As Australian Made Week 2025 starts next Monday 19 May, Roy Morgan recently revealed 73 per cent of Australians would be willing to buy more Australian-made products to avoid reliance on imports, with seven in 10 (72 per cent) willing to pay more for locally made goods.
Australian Made chief executive Ben Lazzaro says recent global economic uncertainty and challenging market conditions have highlighted the importance of supporting Australia’s manufacturers and producers.
“Now is the time for Aussies to help Aussies,” he reiterates.
“When we support our local makers, growers, farmers and manufacturers, we not only get products made to Australia’s high standards, we can also assist local industries that may be facing reduced exports.”
And home is where the heart is, with Australian Made Campaign research showing 84 per cent of Australians would be more likely to buy a product if they knew it was Australian made.
“While global supply chains are shifting, this is a moment of opportunity for Australian brands to claim new space in both domestic and international markets by leaning into what they do best—high quality production, sustainability, authenticity and community values. One of the best ways to do that is through country-of-origin branding.”
Sydney Designer Marielle Collins loves to spend as much of her spare time as possible by the sea, sharing a close connection with the Australian beach culture.
Having witnessed so many beachgoers struggling with their traditional bulky sarongs led Marielle to design the Skarong. The Australian Made Campaign research shows females are more likely to buy Australian made products compared to males (47 vs 39 per cent).
“I wanted the designs to capture the spirit and emotion of the Australian beach lifestyle in a truly unique user-friendly way and completely reinvent the sarong,” she explains.
“Skarong is the ‘sarong re-born’.”
The brand produces all its products in Australia and the high-quality finishing means every piece lasts season after season, adds Collins.
“In line with the brand’s ethos of environmentally conscious and ethical fashion, Skarong is proudly made in Australia with a focus on eliminating fabric waste.
“We are passionate about helping the environment and try to avoid any plastic packaging for our online and wholesale customers and pack in recycled tissue paper. All the small fabric scraps that cannot be repurposed are taken to recycling facilities and never put into landfill.”
Australian Made Week runs from 19 to 25 May 2025.
