BNPL Reforms Are Coming and Furniture Retailers Must Be Ready

By Mark Lazarus, Director, Lazarus Legal, Legal Partner of the Australian Furniture Association The Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) model is now embedded in Australian furniture retail. For an industry defined by high-value discretionary purchases, BNPL has helped bridge...

Navigating Sustainability in the Library: A Greener Future

Cheap furniture might save money today – but it could cost a library its credibility tomorrow. In a time when libraries are stepping up as champions of literacy, inclusion, and community well-being, the choices made in these spaces speak volumes. The Australian...

Simplex Waste Solutions Slashes Costs

At the Australian Furniture Association, we’re committed to supporting our members with practical, cost-effective solutions that drive both profitability and sustainability. We’re excited to announce our newest partnership with Simplex Waste Solutions, a leading...

Furniture Suppliers: Non-Compliance Will Cost MILLIONS

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has introduced the Consumer Goods (Toppling Furniture) Information Standard 2024, a significant measure aimed at reducing injuries and fatalities caused by unstable furniture. This mandatory standard came into...

Strengthening Sustainability: AFA, AFISC & GECA Join Forces

The Australian Furniture Association (AFA) and the Australian Furniture Industry Stewardship Council (AFISC) have announced a strategic partnership with Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA)—Australia’s only not-for-profit, multi-sector ecolabelling program. This...

Wage theft laws in force for intentional underpayment of wages

Wage theft involves underpaying an employee’s rightful wages and other entitlements. It robs workers of their income and undermines the fundamental principles of fair work. In response to these issues, the Commonwealth government has introduced laws to criminalise the...

Support for Australian made Products Crucial Amid U.S. Trade Tariffs

As the United States enforces a minimum 10 per cent tariff on all Australian exports, the Australian Furniture Association (AFA) is calling on Australians to actively support local industries and choose Australia first by purchasing genuine Australian made products....

Mandatory Toppling Furniture Labels and Swing Tags from 4 May 2025

The Australian Consumer and Competitions Council (ACCC) Toppling furniture MANDATORY information standard will apply from 4 May 2025 A mandatory information standard has been introduced to ensure suppliers provide safety warnings to consumers about the dangers of...

The New Privacy Laws: What They Mean for the Furniture Industry

A law passed in 2022 is about to bring big changes in 2025. The Privacy Act amendments introduce tougher rules on how businesses collect and handle customer data. What used to be a concern mainly for large corporations is now something every furniture business, big or...

AFA Architects and Specifiers Guide to Furniture Video

The Australian Furniture Association (AFA) proudly announces the release of The Architects and Specifiers Guide to Furniture (Version 1) – March 2025.  This comprehensive guide is designed to help manufacturers and suppliers directly engage with architects, interior...

AFA Announces Strategic Partnership with Tender Plus

The Australian Furniture Association (AFA) is proud to announce the EXCLUSIVE partnership with leading tender and grant support consultancy, Tender Plus. Set to provide AFA Members with discounted, expert services designed to enhance their ability to secure government...

Greenwashing Crackdown: What It Means for the Furniture Industry

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has reaffirmed its commitment to tackling misleading sustainability claims, naming greenwashing enforcement a top priority in its 2025-26 Compliance and Enforcement Priorities Update. With consumers and...

Thanks, Captain Obvious!

The Australian Furniture Association is often supporting industry in relation to ‘bidding for work’. The AFA receives a flurry of emails whenever we provide advance notice of Tender opportunities, requesting ‘AFA Support Letters’ and it is OBVIOUS that we don’t always...

GET STAFFED!!!

Does your HR Manager know about the Australian Furniture Association’s Jobs Board? A new year and Staff attrition is a common occurrence as people reassess their lives over the break. AFA Members say that Staff recruitment and retention is one of our industries...

Furniture suppliers suffer Financial Loss via Cyber Attack.

Online scams have been around for a long time. Spotting a suspicious looking email dotted with spelling mistakes and bad grammar is easy BUT, we don’t usually expect the scam to involve people or businesses that we deal with on a regular basis or would otherwise...

AFA/AFISC Launch Architect and Specifiers Guide

‘Architects are time-poor, have their reputations to consider in terms of the recommendations they make, and have a vested interest in being able to select pre-vetted furniture using a “how to” guide with a minimum of fuss,’ says Architect, Micheal Smith...