Australian made shopping guide

Supporting local makers and shakers, keeping Aussie money in Aussie pockets, making sure Australians are employed or owning quality goods – whatever your reason for wanting to buy Australian made, our guides make it super easy for you to find the brands that manufacture their products locally and where to buy them.

What Australian made product are you after?

Fashion

Here are some of our favourite fashion brands that make and manufacture their pieces locally.

Gifts

The best stores to unearth gifts for friends, children and overseas visitors that are handcrafted in Australia.

Ugg boots

Find your next pair of boots made right here in Australia from these top online ugg retailers.

Mattresses

Sleep easy knowing your mattress is made in the green and gold.

200+ Australian made brands and where to buy them

• eBay
• Catch

Frequently asked questions

What does the Australian Made symbol mean?

The Australian Made symbol is a green triangle with a yellow kangaroo and the words "Australian Made" on it. It confirms that the item bearing it has been certified by a third-party accreditation system to be genuinely Australian.

A good thing to know is that there are a number of different versions of this logo, all of which look the same but have different wording:

• Product of Australia: The product's significant ingredients or materials come from Australia and the majority of its production was in Australia.
• Australian Made: The product's last substantial transformation was in Australia.
• Australian Grown: All significant ingredients were grown and processed in Australia.
• Australian Made and Owned: On top of the final product being assembled or manufactured in Australia, the company that owns it is Australian.

How can I tell if something is Australian made?

Checking out the product's label is the easiest way to see where it was made. Look for either the words "Made in", "Country of Origin" or the Australian Made logo, which is a licence only given to items that are made in Australia.

At the moment, Australian Consumer Law states that only food products are required to carry a "country of origin" label, so sometimes the answer might not be in the label.

If it isn't, head to the brand's website and look under the "About Us" or "Our Story" sections for information regarding its production process. Alternatively, you can contact the brand directly to ask if it makes its products in Australia or if the specific product you're looking at is made in Australia.

Is there a difference between Australian Made and Australian Manufactured?

No, these terms are often used interchangeably and both mean that the item marked was created or saw its final transformation in Australia.

What does Australian Designed mean?

You'll often see an item designed in Australia but manufactured elsewhere. This is because the conceptual idea was developed in Australia and perhaps even the prototypes were created here, but the manufacturing process was outsourced to another country. This is often due to production costs, which can be markedly cheaper overseas than in Australia.

Buying Australian Designed merchandise will still support local designers, but unless the label also says that it's Made in Australia, then you'll also be supporting international industries.

What does Australian Owned mean?

Australian Owned means that the business is owned by an Australian or an Australian company. While it may have factories in Australia where it manufactures its products, this may not always be the case.

What does Australian Operated mean?

You'll often see the terms "owned and operated" written in tandem. This means that the business is owned by an Australian or Australian company and that its day-to-day operations and headquarters are based in Australia.

If a business is only operated in Australia, this means that its main benefactor is international. However, its offices, head staff and daily operations are in Australia.

What percentage of the item needs to be made in Australia to be classified as Australian Made?

According to the official Australian Made site, the following is the definition of Australian Made: "The product has undergone its last substantial transformation in Australia".

Therefore, there's no specific percentage of the product's production that needs to be in Australia to render it Australian made. Instead, so long as the most significant portion of its manufacture has been completed in Australia, it may qualify for the title.

That being said, some products do delve into the nitty-gritty with regards to ingredients and materials.

For example, on food items, you may see a bar stating the percentage of Australian ingredients. Clothing items often disclose their material breakdown alongside their origin and make statements such as 100% Australian wool.

Why should I buy Australian made products?

• Support local businesses: Whether it's your neighbour's at-home jewellery business or a leather-smith from a rural town, know you're supporting an Australian business.
• Cut back on shipping costs: If you're paying postage for your items, the shipping costs will likely be lower if coming from within Australia.
• Protected by Australian consumer law: The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) covers product safety, standards bans and recalls on products where if you're buying from an international retailer you may not be protected.
• Uniquely Australian materials: When it comes to beauty products using Australian botanicals, furniture crafted from Australian timbers or food products crafted with Aussie produce or byproducts from locally raised animals, some things just can't be bought overseas.

Where can I buy Australian made products?

You can search the table above for your preferred retailer to see if they stock Australian goods, or consider shopping at some of these retailers:

• Madeit: Craft supplies, jewellery, homewares, furniture
• Adore Beauty: Gifts, soap
• Coles
• David Jones: Furniture, mattresses
• hardtofind: Baby clothes, furniture, handbags, soap, socks
• THE ICONIC: Clothing, handbags
• IGA: Food products
• Myer: Clothing, mattresses
• SurfStitch: Boots, gifts, soap
• Woolworths

Written by

Stephanie Yip

Publisher

Stephanie Yip was the travel editor at Finder and has been writing about travel and lifestyle for over a decade. She has written for a range of travel publications including Thomas Cook Magazine and Showpo. Stephanie has a Bachelor of Communications from the University of Technology Sydney, Australia, and has visited over 50 countries (and counting). She has a passion for sharing her experiences and knowledge of travel and helping consumers stretch their travel cash while on holiday. See full bio