The latest retail-themed State of the Nation reveals that Australians made 90 million more trips to bricks-and-mortar stores in the 2015/2016 financial year than they did in the year before that. For several years, Australians have been making fewer visits to retail...
While your staff may be ‘off the clock’, you’ll probably still be responsible for their health and safety. Here are some suggestions to help your workplace celebrate safely: Send a friendly email to staff before the party reminding them that while the party is a time...
Jo Hall from Channel 9 News Melbourne recently reported on a group of elderly retirees in Melbourne’s east who are devoting their precious time and skills to a worthy cause.These wonderful outer suburban men who are in their late 80’s early 90’s are...
The Australian Furniture Association (AFA) together with industry partners, regulatory bodies, and State and Federal Government share your concerns and that of the ACCC and consumers related to the emerging safety hazards and increased risk of injury and death of...
The VCAA is hosting a free program PD session in conjunction with the Australian Furniture Association on Wednesday 30 November 2016. We will be joined by Gary Dunshea from Manufacturing Skills Australia and will discuss in detail the implementation of the new...
Who would have known your average “paper bag” look could be so cool?. These bags are made from a raw cellulose fibre to achieve the paper quality. Pictured is UASHMAMA washable paper that looks and feels like leather but washes with ease. They are soft yet resilient,...
The AFA loves wood and working with our AFA Members who are timber producers and Forestry industry bodies. Starting with the trees themselves in all their beauty, extending to the smell of fresh cut wood, the feel when you work it with hand tools and the smell of...
Just splurged on some marble and copper homewares? You may want to stop reading. While it seems like just yesterday we were celebrating the new year, trend forecasters and designers are already thinking well into 2017 – and there’s a big shake up of interior trends...
Prepare to lose yourself inside the inky blue depths of designer Christopher Duffy’s latest creation. The UK artist recently completed the Abyss Table, a hypnotising dining table made from layered glass and sustainably sourced wood to mimic the ocean depths. Lights...
If you are starting out in the furniture business or been in business for a while, one of the most important things you can do as a business owner is to pay attention to money management. If you want your business success to turn into personal financial success, you...
If your business is retail-focused, you have one goal at this time of year and that is Christmas sales. November and December can account for 20% of annual sales for businesses, and for those AFA Members who have online stores this is for you too. You need to start...
The world’s most recognisable brand is ‘Made in Italy’ so how is it being used to dupe consumers into buying furniture? Have you heard about the new country of origin labelling changes? There is a Bill before Australian Federal Parliament right now which will affect...
Summer is just around the corner and AFA Member Moss Furniture have these handy tips for preparing your outdoor area for the longer days. As chances are your outdoor living area probably needs a little TLC before you invite the neighbours in! To find out more visit...
As another year of inspirational interiors ends, The LuxPad asked 30 experts to share their thoughts on 2016’s top interior design trends. Their predictions included a continuation of 2015’s metallics mania, while others predicted the use of bold patterns and...
Spanish designer Maximo Riera has used bold colours and shapes to launch a collection of animal inspired furniture for Wild Design. A feast for the eyes, this collection of armchair designs take heavy influences from various exotic creatures, from mammals, to insects,...
The Australasian Furnishing Association (AFA) is continuing to push for stronger legislation since the announcement of IKEA’s alert re toppling furniture and subsequent child deaths. This issue is not exclusive to the IKEA incident, and the AFA is aware of a number of...
Each Australian State and Territory has occupational health and safety (“OHS”) legislation which imposes certain obligations on companies. In any workplace OHS is a significant issue because when an accident or injury occurs there can be serious reputational...
The new business.gov.au is coming in May! The website you see in May will continue to grow and change based on the needs of businesses in Australia. It will include: Coloured icons throughout the site so that you’ll quickly see related information. Most...
Match the Maker and WIN! Check out the video below and see if you can Match the Maker to the amazing Australian Designer Furniture featured in the recent Wood Solutions campaign. Two major prizes are up for grabs so enter NOW! Competition prizes include a one-on-one...
It goes without saying that furniture plays an important role in our lives. With many people spending more or equal time away from home, functional, ergonomic and aesthetically pleasing furniture design is equally important in our homes, our offices, boardrooms,...
This week the Federal Minister for Education and Training announced a new VET loan system to replace the flawed VET FEE-HELP scheme. The VET Student Loans scheme includes: Limiting courses eligible for VET Student Loans to those that align with industry needs and are...
