
AUTHENTIC DESIGN ALLIANCE®
HELP STOP DESIGN THEFT!
ABOUT
Authentic Design Alliance® is a social enterprise leading the fight against furniture design theft in Australia.
Advocating for improved intellectual property (IP) protection for designers and furnishing brands, we help drive policy amendments in Australian law via ongoing consultation with Government agencies.
As an education platform, we create awareness about the damage caused by the fast furniture industry. Communicating the importance of investing in the brands and individuals that create, make, sell and promote authentic design.
DESIGN THEFT
Design theft is when someone profits by making copies of original furniture, lighting, and architectural products – a problem encouraged by people buying, selling and specifying replicas and knock-offs.
Short-lifespan furnishings end up in landfills at such an alarming rate that it is now a critical environmental issue.
VISION+MISSION
Our vision is that design is valued. For customers to consider what they buy and for original products hold a meaning that transcends a purchase price.
Our mission is to see the replica furniture sector criminalized as it has been in Europe and the UK.
Australian law also allows a designer’s name to sell fakes if used with the word ‘replica’. Using the designer or product name to sell knock-offs misleads customers into thinking products are connected to the original brand. They’re not.
“A successful product employs a network.
A successful collection creates a sub-economy.”
WHAT WE DO
As an independent for-purpose association, we drive awareness about the cultural, societal, and environmental damage caused by what we call ‘disposable decorating.’
We strive to shift the dial towards consumers valuing authentic products and long-term purchases over cheap short-lifespan copies to support a stronger future for our industry.
JOIN THE ADA
ADA® members directly enable our ongoing work with Government agencies for IP reform; and help fund our national education program.
Discover more about ADA® membership here (or here if on mobile / device)
Lets get real.
6 Facts About Design Theft.

BECOME A MEMBER
ADA Members enable our program
As a member-funded association, we are supported by designers, makers, manufacturers, distributors, importers, and retailers of authentic products.
We’re also supported by interior designers, architects, interior stylists, photographers, digital influencers, building industry brands, and landscape design professionals.
- Join here & see ADA member benefits (desktop view)
- And head here (if on phone or tablet)
LATEST NEWS

As part of Cult’s 25th-anniversary celebrations, we were invited to write a feature to unpack why designer furniture costs what it does. And why we must support original [...]

ADA to Lead Gender Equality Mentor Program for Design Fringe
ADA director Anne-Maree Sargeant will lead the gender equality mentor program for Design Fringe. The Naomi Milgrom Foundation powers Design Fringe for Gender Equality with the [...]

ADA Outcomes : Finally Legislation & IP Improvements!
We have had our biggest year since the ADA was founded by Cult, Living Edge, Euroluce, Ke-Zu and Stylecraft in 2010! Aside from an action-pack event and award program, we [...]

DOWNLOAD ADA 09 :: Outdoor Issue, Icons & Milestones
Celebrating ADA outcomes 2016-22, read about our advocacy and the improvements to design protections against copies. Highlights include ADA Award winners at vivid design comp [...]

ADA in 2022 :: Awards, Partnerships and Events
From Denfair to Melbourne Design Week, Design Show to vivid, around 15,000 design lovers visited our exhibitions, awards and talks in 2022. Download our newspaper and learn [...]

AFFILIATION:: ADA x Image Makers Association Australia
We’re proud to announce our affiliation with the freshly minted industry body representing Australian photographic professionals – Image Makers Association Australia [...]

ADA Keynote at Victorian Pride Centre for Design Fringe
Join us Friday, October 7th at the Victorian Pride Centre for the Design Fringe Keynote featuring designer Ella Saddington, weaver Lis de Vries, futurist and academic [...]

CASE STUDY REVISITED :: Discount Retailer Knocks-off Local Designer
What happens when big businesses knock off local designers? When a major retail chain advertised an identical product to one they’d borrowed for a photo shoot from a [...]

DESIGN FRINGE :: Register to Exhibit (by August 1st)
Design Fringe, the new evolution of Melbourne Fringe’s longest-running program, Fringe Furniture, will be making its home at Linden New Art in 2022. This year’s provocation [...]

MEDIA :: DESIGN ONLINE on the ADA Vision, Journey and Outcomes
Ahead of next week’s Decor+Design show, Design Online speak with ADA director AMS about the problem, the solutions and why the industry must be more aware! The ADA has [...]

JOIN THE ADA :: WHAT MEMBERSHIP IS RIGHT FOR ME?
AUTHENTIC DESIGN ALLIANCE ® members enable our ongoing education, advocacy and event program and support the best future for the Australian furnishing sector.

DENFAIR rebrands as DESIGN SHOW :: 18-20 October, ICC Sydney
Join us October 18-22 at ICC Sydney for the newly rebooted Interiors Australia I Denfair, now known as DESIGN SHOW. The industry event will be held annually each October, [...]