The actress shared the news on Instagram on Tuesday (18Apr17) by revealing she had been sitting on a secret for the last year.

Nikki, who is married to celebrity eco-warrior Ian Somerhalder, went on to explain she has teamed up with Morgan Bogle, founder of an ethical American-made handbag line called Freedom of Animals, and the pair has created its own "baby".

"We've been working very hard for many months on a dream I've had for a long time..." she continued, "and it's finally only a few weeks away from becoming a reality... hint: it's all made in the US. It's all sustainable and we're using vegetable and plant based dyes. It's our new lifestyle brand."

Bogle and his Freedom of Animals partners also weighed in with their own announcement, explaining they will be launching the new venture with Reed "very soon".

Nikki also added the hashtag #sustainablefashion to her post, which featured a photo of her dog.

Sustainable fashion has becomes a a hot-button style topic in 2017 as stars and fashionistas alike seek out vintage clothing or designs made with existing or recycled materials to keep costs down and save the environment.

Emma Watson and Anne Hathaway are among the A-list celebrities who have vowed to sport only sustainable fashion on their recent movie press tours for Beauty and the Best and Colossal, respectively.

Original innovators of the trend include Colin Firth's wife Livia and Bono's wife Ali Hewson, who founded sustainable fashion brand EDUN in 2005.Read more at:http://www.marieprom.co.uk/pink-prom-dresses-uk | http://www.marieprom.co.uk/green-prom-dress