Introducing ADA 3.0: Our Biggest Reset in 10 Years!

In 2026, the Authentic Design Alliance (ADA) marks ten years since our 2016 relaunch. To commemorate this milestone, we are making the most significant shift in our 16-year history.

What started as a group of importers and design leaders pushing back against replicas is now maturing into a governed, education-driven organisation with new membership tiers, a Board, a mentor program, a Code of Conduct, and CPD-accredited learning.

This is ADA 3.0. Here is what is coming.

Chapter 1: The Founders and the Replica Problem

In 2010, a coalition of distributors united in response to design theft that was becoming normalised by the burgeoning replica furniture industry.

The Authentic Design Alliance was launched to communicate to specifying architects and interior designers the value of supporting and promoting original design.

These issues still affect the furnishing sector today:

Copies erode trust in brands, local or international
Knock-offs divert income away from designers and legitimate manufacturers
Cheap, short-life products feed landfills and are a critical environmental issue
Consumers are still confused about what “authentic” actually means

The ADA was formed to state what others would not: replicas are theft and damage the entire furnishing ecosystem.

Chapter 2: Working with Government on Policy Changes

Relaunching in May 2016 with support from Good Design Australia, the ADA announced a new team and a fresh mandate to focus on advocacy and education.

Over the last decade, we have shifted from awareness-raising events to structured advocacy with government and policymakers.

Since 2016, our key Advocacy has included:

Multiple submissions and appearances during the 2016-18 Productivity Commission inquiry into Intellectual Property
Working closely with IP Australia during the two-year Designs Review, including directly contributing to policy change
Joining round tables on design law and enforcement
Submitted to the 2024-25 Productivity Commission inquiry into Copyright Reform for AI
Partnered with peak bodies and cultural organisations to highlight gaps in protection
Kept design theft visible in the media and at industry events

The legal landscape remains slow and imperfect, but the ADA now has a recognised voice in policy discussions on furniture and lighting design.

That advocacy work continues. In 2026, we add something new: structures and tools that sit alongside law reform and help you act differently day-to-day.

Chapter 3: 2026, ADA 3.0 and a New Chapter

Beginning in March 2026, we will roll out a suite of initiatives to reset how the ADA operates and how we support the industry and our members.

We will formally mark the 10-year milestone during Melbourne Design Week in May, with events that bring these changes to life.

New Governance: Our First Board and Advisory Council

In 2026, we will announce our first Board, supported by an Advisory Council.

What this looks like:

A governing Board responsible for strategy, risk and accountability
An Advisory Council of invited experts across product, furniture, lighting, retail, manufacturing, IP, sustainability, education and policy
Clear pathways for member input into agendas and working groups

This is a shift from a director-led advocacy platform to an organisation with shared leadership and transparent oversight.

Sustainability: From Slogans to Real Practice

Sustainability claims in the furnishing sector are noisy and often confusing. In 2026, we will focus on what members are actually doing, not what they say on a swing tag.

New sustainability initiatives include:

A Sustainability Group sharing Case Studies to raise standards and promote circularity
These case studies will unpack real projects: spotlighting materials, sourcing, repair, reuse, and stewardship
Practical guidance on circular practice for furniture and lighting brands, designers and specifiers

The goal: help you cut through greenwash and talk honestly about impact.

ADA Mentor Program: Open to All Career Stages

Design careers are messy, and the path from graduate to design leader is rarely linear.

The new ADA Mentor Program will be open to all career stages and disciplines, with mentees committing to at least 2 hours of professional development.

The program will:

Pair early-career designers and micro-studios with established practitioners and business leaders
Support mid-career designers facing growth hurdles, pivots or burnout
Include options for reverse mentoring, so emerging voices feed back into leadership and governance

Mentor cohorts will align with our education and advocacy themes, so the program feeds directly into better business practice, not feel-good chat.

Industry Code of Conduct for Ethical Specification and Purchasing

Ethical specification is the missing link between “I support original design” and actual behaviour. In 2026, we begin work on an ADA-driven Industry Code of Conduct to promote and support ethical specification and purchasing.

The Code aims to:

Set clear expectations for how members specify, promote and sell original products
Address replicas and lookalikes in tenders, schedules, online listings and marketing
Give specifiers, retailers and distributors a shared language for pushing back on unethical requests
Provide guidance that design-loving consumers can use when they choose products for their homes and projects

Drafts will be developed with members across all tiers, legal partners and government contacts, with staged consultation during 2026.

Education Series, CPD and New Tools for Clarity

We are formalising what many of you already rely on: ADA talks, panels and training. From 2026:

A structured ADA Education Series with in-person and online sessions
CPD-accredited content for architects, interior designers and specifiers
Short modules and guides for retailers, manufacturers and distributors
Simple tools for consumers that explain sustainability claims, authenticity and ethical purchasing in plain language

Education will align directly with the Code of Conduct and membership commitments, ensuring learning translates into action.

Membership Reset: New Tiers and More Explicit Commitments

2026 also brings the first new membership tiers in ten years, including Foundation Membership for emerging designers, solo practices and small studios.

Existing tiers have been reviewed to better reflect how different organisations engage with the original design.

Headlines:

FOUNDATION MEMBERSHIP: New entry tier for early-career designers and micro-studios
UPGRADED MEMBER BENEFITS: Refined business tiers for brands, distributors and retailers
MEMBERSHIP NOW OPEN FOR A&D: Responding to demand from specifiers, ADA Membership is now open to all industry professionals
Updated Membership Terms & Conditions and ADA logo licence terms, so you know exactly how to use ADA marks and what happens if obligations are breached.

If you already support original design, it’s easier to explain to clients, customers, and your own teams.

Our Rollout:

March 2026: Public launch of ADA 3.0 and new membership tiers
April 2026: First CPD-accredited modules live
May 2026: Melbourne Design Week – 10-year milestone events, first public Board and Advisory Council presentation, launch of Mentor Program and Education Series themes
Mid-2026: Sustainability case studies program and Code of Conduct working group commence
Late 2026: Draft Industry Code of Conduct released for consultation, first year of Mentor Program commences with shared outcomes

What This Means for You

Designers, Studios and Maker-Brands

You get more explicit backing in your stand against replicas, structured mentoring, CPD-aligned learning, and a stronger platform that speaks for you in policy, media and procurement.

Retailers, Distributors and Manufacturers

You gain practical tools to support authentic ranges, train your teams, and push back on copy-led requests, backed by a recognised Code of Conduct.

Architects, Interior Designers and Specifiers

You gain frameworks and accredited education that make ethical specification easier to defend to clients and project teams.

Design-Loving Consumers

You get clearer information about what you are buying, why it costs what it does, and how your choices support original ideas rather than copies.

Next Steps

Over the coming months, we will share more details on:

Board and Advisory Council appointments
Mentor Program structure and how to join
Education topics and CPD accreditation partners
Timelines and consultation points for the Industry Code of Conduct

For now:

If you are a current member, this is your prompt to review your tier and updated benefits on the Membership and 6 Reasons to Join pages.

If you are considering joining, this is the year to do it. The ADA is moving from campaign to long-term structure. We want you in the room as we write the next chapter.

Learn more about ADA Structure

ADA 3.0: New Board, Mentor Program + Industry Code of Conduct