Australian Made Week 2023 will see more female founders coming to their own, as more Australians prioritise local producers.
Founded by a trio of country women, Sarah Britz, Lauren Hately and Jenn Donovan, Spend With Us is an online marketplace that exclusively stocks gifts and experiences from the bush. From fine chocolate to vintages from the country’s vineyards, textiles to handmade toys, Spend With Us showcases the best of rural and regional Australia, with a mission of helping small businesses in the regions recover from the pandemic, bushfires, floods and drought.
“We’re proud to be able to contribute to the livelihood and wellbeing of our much-loved rural and regional communities,” Britz said.
“Whenever a customer buys from us, they know they’re getting quality Australian craftsmanship. Any money spent makes a big difference in supporting our communities to bounce back after the setbacks we’ve experienced.”
Influential tastemaker, Carolyn Dorrian is known as the woman who single-handedly brought the maximalist trend to Australian tables. According to the Mrs Tablescape founder, her desire to make memories around the dining table combined with her love of art and design is the inspiration behind one of Australia’s most unique retailers of handmade ceramic crockery, linen and accessories.
Mrs Tablescape has its own ceramicist working in-house to elevate dinnerware to an artform. “My emphasis on custom designed pieces eschews mass production and puts the focus on appreciating every single piece of product that has been lovingly produced by hand,” Dorrian said.
“Manufacturing is a labour of love and should never be taken for granted. The amount of care taken in every detail of Mrs Tablescape’s spread is testament to our on-site manufacturing capabilities and is a great example of the talent that exists right here in Australia.”