The first-ever Australian Made Week kicked off on Monday, the 24th of May 2021 and shoppers are being urged to say ‘g’day’ to one extra locally made or grown product per week to help boost the country’s economy over the next 12 months.
According to recent Roy Morgan research, if every household spent an additional $10 a week on Australian Made products, it would inject an extra $5 billion into the economy each year and create up to 11,000 new jobs.
And the Australian forest products sector is no different.
As custodian of the Australian standards for Sustainable Forest Management (AS 4708) and Chain of Custody for Forest Products (AS 4707), Responsible Wood is strongly aligned to the campaign.
“The famous Australian Made, Australian Grown certification trademark is the true mark of Aussie authenticity, recognised widely and underpinned by a third-party accreditation system,” Responsible Wood CEO Simon Dorries said.
“Responsible Wood certification is used right across the Australian forest products value chain and demonstrates to customers and buyers that timber and paper-based products are grown in sustainably-managed forests and manufactured, retailed and sold through Australian businesses,” he said.
Australian Made Chief Executive, Ben Lazzaro, said the purpose of Australian Made Week – which runs from Monday 24 May to Sunday 30 May – is to celebrate and support local makers and growers.
“It’s an opportunity to focus on the benefits of buying local and highlight that when you buy Australian Made, you have a direct economic impact on the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of Australians throughout the supply chain,” he said.
“Even making a small change in your weekly shopping can create a huge difference for local businesses.”
Entrepreneur, model and Australian Made ambassador Elyse Knowles is calling on everyone to get involved in Australian Made Week by seeking out and buying genuine Aussie products bearing the trusted green-and-gold kangaroo logo.
“When you’re making purchases – whether it’s flowers, bedlinen, skincare or socks – go for Australian Made or Grown and spread the word on your socials by posting about your buy with #AustralianMadeWeek,” Knowles said.
“There are so many high-quality Australian products and we have an international reputation for having some of the highest standards in craftsmanship, safety and quality. Hopefully, I can help encourage Australians to support their local communities and buy one more Australian Made product per week.”
Australian Made Week is being promoted through TV, radio, print, and online advertisements featuring Elyse Knowles. The TV and radio advertisements can be accessed here and here.
