-gold kangaroo emblem: what exactly constitutes Australian-made in a country shaped by multiculturalism, inherited trade traditions and divergent histories?  “Choosing Australian-made is one of the most direct and practical ways Australians can support their local economy,” Ben Lazzaro told Inside Retail. That idea sits at the centre of Australian Made Week, running until Sunday, though the reality of Australian manufacturing extends beyond patriotic rhetoric. Tanya Van der Water runs Buckaroo Leatherworks in Wollongong, one of the earliest businesses to join the Australian Made campaign in 1999. “We were business number 27 to achieve that status,” she told SBS News last year. The leather goods company was founded by her father 55 years ago in Cape Town during apartheid, before eventually establishing itself in Australia. In many ways, Australian-made now reflects the many histories, communities and trade traditions shaping modern Australia.  Australian Made House  Mitchell Skuta, a First Nations man from Bairnsdale, Victoria, founded Gardening on Country in 2023, giving discarded plastic an unexpectedly dignified second life as durable gardening tools. The idea was sparked at the beach, where plastic waste is most abundant, and raised a question for Skuta, “What if this plastic could be given a second life?” Gardening on Country now diverts plastic from landfill and waterways, transforming waste into gardening tools. Skuta is also one of the 25 businesses contributing to ‘Australian Made House’ during Australian Made Week. The design-led activation, in collaboration with interior designer James Treble, presents a curated display of Australian Made-certified products carrying the prolific green-and-gold kangaroo logo. Lazzaro said the concept didn’t necessarily emerge from simply filling a warehouse with local products. While the Waterloo space operated as a central showcase for content, media and Australian-made goods, it also served as a reminder to licensees that local manufacturing belongs to a far larger national proposition than the individual factory floor or workshop from which each brand operates. “We wanted to move beyond the traditional perception of ‘buying local’ as purely a practical or patriotic decision and position it as something aspirational, design-led and deeply connected to modern Australian lifestyles,” he told Inside Retail. “By bringing together local makers, the campaign showcases how seamlessly Australian Made products can fit into beautiful, contemporary living spaces.” Australian Made in a diverse landscape With last year’s call to the public to buy Australian-made came a substantial package intended to fortify local production. Australian-made products are also subject to some of the world’s most exacting labour, safety and quality-control standards. “It is Australia’s most recognised and trusted certification trademark for Australian products,” Lazzaro explained at the time. He also said, “The logo means you are pumping money into the economy and keeping people employed,” though beyond the patriotic motif, Australian manufacturing is profoundly sustained by diverse communities who established businesses in their adopted homeland. Take Lovekins, another brand featured at Australian Made House. Founder Amanda Essery is a sixth-generation Chinese-Australian born and raised in Darwin. While struggling with her daughter’s eczema and traversing a western medicine system dominated by steroid creams, she turned towards her Chinese heritage of traditional remedies and the healing properties of native Australian botanicals, creating natural and organic products for mothers and babies. Koala Eco, founded by American-born Jessica Bragdon and her Australian husband Paul Davidson, similarly draws upon Australian botanicals through an outsider-meets-local prism. Supporting local manufacturing doesn’t need to be complicated According to the Australian Industry Group, manufacturing in Australia contributes $30 billion in value to the economy every year, but the effects of tariffs, inflation and cost-of-living pressures have burdened more than 50,000 Australian businesses that manufacture locally. Lazzaro remains steadfast in his belief that supporting local manufacturing need not be complicated nor financially unattainable. “Many of the products people already purchase every day, from furniture and homewares through to cleaning and pantry items, are made here in Australia.” There is little denying that Australia produces wares carrying a formidable level of craftsmanship. Yet it seems now, Australian Made describes a convergence of many national identities including inherited knowledge, local materials and international traditions all coexisting beneath the same green-and-gold sticker. Australian Made Week itself is also emblematic, as a tribute to the endurance and ingenuity of Australian manufacturers and retailers. Lazarro ended on a poignant and exacting observation. “When Australians back Australian Made, the benefits flow right across the community — and that’s something everyone can be part of.”  Further reading: All Aussie: Australian Made fills a home with local brands