Authentic Design Alliance relaunch
Join us for Chapter Three: ADA 3.0
The Authentic Design Alliance will relaunch during Melbourne Design Week in May 2027, marking the next chapter in our 16-year history and culminating in a brand-new website.
Ahead of the relaunch, we are introducing expanded governance, new membership pathways and industry programs designed to strengthen Australia’s original design sector.
NEW FOR 2026: Foundation Membership, for small teams of three or fewer, is open now. Discover what membership tier is right for your brand and explore Member benefits here.
Our limited-time ADA Membership Bonus offer has been extended to Sunday, August 30. Join now to receive a three (3) of six (6) month extension at no additional cost.
Discover Foundation Membership benefits
What’s changing:
- Expanded governance: the first Authentic Design Alliance Board will be announced shortly, which will be supported by an Advisory Council of invited industry luminaries
- Foundation Membership: created for independent designers, designer-makers and businesses with three or fewer team members, our first new membership tier in 16 years!
- New Memberships for Specifiers: opening in September for architects, interior designers, and building-industry professionals committed to supporting authentic products and brands
- ADA Global Brand Partnerships: also introduced next month, is partner opportunities for international design brands across furniture, lighting, textiles, materials and related categories
- Specifiers’ Code of Conduct: an Authentic Design Alliance-led guide created by a steering committee, designed to support responsible product selection, purchasing behaviour and industry practice
- ADA Mentor Program: designed to guide and support practitioners across career stages, intended to support a robust future in the industry
- Circularity Program: sharing member intelligence and sustainability case studies with industry, clients and government, to outline leadership from suppliers, brands and manufacturers
- A new ADA website: unveiled at the ADA relaunch during Melbourne Design Week in May 2027
Full eligibility, inclusions and application details will be published as each new initiative opens.
Explore which membership tier suits your brand
Why the Authentic Design Alliance is expanding
In 2010, five distributors: Cult, Living Edge, Euroluce, Stylecraft and Ke-Zu, came together to push back against a replica furniture industry that was becoming normalised.
Their objective in launching the Authentic Design Alliance was to educate specifying architects and interior designers about the importance of specifying original products and brands, not cheap copies.
ADA 2.0: 2016-2026
In 2015, stewardship passed to a new team. Following a nine-month research phase, the ADA relaunched in 2016 with Good Design Australia’s support. ADA 2.0 had a renewed purpose to sharpen advocacy and education work and cement the association as a recognised voice in policy discussions.
A successful product creates an inome stream.
A successful collection creates a sub-economy.
Ten years on, replicas, knock-offs, and dupes continue to explode as a burgeoning problem. Free delivery, same-day, dirt-cheap prices, ultra-low-quality products. This threatens designers, makers, and the brands who create, make, sell and specify the original designs that have been copied en masse.
Short-lifespan furniture has become a significant environmental problem. Our education will spotlight circular practices within the furnishing sector and create education documents to assist clients, designers and consumers with purchasing decisions.
Authentic Design Alliance Event: ADA Director Anne-Maree Sargeant and Aleesha Callahan unpacking sustainability, circularity within authentic design and responsible industry practice at Artbank. Photograph: Eryca Green.
Expanded governance
Shortly, the Authentic Design Alliance will introduce its first ADA Board, supported by an Advisory Council.
The Board will guide strategy, oversight and long-term planning. The Advisory Council will bring together invited expertise across design, manufacturing, retail, intellectual property, sustainability, education, policy, law and partnerships.
As programs, consultations and working groups open, relevant opportunities for member participation will be shared.
Discover Foundation Membership benefits
ADA 3.0 Rollout
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| August | Foundation Membership: bonus offer (available across all membership tiers until 30 August 2026) |
| September | A&D Membership and ADAGlobal Brand Partnerships introduced |
| October | Specifiers’ Code of Conduct: expressions of interest open for the steering committee |
| November | ADA Mentor Program: expressions of interest open for mentors |
| December | Ambassador Program: expressions of interest open |
| February | ADA Mentor Program: mentee applications open |
| March | ADA Circularity Program: EOI to apply to join steering committee |
| May | Authentic Design Alliance relaunch: during Melbourne Design Week |
Join us for our next chapter
Melbourne Design Week in May 2027 marks the relaunch, but the work begins now.
Discover Authentic Design Alliance membership opportunities and enquire about joining to support our next chapter.
