OUR CORE BELIEFS

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What we believe

Copies hurt culture

Replicas and knockoffs damage the design economy and erode respect for creativity and craftsmanship.

Design is an investment

Original products last longer, come with warranties, and are repairable. Cheap copies often fail early and cost more to replace.

Good design is made to last

Authentic brands back quality with warranties, repair pathways and, in some cases, end-of-life programs.

IP and authorship must be protected

Designers, licensed manufacturers, and authorised distributors deserve fair protection against businesses that profit from copying.

Design theft strips income from creators

Many designers rely on royalties from product sales, often around 3–7% of the wholesale price.

Original design grows the economy

Bringing a product to market can take 1–2 years, across research, prototyping, manufacturing and marketing.

Good design is good business

Strong products fund new collections and strengthen the wider supply chain.

“Choose well. Buy once. Make it last.”
Vivienne WestwoodAuthentic Design Alliance: Mission, Vision, Values and Impact

Authentic Design Alliance: Mission, Vision, Values and Impact

Authentic Design Alliance (ADA) is a purpose-driven industry association working to stop furniture design theft in Australia. We support the people and businesses behind authentic products, including Australian and international designers and brands trading in Australia.

We back creators, makers, studios, brands, manufacturers, distributors, retailers and specifiers. We also help consumers understand the actual cost of design theft.

1. Our Mission

What we do and who we support

The ADA promotes original design to combat counterfeit furniture and supports the people who create, manufacture, specify, and sell authentic products.

    • We advocate for authenticity, originality, innovation and responsible production.
    • We strengthen awareness of intellectual property (IP) and design integrity.
    • We help shift purchasing and specification decisions away from replicas and counterfeits.

Australia is now the ‘Wild West’ of fake designer furniture.

The future of design in Australia relies on the choices we make today.

2. Our Vision

The future we’re working toward

We want Australia to lead on design integrity and treat counterfeit furniture as unlawful, in line with key trading partners.

    1. Fakes are illegal. Counterfeit designs are outlawed and enforced in Australia.
    2. People understand the harm. Consumers and industry see the cultural, economic, ethical and environmental impacts of copy culture.
    3. Buying behaviour changes. More people invest in original, well-made products that last.
    4. Long-life design becomes normal. Repair, reuse, and retention replace the replacement cycle.
    5. Design integrity shapes the market. Authentic products win over disposable decorating.

“A successful product employs a network. A successful collection creates a sub-economy.”
Authentic Design Alliance®

3. Impact

Why it matters

What we make, buy, and value shapes our world.

The ADA is shifting Australia’s design culture by building public awareness, supporting ethical creators and businesses, and pushing for laws that protect authentic design.

    • We promote a market that rewards original work, not imitation.
    • We make it easier for professionals and consumers to choose authentic products.
    • We help build a stronger, fairer and more sustainable design economy in Australia.



6 Reasons to Join the ADA

4. Core values

How we lead

Value

What it means in practice

Authenticity and Originality
  • We uphold original ideas, products, materials and processes.
  • We respect the source of creative innovation and cultural integrity.

Advocacy and Leadership
  • We push for policy reform and stronger IP protection.
  • We lead behaviour change across government, industry, media and education.
  • We hold ourselves and others to high ethical standards.

Education and Behaviour Change
  • We build IP literacy for industry and consumers.
  • We share clear, factual and accessible guidance.
  • We shift buying decisions toward authentic designs and brands.

Community and Collaboration
  • We build a national alliance across the design ecosystem.
  • We partner across sectors and disciplines to drive change.
  • We value inclusion and representation in design.

Sustainability and Ethics
  • We back responsible production and long-life design.
  • We promote circular thinking: keep, repair, reuse.
  • We reduce environmental harm through better choices and business models.

5. Join the ADA

Every authentic purchasing decision or specification strengthens the design ecosystem. Every membership strengthens advocacy and education to help protect a robust future for the Australian furnishing and interior design sector.

The future of design in Australia depends on the choices we make today.

Join the ADA



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