Can your merch be Made in Australia?

The briefs we receive often request promotional merchandise that’s Made in Australia, but you need to be clear on the pros and cons of this wishlist item before you decide it’s non-negotiable.

Summary:

• Yes, there are definitely some fantastic options if you want merchandise that’s Made In Australia
• The benefits of keeping things local can be lower delivery costs and faster turnaround times
• Sometimes an overseas supplier or manufacturer is the only strategy that makes sense for your budget
• This doesn’t mean you can’t support Aussie providers and workers in other ways
• Talk to Inck and we’ll share the information you need to make the right decision

Take a look at our perspective on promotional merchandise that’s ‘Made in Australia’.

What does Made in Australia mean?

First up, the Made in Australia tag that you’re probably thinking of right now can only be attached to registered and certified products that underwent their “last substantial transformation” in Australia. This means the raw materials may have been sourced from overseas, but the product has been assembled here at home. 

Some products are designed in Australia but not made here. Didgeridoonas is an example: it is an Australian-owned family business with manufacturing roots in Fiji. Therefore it can’t technically be called ‘Made In Australia’, even though you’re supporting an Aussie business when you place an order.

There are always options for merch that’s Made in Australia

Not all merchandise that’s Made in Australia has the green and gold logo.

Our water bottle provider is a case in point; it uses injection moulding technology to create biodegradable bottles here at home. These bottles are a fantastic option to explore if you are working on a campaign or want to offer your team branded water bottles. You get the benefit of an affordable product that is made locally.

At the other end of the scale, Corban & Blair is a B-Corp-certified, female-owned supplier that offers beautiful leather products made here at home. Many products in their catalogue feature Indigenous art, giving you a story to tell and a premium gift.

When Inck worked on the Kevin 07 campaign several years ago, the brief was for the associated t-shirts to be Australian-made. We were able to source thousands of t-shirts from a local manufacturer.

See more: Moments in time: Merch that tells a story

The ‘kangaroo’ in the room

Now for a reality check.

It’s great to have Australian-made promotional merch, and if this is non-negotiable, we can definitely explore options, but you have to know it is likely to come at a price.

Those Kevin 07 t-shirts would have been half the cost if they were sourced from overseas but the decision was made to keep the job in Australia and the budget was adjusted accordingly. 

If something is easy to source locally, you can potentially save money because you will skip the international shipping costs and benefit from faster delivery times. However, price is often a barrier to choosing goods that are made in Australia, and the overseas option is the only way to stay within the confines of your brief, especially if you want a bespoke item. 

There’s always a ‘sweet spot’

If your budget prevents you from choosing merchandise that’s made in Australia, you can still tell a positive story and select products that are assembled, printed and branded here at home.

You can also highlight working with an Australian designer or artist as part of your campaign.

Finally, if your merch does come from offshore, you can confirm you are using an ethical supply chain and supporting workers who receive fair pay and experience safe working conditions. This is something we are happy to discuss with you; we have excellent relationships with our suppliers and manufacturers and even visit them in person to confirm they meet our supply chain standards.

Want to explore your options for Aussie-made merch?

Inck has created bespoke merchandise for dozens of Australian companies. Talk to us about sourcing your products from somewhere down the road from your own office, or work with our in-house creative team to come up with a solution that supports some Australian talent and labour while still meeting your cost requirements.

We’re ready for your brief: Reach out today.