Our Story
A place where products are dreamed, designed and brought to life.
Pictured above is Micador's first office in the 1950s - 10 Regent St, Prahran.
In 1952, Michael A. Dortimer, a Polish lawyer immigrant, and holocaust survivor, went door to door selling the European greeting cards he brought with him when he immigrated to Australia.
They were a hit and with $500 borrowed from a bank on the strength of a handshake, he expanded into European artist materials.
Micador was born.
Michael secured the Australian distribution for Pelikan in the ’50s and with nothing more than hard work and that immigrant mentality, rapidly grew his stable of brands.
Visiting Alice Springs and the renowned Arunta Gallery and Bookshop, Michael was inspired by the region’s indigenous artists and collaborated to bring them the first commercially produced artist materials they had experienced. Canvas boards and brushes sold by Micador were sold to Papunya and Hermannsburg and were the substrate for the artistic output of the start of the aboriginal art movement, including Albert Namatjira and the likes of Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri, Long Jack Phillipus Tjakamarra and Billy Stockman.
In the ’70s, Micador began to source products from Japan and Korea and branded them for the first time with the Micador logo... too proud to buy from Asia, the art stores shunned the products, but the quality and price was great and the schools couldn’t get enough. For over 50 years now, we have been a leading brand in Aussie schools.
Since 2000, Micador’s focus has been on creating products in our own brands and providing ideas, activities and expert educational content to help people get better.
From our innovative developmental brand early stART, through Micador jR., Micador and Micador for Artists, we design creative products and educational content for your entire life’s journey, as well as other thoughtful products including our tech range MCONNECTED.
With a strong focus on environmental materials and ethical sourcing, not for hype but because we believe in it, Micador is a true leader and known innovator. In 2021, we have launched an anti-bacterial range of Back to School products, with our M.SHIELD additive that is proven to kill bacteria.
Never satisfied, we continue to innovate and improve every area of our business and embrace the best of technology to ensure our team of experts remains at the cutting edge and Micador products are now exported to over 10 countries around the world.
70 years and three generations later, Micador is still in Dortimer hands and although now we’re a very different and progressive business, that hard working entrepreneurial spirit remains and drives us today.
