embroidery machine and started out working from an eight-square-metre space in the basement of Pascal‘s parents' house in the 17th district. We kept our jobs as waiters and worked in shifts so we could build the business step by step.

PN: About two years ago, we decided to go all in and dedicate ourselves fully to Stickladen. Best decision we ever made.

From a basement workshop to your own 170 m² shop. How did you grow as a business?

PN: We started with small orders from friends and local businesses, and over time, word of mouth helped our customer base grow steadily. These days, both companies and private clients order from us regularly — for example, we embroider uniforms for the Samaritan Association of Vienna.

BH: As demand grew, it quickly became clear that we had outgrown the small basement. We moved into a shared studio in the 17th district, but our real dream was always to have everything — production, storage, office and a showroom — in one place. Now, with our new shop on Hasnerstraße, that’s finally a reality.

PN: Creating a good atmosphere and having visibility in the neighbourhood are really important to us. We’re not interested in churning out anonymous orders. Sitting down face to face often leads to the best ideas — and it’s just more fun that way. We’ve become friends with many of our customers, and lots of exciting collaborations have come from that.

Is there a commission you particularly remember?

BH: You can basically embroider anything, so we do get the occasional odd or whimsical request. One creative highlight was definitely a customer who had her CV embroidered as a job application.

PN: And from what we’ve heard, the application was successful!

Embroidery is still often associated with traditional fashion and women's home crafts – how do you deal with that?

BH: During a phone consultation, a lady once said to me, “Could you please get your mother on the line? I’m sure she’ll be able to help me.” I replied, “My mother has nothing to do our shop.”
Some people still need to get used to the idea of two young men standing behind the embroidery machine.

PN: For us, embroidery is all about versatility and quality. Whether it’s a custom cap, branded workwear, or a promotional flag – the creative possibilities are endless, and the results are long-lasting.
And I’d argue our designs are anything but old-fashioned :) We take time to consult our clients in detail to ensure the best possible result.

What advice would you give to young founders starting their own business?

PN: Don’t get overwhelmed or discouraged at the start. Making mistakes, learning step by step and growing into the role of entrepreneur — it’s all part of the process.
At the beginning, we didn’t know much about embroidery or starting a business, but we asked a lot of questions and taught ourselves through YouTube tutorials.

BH: Also: you don’t need the perfect Instagram feed or a polished brand from day one. Most things evolve along the way. What really counts is being authentic.

Thank you very much for talking to us!