Australian Made... Naturally!
It's the inaugural Australian Made week that celebrates the Australian makers industries. We are proud to be Australian made since the beginning! In 1993 Kerrie helped start a local woolgrower group, Matilda Merino, which grew out of woolgrowers frustration with the low prices of wool and the effects of drought in the early 1990’s. Members wanted to know what happened to their wool once it left the farm gate and what it was actually used for. Kerrie initiated a number of projects including following wool through the value adding chain to the end product and also promoting Australian Merino wool locally.
Merino Country started on the family Sheep Station, "Clareborough" in Western Queensland value adding to the family Merino enterprise. We are very proud that our Merino wool is Australian Grown - the best in the world; our fabrics are knitted and dyed in Australia and all our garments are made in-house in our own factory in Brisbane – our customers are welcome to come and visit us and meet our team who make their clothing. Click on Our Story for more!
We have made a conscious decision to keep our production and manufacturing in Australia to support local jobs and industry and to have better control over our quality. It might cost a bit more to produce here but we know that we are giving you the best possible product that we can and providing jobs for our local community. Natural Underwear and clothing that is good for you, our animals and the environment... Naturally!
Merino Country works closely with Australian woolgrowers, processors and manufacturers and have input into the specifications of not only the raw wool, but also yarn types, fabric construction, design and manufacturing of garments. Merino Country is a licensed user of the Australian Made trademark with all fabric processed in Australia and garments manufactured in Queensland, supporting local jobs, communities and industry and to have better control over our quality. It means we’re flexible with quick turn around and just in time production meaning we don’t have to wait on products from overseas and can deliver quickly to large organisations or individual customers.
We saw the benefit many years ago highlighting the fact that we manufacture in Australia and have done for 28 years and believe the Australian Made Logo authenticates that we are genuinely Australian. We are proudly certified by Australia's most trusted, recognised and widely used country of origin symbol. You can be rest assured that our products are truly made here in Australia to our strict and high Australian guidelines and standards.
Australian Made makes Australia
History of Australian Made
The AMAG logo celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2016, but the origins of the campaign can be traced back over 100 years.
1930s - 1960s
The merits of buying Australian made have been advocated in Federal Parliament since Federation, and chambers of manufacturers have been championing the cause in publications and press advertisements since the 1930s.
In 1961 a national campaign called Operation Boomerang was launched by the Associated Chambers of Manufactures of Australia to strengthen the profile of local manufacturing and encourage people to buy locally made goods. Its logo, a red boomerang on a blue background with the Southern Cross can still be seen today.
1980s - 1990s
In 1986 the Australian Government commissioned the introduction of the Australian Made logo. It was designed by Melbourne graphic designer, Ken Cato, and officially launched by then Prime Minister, Bob Hawke. It was to be administered by the Advance Australia Foundation for the next 10 years.
The logo reverted back to the Australian Government when the Foundation went into voluntary liquidation in 1996.
In the late 1990s the Australian chamber of commerce network established the not-for-profit company Australian Made Campaign Limited (AMCL), along with a new code of practice for the logo, and in 1999 it was officially relaunched by then Prime Minister, John Howard.
2000s
In 2002 ownership of the Australian Made logo was transferred to AMCL. A Deed of Assignment and Management Deed ensure the Government’s ongoing connection to the logo remains strong.
The logo was renamed the ‘Australian Made, Australian Grown’ logo in 2007 when the Federal Government decided to use it as the centrepiece of its new food labelling initiative, ‘Australian Grown’. Ken Cato was commissioned to give the logo a more contemporary look and feel and the rules governing the logo’s use were extended to include fresh and packaged produce.
2010s & beyond
In 2011, the Code of Practice was revised to allow use of the ‘Australian Seafood’ descriptor with the logo.
In mid-2012, Roy Morgan Research found that almost all Australian consumers (98.8%) recognise the logo, and it is the logo which gives the vast majority (88.6%) of Australian consumers strong confidence that a product is Australian.
The Australian Made campaign continues to grow in size and stature. The logo is now used by more than 2600 businesses on over 16,000 products sold in Australia and export markets around the world.