Check out the latest edition of the TAFE Futures Magazine In this edition read about Continuity and Change: AFA Members and Australian employers’ training practices and partnerships with training providers A year of challenge and opportunity for TAFE and the VET...
Business leaders spend considerable time and energy developing business strategies and seek to align all business activities to ensure optimisation of effort, business growth and sustainability. This should always include the people within a business. For example,...
This is an article from Graham Smith CEO Innova Group that he wrote in a LinkedIn forum we thought we would share with you – Keeping costs low and profits high have always been fundamental in business. One source of low-cost furniture items is buying from...
In keeping with a green theme have you incorporated Pantones colour of the year into any of your designs? If so we would love to see them…in the interim here are some thought starters from our friends at dezeen...
Thank you to the green Interior Awards for their contribution to todays enewlsetter. The AFA is proud to be associated with the Green Interior Awards, which are now open http://us11.campaign-archive1.com/?u=bd04e0d033c6be47b454e3519&id=4109cb82f0
I am excited to lead a delegation of Industry Leaders, Designers, Educators and Buyers to Malaysia for the EFE and MIFF 2017 events. Whilst my role will be to present on the importance of complying with Australian standards, testing, certification and legislation, the...
…and what you can do to improve your pricing strategy This week we received a great thought provoking piece from Ron Wood, Founder and Managing Director of Pricing Insight. He highlighted the email shared with the world for a very specific and clever...
You can register for product safety recall alerts If you sell products – it pays to be aware of how products fare in your market sector. If a product similar to one that you sell gets recalled it can impact your business. It is illegal to sell recalled products. Most...
An inquiry investigating payment times and practices in Australia is in full swing with preliminary findings confirming that big businesses and some governments are taking longer than ever to pay small businesses. So far 60 percent of small businesses are reporting an...
Understanding the purchasing decision process of your customers is imperative in today’s competitive market. Customer profiling has been used in the fashion industry for over 3 decades and has been a driving tool in establishing market share. Knowing and determining...
Have you ever wondered what the greenest materials are…we found this handy go-to list of the friendliest materials that have our planet covered. http://ecosalon.com/a-handy-reference-guide-to-the-20-greenest-materials/
Have you noticed a rise in people being interested in upcycling? Have you heard the word more often than usual? It’s a thing! So what is all the fuss about upcycling? And what is it all about? Upcycle Magazine says “Upcycling is taking an item that is no longer needed...
The Australian Furniture Association is calling all Furnishing Industry Leaders and Buyers who wish to participate in the Business Delegation to attend the Export Furniture Exhibition and Malaysian International Furniture Fair Events, in Malaysia from the 8-11 of...
Many businesses operate a vehicle fleet and will, no doubt, have well-developed policies and procedures that apply to the operation of that fleet. These policies are designed to deal with safety and well being responsibilities of both the business and employees. To...
The International Standards Organisation (ISO) publishes standards on a wide range of topics, including consumer product safety. Members may be aware, for example, of the ISO standard for high chairs – ISO 9221. But ISO also publishes a range of standards and guides...
Is it time to plan your next business trip and tag on a holiday? Check out the full list of furnishing and design related trade shows around the world on the link below. For information about the AFA’s travel partner discounts and special offers, contact the AFA at...
The AFA is currently negotiating the with international partners for Australia to be included in an International Design program. The program has been established for a number of years now and Australia is only the third country to be invited to this prestigious...
Thanks to those who completed the AFA’s recent survey about use of Timber in the production of Furniture. It appears that not everyone is in the know. Want to have your say and go into the DRAW to win an Australian Furniture Association (AFA) Individual Membership...
The AFA is committed to helping Australian businesses with a focus on building competitive and sustainable business models and to promote the profitable growth, competitiveness, innovation, and the export readiness of its Members. This week we wrote to the Victorian...
This article provides basic tips for protecting your furniture or homeware designs under Australian law. We’ll begin with a case study. Imagine you have just developed a new design for a lamp. It features an unusual shaped base and a distinctive holder for the...
Manufacturing has changed the world and is itself changing, more fundamentally than at any time since the industrial revolution. Does this spell the end of manufacturing in Australia, or a new beginning? Our immediate challenge is that the resources boom has ‘hollowed...
